Andrews – After three games in three days, the Murphy boys soccer team had reason to celebrate.
The Bulldogs entered the week on the right side of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A playoff picture, and solidified their place in the field after a 4-0 win at Andrews on Oct. 26. So after playing two full games and one double-overtime game, the shouts of joy after beating the Wildcats were well worth it.
“We’re pumped and excited to get that experience,” head coach Justin Butler said. “Any experience of playing against a quality team in the state is a good experience for these guys, and especially with as much youth as they have.”
After an 8-3 win over Tri-County Early College to start the week, followed by a 2-2 tie against Hayesville, Butler wanted his team to score early to put Andrews away and counter the fatigue he knew would come later. He had his defense around midfield to start the game, forcing his midfield to play further up the field and put more pressure on the Wildcats’ defense.
Though Murphy (7-8-2 overall, 6-6-2 Smoky Mountain Conference) gave up two good chances on counter attacks early in the game, the plan worked with four first-half goals. Tyler Payne had a free kick deflect in off the Andrews (2-12, 2-12) goalie in the 18th minute, and Samuel Lewis added a goal three minutes later. In the 26th minute, Mann Barot converted a penalty kick after a handball was called just outside the box, and Jerry Bui scored seven minutes later for the final goal of the night.
“Last time we played (Andrews) I think we finished 1-0 at half, and I wasn’t happy with that,” Butler said. “Tonight, I wanted to get the points up so I could get some of my extra players on the field during the second half.”
The Bulldogs were the No. 28 seed in the playoffs and traveled to No. 5 seed Highlands for a first-round game after press time Tuesday.
For Andrews, this season was as much about results as it was setting the foundation for the program. The Wildcats had a team for the first time since 2017, and did not have any seniors. It was a new challenge for head coach Pat Santora, whose main experience coaching the sport was with his son in California, taking a group of kids when they were 10 years old to the end of high school.
By his son’s senior year, there wasn’t a lot of coaching as much as just letting them play. At Andrews, he had to start with the basics, as many of the kids hadn’t played before. Now that the players have experience, he’s hoping to send drills to some of the team leaders in the offseason to help guide player-led workouts so they can continue to develop.
“They improved all year and they gave a good effort tonight,” Santora said. “We’re still new, and a lot of these kids haven’t played before. We’re a young team, and what we’re looking at is a three-year plan.”