I mean, why not? These were the two teams predicted to be there in the end so let’s get it started. Who ya got? I feel like after Murphy playing two charter schools from Charlotte area, they can now get back some familiarity.
Western Conference Final: Starmount @ Murphy
- Thread starter Murphydawg4life
- Start date
This is going to be tough.. gonna be the best defense so far in the playoffs (although Corvian held their own in the second half). Curious if starmount has a balanced attack?
Yes! Scored 4 rushing touchdowns, 3 passing touchdowns, punt return touchdown and a 42-yard FG
All I know for sure is that Murphy is very battle tested, played some really good football teams this year and had a tough path to get to this game. Playing at home is their reward for going out and putting together a very challenging schedule and hopefully they'll reap the rewards of that homefield next Friday night.
Last edited:
I’m just thankful that If Tarboro makes it they will get to play a traditional public school no matter what.
Hoping for an injury free game from both teams.
Hoping for an injury free game from both teams.
Murphy had a couple of key players get banged up and come out for a while tonight, hoping they'll be close to 100% next Friday
This should be a really good close game. Starmount is very balanced and a tough physical team.
I was not impressed with film I watched of the Bulldogs against Franklin. I think that was an early season game, and I’m sure they have improved?
Starmount is like a different team since some mid season hurdles with staffing and a surprising conference loss, which as it turned out, was all a positive turning point for the team. The offense is now multi-dimensional, and the D is consistent, and for real!
The Rams travel well, so it should be a great matchup with Murphy!
Starmount is like a different team since some mid season hurdles with staffing and a surprising conference loss, which as it turned out, was all a positive turning point for the team. The offense is now multi-dimensional, and the D is consistent, and for real!
The Rams travel well, so it should be a great matchup with Murphy!
You’re right. Murphy is not impressive. Nothing to see here. Starmount by as many as they want.
It was the first game of the season. And you might not have been impressed with Murphy but their opponent Franklin was a 3rd round 5A team and is ranked higher on MaxPreps than every team Starmount has played this season.
He must have also missed the film where Murphy put a running clock on the same ES team that Starmount beat by only a couple of TDs.
Murphy always improves throughout the season. That Franklin team they beat, only has 3 losses in the season: Murphy beat them 29-14, Brevard beat Franklin in OT 34-28 and Hickory beat them in the 3rd round of the 5A playoffs 36-14… so if you went away not impressed by Murphy then I guess you shouldn’t be to impressed by Brevard who is in the finals of the 4A western conference finals and also hickory who is in the finals of the 5A conference finals. Murphy is battle tested. Their only losses are to Heard County, GA (who are undefeated and in the finals of the Class A Division 1 playoffs in Georgia) and AC Reynolds (who they were up on 14-0 in the 1st quarter before Cameron Clem got hurt) and that sucked the life out of them and ended up losing. Starmount poses a huge threat with their balanced attack and will be a dandy of a game.
If memory serves me correctly… they have met twice, both in the playoffs. In 2001, Murphy beat starmount 42-13 and in 2002, Starmount beat Murphy 38-12. Deena would need to confirm but the series is tied I think.
Congratulations to Both Murphy and our Starmount Rams!!!
Battle between 2 very good football programs. Haven’t been up there since 2002.
If y'all need anything when you get here, let me know. Email me and I'll send you my cell #. Jeff Hinshaw, one of my buddies from Yadkinville, is coming up as well. Look forward to meeting you.
Yes Jeff is one of our medical staffers. His son was pulled up from JVs for the playoffs.
I feel this is a better matchup for Murphy defensively than Corvian was, not saying that means Murphy will win but I feel this game is going to be strength on strength for the most part (both teams strong run game, strong front seven, physical). Early forecast looks like a cold rainy night next Friday, give me the home team by 7.
Rainy weather always worries me. A lot of times it turns these games into a crapshoot of who can turn the ball over the least. I hope it’s cold but dry.
How does Starmount compare size wise and speed wise to Murphy? Do they have a deep roster? How would they have done against Corvian?
Any chance the game would be rescheduled for Thursday? The condition of the field shouldn't dictate who wins the game.
I'm not sure how Starmount compares to Murphy on size and speed. That's a good question. I think Starmount's overall team speed and size is good.
I think the biggest strength of this Rams team is that it's a COMPLETE team. No glaring weakness like many small school teams. They do good in every area, running, passing, defense, special teams. You can't key on stopping any one thing because they can beat you multiple ways.
If you want a knockdown drag out physical defensive game they can give you that. They held a very very good EW who put up 28 on Corvian(and should've beat Corvian) to 0 points. If you want high scoring they can do that. They just put by far the most points on Mitchell of any team this year.
I said earlier in the season that if this team got an offense they would be dangerous. They found that offense.
I think the biggest strength of this Rams team is that it's a COMPLETE team. No glaring weakness like many small school teams. They do good in every area, running, passing, defense, special teams. You can't key on stopping any one thing because they can beat you multiple ways.
If you want a knockdown drag out physical defensive game they can give you that. They held a very very good EW who put up 28 on Corvian(and should've beat Corvian) to 0 points. If you want high scoring they can do that. They just put by far the most points on Mitchell of any team this year.
I said earlier in the season that if this team got an offense they would be dangerous. They found that offense.
I don’t expect Murphy to bring in the helicopter like they did in 2002. lol!!
Yeah hard to say on speed, Corvian was even faster in person than they looked on film. My guess would be Starmount probably has more team speed than Murphy but the only team that's played both is East Surry, so unless there's some East Surry fans lurking around that watched both games, probably won't know for sure until Friday night rolls around.
As far as size goes, that can be figured out. What's the height and weight of Starmount's o-line and d-line? Murphy on the o-line goes: LT - 6'5" 285 lbs, LG - 6'1" 215 lbs, C - 5'11" 250 lbs, RG - 6'1" 225 lbs, RT - 6'5" 290 lbs. Murphy on the d-line goes: DE - 6'3" 205 lbs, DT - 6'2" 225 lbs, DT - 6'5" 290 lbs, DE - 6'1" 215 lbs
I know that the Starmount community has great respect for the SMC and Murphy. It's gonna be a very tough environment for the Rams to be in position to win. Murphy has certainly earned that homefield advantage.
Does Murphy pass the ball well?
Does Murphy pass the ball well?
Good luck to both! Should be very good game. Watched Murphy Friday and pretty dang good. LB is a beast.
Basically Murphy does enough to keep teams honest if they load up on the run. Murphy has good receivers but the QB lacks arm strength, so it hamstrings them in what they can do as far as playcalling. So there's no vertical passing game to speak of, it's all short and intermediate stuff.
I think Starmount was missing some key players in the East Surry game but I can't remember which ones. Thinking back about that game, it's hard to believe that was this team. Like two totally different teams. HUGE difference between now and then.
Deana may have the measurements.
Starmounts play calling was abysmal at beginning of year....they seem to have their stuff together now .
It's gonna be interesting how the coaches for each team make changes during the game.
How many different players run the ball for Murphy?
#55? Yeah when he went out Corvian started having a lot more success on both sides of the ball, he's Murphy's best o-lineman as well in my opinion. When he came back in he still looked pretty good, but ankle sprains can be rough on a LB when you need to move laterally, so here's hoping the injury won't impact him too much Friday.
#71 was playing hurt the 2nd half Friday night as well and you could see the difference on the d-line for Murphy in the 2nd half. Hoping he'll be healthier Friday night too, can't have two of your best players beat up too bad and expect to win a game like this.
They've got four kids who get carries with the first unit: #5 gets the lion's share and against good teams is averaging between fifteen and twenty five touches a game, #8 and #23 usually get six to eight touches a game each and #28 has been getting two or three touches a game.
They're balanced and talented enough as a unit that you can't sell out on stopping #5. #5 is their workhorse, #8 is their speed threat and #23 is the kid who doesnt look like much physically but is a quality hard nosed RB.
I remember hearing the helicopter hovering over the field from my work location. Definitely a unique way of trying to dry a field out.
It's gonna be a tall task to contain that running game. Not gonna be able to stop it.