Tradition never graduates is the saying and Murphy football is the embodiment.
The Bulldogs won a 10th state championship in the N.C. High School Athletic Association last year and their coach, David Gentry, is only four wins away from breaking the state’s all-time record (412).
Christ School (2-0) will get the chance to play one of western North Carolina’s most storied programs for the first time Friday when the Greenies travel roughly two and a half hours to Cherokee County, which borders both Georgia and Tennessee. Kickoff between Christ School and Murphy (3-0) is set for 7:30 p.m.
Radio station WKRK (1320am.com) provides live audio streams of Murphy games and updates will be provided through the Christ School Athletics' Twitter account (@greeniesports).
Christ School is the top-ranked team in the Asheville Citizen-Times’ poll for WNC football for the second straight week and coming off its third shutout in two years – last Friday’s 47-0 home win over the Cabarrus Warriors. Navy Shuler ’20 has passed for six touchdowns in two games – four to Aydan White ’20 and two to Lex Long ’21. Pierce Hammonds ’22 rushed for three touchdowns against Cabarrus.
Seniors Read Sunn ’20, Jasper Thomas ’20, and Kiki Alcime ’20 have been standouts for the defense so far.
Murphy is ranked No. 3 in WNC by the Citizen-Times and led offensively by senior running back Devonte Murray (472 yards, four touchdowns) and sophomore quarterback Kellen Rumfelt (254 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions).
The Bulldogs’ most-heralded player is Yousef Mugharbil, a 6-foot-5, 316-pound lineman who has scholarship offers from ACC and Southeastern Conference schools.
Christ School has already taken on one tradition-rich opponent this year. The Greenies beat nine-time state champion University Christian (Fla.), 35-20, on August 30.