Preview: Murphy Bulldogs vs. Cherokee Braves
Murphy is 9-0 against Cherokee since October of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Murphy Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Cherokee Braves at 7:30 p.m. Cherokee took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Murphy, who comes in off a win.
Last Friday, Murphy earned a 27-20 win over Andrews. Given Murphy's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 111th, while Andrews is ranked 258th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Hunter Stalcup went supernova for Murphy, rushing for 199 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 10.5 yards per carry. Stalcup's longest rush was for an incredible 80 yards.
Meanwhile, Cherokee took a serious blow against Swain County on Friday, falling 45-7. Cherokee was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 31-7.
Murphy's victory bumped their record up to 6-3. As for Cherokee, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 5-4.
Everything came up roses for Murphy against Cherokee in their previous meeting back in September of 2022 as the squad secured a 49-14 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Murphy since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
