The Murphy Bulldogs are getting ready for the N.C. High School Athletic Association football playoffs. Murphy received the third overall seed in the 1A western division. That means if the Dogs keep up their winning ways, they will get at least three games at home and the possibility of a fourth. The bracket’s set up to have a rematch of the Murphy-Robbinsville game in round three if both teams advance that far. Mount Airy, last year’s state champion is seeded first and Mountain Heritage is seeded second in the western division.
Murphy will face Highland Tech—No. 30 seed—in the first game. The winner of that game will play the winner of Alleghany versus Christ the King. Depending on how those games shake out and how Robbinsville fares in their section of the bracket, Murphy and Robbinsville could meet in round three.
Highland Tech will come into Bulldog County on Friday Night with a 3-6 record. In their last six games they have given up over 30 points per game while only scoring an average of seven points per game. To be fair to the Rams, four of those six losses have been to a very good group of 2A schools, that includes perennial power, Shelby.
The Rams rely heavily on the run as they have only attempted 15 passes in six games. On the other hand, they have rushed the ball on average of 26 time a game. Their leading rusher is senior Jonah Jefferies, a 5’11” 205-pound running back, with 73 rushes for 455 yards. He is complimented by another senior, quarterback Carmelo Adams, with 33 rushes for 277 yards.
The Highland Tech defense is anchored by their two defensive ends. On one side you have 6’5’’ 230-pound Cooper McGraw and on the other is 6’4” 220-pound Carson London. The leading tackler on the Rams defense is linebacker Eden Barnes followed by McGraw. Highland Tech runs out of multiple formations, and they hardly ever pass. Their quarterback will run the ball at times but will mainly rely on Jefferies for the bulk of their work in the rushing department.
The teams that Highland Tech has beaten have a combined record of 4-22, and the Rams finished last in the 1A/2A Southern Piedmont Conference, where they finished 0-6 in conference play.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at David Gentry field in Murphy.