Boys soccer wraps up regular season, playoffs kicking off
With their 2-1 win over Blue Ridge Early College, the Murphy varsity boys soccer team clinched the Smoky Mountain Conference. This is Murphy boys soccer’s second conference title since winning their first in 2012.
The regular season wrapped up as the three local varsity soccer teams played their final games before the state playoffs.
Murphy
Oct. 28 is a day the Bulldogs will remember for a long time. That feeling of excitement on the field in Cashiers as they defeated Blue Ridge (8-7-1) to clinch the conference championship.
The Bulldogs (14-3-1) came into the game with one goal – to walk off the field as Smoky Mountain Conference champions. They did that with their 2-1 win.
Blue Ridge scored early to take a 1-0 lead. Andrew White then found the back of the net to tie the match 1-1.
With eight minutes remaining, Tyler Payne scored to give the Bulldogs the 2-1 lead. When the final buzzer rang out, the Bulldogs won the SMC crown with one regular-season game still remaining on the schedule.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs hosted Hayesville (5-8-1) and celebrated senior night in their regular-season finale.
Before the match Murphy seniors Kole Ritz, Keaten Ritz, Elijah Twiggs, Abram Twiggs, Aaron Harger, Cale Harger, Tyler Payne, Nathan Johnson and Jerry Bui were honored.
Cale Harger earned another clean sheet as the Dogs defeated Hayesville 2-0. Murphy’s goals came from Andrew White and Jerry Bui en route to ending the season with a win.
The Dogs earned a first-round bye after getting seeded No. 6. They will face the winner of No. 11 seed Queen’s Grant vs. No. 22 seed Avery County at home Thursday.
Tri-County
The Jaguars (0-14-1) had a two-game week to close out their regular season as they faced Hayesville and Swain County on the road.
They started their week on Oct. 27 by traveled to Clay County to face the Yellow Jackets. Tri-County Early College held the Jackets to one goal, but still fell 1-0 to start their week.
In their second game in two days, the Jaguars traveled to Swain County to face the Maroon Devils (4-12-2) in their regular-season finale.
Swain had two first half goals to lead 2-0 at halftime. In the second half, the Devils added one more to net the 3-0 final score.
The Jaguars finished the regular season at eighth place in the Smoky Mountain Conference heading into the playoffs.
In the first round of the playoffs Tueaday night, they faced North Stokes on after the Cherokee Scout’s press deadline. Coverage of the match will be in the Nov. 12 edition of the Scout.
Andrews
The Wildcats faced Blue Ridge in their season finale Saturday, but the Bobcats got a 3-1 win.
Andrews seniors Myca Mustin, Ethan Barton, Ethan Garrett and Aaron Hunsucker were scheduled to be honored before the match. The Wildcats ended their regular season with a 5-8-1 overall record in their first season as a boys team and not a co-ed team.
The Wildcats received a first-round bye after being seeded No. 11.
They will face the winner of No. 6 seeded N. C. School of Science and Math: Morganton on the road after they also received a first-round bye.
The Cats will play their second-round match on the road at 7 p.m. Thursday.