Murphy – There was steady rainfall, tempers flaring on the field and a thrilling conclusion.
In other words, a fitting chapter in the longstanding rivalry between the Murphy Bulldogs and Robbinsville Black Knights.
Friday night’s installment went to Robbinsville (6-1, 2-0), which exacted a measure of revenge in the form of a 26-21 nod against its Smoky Mountain Conference foe. Murphy (5-2, 1-1) traveled to Graham County in 2022 and delivered a 48-16 defeat on Senior Night.
This year, the Black Knights were able to spoil the Bulldogs’ night of celebration on the heels of an ultra-motivated Cuttler Adams, who trampled his way past Kurt Odom to second place in the all-time school rushing record books on the strength of 247 yards on 28 carries.
On the other sideline, Murphy’s Hunter Stalcup controlled the scoring for the Bulldogs with 21 carries for 185 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
Adams posted all four of Robbinsville’s touchdowns: a 1-yard push to cap a 4:08 opening drive, a 53-yard dash on the first play of the second quarter, a go-ahead touchdown from 14 yards out just before halftime and the eventual game-clincher on a 60-yard sprint with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Save for the Donovan Carpenter keeper that followed Adams’ final score in the third quarter, the Knights were unable to convert three other two-point opportunities.
Adams now sits at 5,643 (Odom had 5,600); he needs just 521 to surpass Rylee Anderson (who had 6,164 yards on the ground from 2016-19) as the top rusher in both school and conference history.
Stalcup’s first two strikes came in transition – a 3-yard run that followed Will Joyner’s first interception of the game in the opening segment, and a 68-yard rumble in the aftermath of a Camden Breazeale fumble recovery with 2:34 left in the second quarter. Murphy’s final lead of the evening was captured on a 38-yard carry with 8:09 left in the third.
After a banner evening, the senior running back was called upon to reel in sophomore quarterback Brady Grant’s on-the-money Hail Mary at the final buzzer. However, Robbinsville’s Zeke Silvers tipped the ball over his outstretched hands.
Joyner was a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points and ended the night with two interceptions for Murphy. Bryce Adams recovered a fumble for Robbinsville e as well.
The flick solidified the Black Knights’ efforts, while also dampening the Bulldogs’ Senior Night rally bid in a way no amount of steady rainfall ever could.