Murphy – Cameron Clem rushed for 181 yards on 22 carries and scored all three of Murphy’s touchdowns as the Bulldogs advanced to the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs Friday night with a 21-11 win over Christ the King.
The win sets up a third-round game that will be a rematch with an old foe, Robbinsville. Murphy won the first game 14-7 on the road.
Murphy scored on their first drive Friday to take a 7-0 lead at the 8:24 mark of the first quarter. The drive was highlighted by two long runs by quarterback Brady Grant.
Grant picked up a first down on his first run, then moved the ball down to the 5 yard line on a 25-yard scamper. Clem did the rest, scoring his first touchdown. Jerry Bui added the extra point to give the Dogs a 7-0 lead.
The Dogs took little time in making their second score, as they recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Elijah Crawford stripped the ball from Christ the King’s return man, and the Dogs were back in business at the Crusaders’ 40 yard line. Three plays later and after a Murphy penalty, Clem busted a 43-yard run for his second touchdown of the night. Bui added the extra point, and the Dogs led 14-0 at the 7:03 mark of the first quarter.
Murphy had a lot of their drives Friday halted because of their own mistakes. The Dogs were penalized for 109 yards.
It looked as if Christ the King would answer the bell on their next drive, as Crusader quarterback Jaxon Ehert, moved his team down to the 31 yard line, but Ryan Payne broke up a fourth-down pass and the Dogs took over on their own 31. Murphy would drive down to the Crusaders 35-yard line, but a combination of penalties and a sack back to the 50 stalled the drive.
Christ the King would get on the board in the second quarter. Ehert got his team down to the Murphy 7 yard line. With a first and goal, the Dogs’ defense stiffened and forced a field goal. The Crusaders Brennan Wallace connected on a 24-yard field goal to make the score 14-3 at 5:27 of the second quarter.
It looked as if the Dogs would score again on their next possession as they move the ball to the 10 yard line, but a sack put them back to the 20 to set up a third and 16. Unable to pick up the first down, Bui was called on to attempt a 34-yard field goal, but the kick failed to split the goal posts, and the score at halftime was 14-3.
The third quarter went scoreless. The only time either team got close to scoring was a 32-yard field goal attempt by the Crusaders that was no good.
Murphy would score at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when Clem busted a 20-yard run to move the Dogs to the 25. Clem finished the drive in three more carries, scoring from 11 yards out for his third touchdown of the night. Bui’s point after gave Murphy a 21-3 lead with 11:17 left.
The Crusaders would take the ensuing kickoff and drive the ball down to the Bulldogs’ 26 before they failed to convert a fourth-down play. The Dogs would give the ball back to the Crusaders on their own 45.
Ehert and the Crusaders would not be denied on this drive. Ehert found Kyle Corrigan for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Ehert followed that up with a two-point conversion pass to his brother, Jaxon Ehert, which netted the final 22-11 Murphy win.
The win sets up a rematch in Murphy on Friday night as a familiar foe, as the Black Knights come to Bulldog Country. All head coach Joseph Watson said about he rematch was, “I expect it to be a classic SMC battle.”
Games between Murphy and Robbinsville have always been barn-burners, and this one should be no different. The Dogs need to limit their penalties, while Robbinsville is showing more passing than players are used to seeing and also will be playing some younger talent from their junior varsity team.
Kickoff of the third round game is set at 7:30 p.m. Friday at David Gentry Field in Murphy.