JV Knights drop Murphy for first time since 2015
-
JV Black Knight Kage Williams gave the Murphy defense fits throughout Robbinsville's 48-30 over the Bulldogs on Sept. 12. Photo by Byron Housley/The Graham Star
Robbinsville – Wren Millsaps waited a long time for it.
As a player, he never won a game against Murphy.
As a coach, he had never won a game against Murphy.
That all changed on Sept. 12, as the Millsaps-led JV Black Knights (2-0) stunned the Bulldogs 48-30. It was the first Robbinsville football win over Murphy since 2015.
"This is the thing I wanted most in this world," said Millsaps, overwhelmed with emotion. "I have a bunch of tough kids that won't give up, and they're going to play four quarters, no matter what."
The Bulldogs came out firing to begin the game, marching 64 yards for a touchdown that came when Cole Laney made a 19-yard connection with Dillion Brown. John Ledford's conversion run made it 8-0.
Robbinsville pieced together a 6-play response on its first offensive possession of the game, which ended when Cuttler Adams sprinted 53 yards to the house. Kage Williams' conversion then tied the affair 8-8.
Then the momentum shifted. And it was all in the Black Knights' favor.
A Murphy punt set up a 54-yard scoring run from Williams, who later sacked Cole Laney on third down to end the first quarter. After a pair of turnovers, Williams again sprinted downfield for a 53-yard run that widened the lead. Though Murphy's Cameron Grooms would nab an interception late in the second, halftime did little to derail the engine.
Carson Lovin snagged an interception of his own early in the third, which set the Knights up at the 7-yard line. Two runs from Williams later and Robbinsville led 32-8.
Williams then busted out a 68-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Adams took care of the four two-point conversion runs between Williams' effort. The Bulldogs would score twice more in the final stanza. Dalton Hughes came up with a fumble recovery that set up an eventual 1-yard push across from Ty Laney. Ledford's conversion cut the deficit to 40-16.
Another defensive scoop from Gabe Chastain was immediately followed by a 59-yard touchdown launch from Cole Laney to Payton Bodine. The conversion cut Robbinsville's lead to 40-24 with 4:37 left in the game.
However, the improbable rally was cut short when Adams ran in a 6-yard rushing touchdown with 1:37 left in the game. He then converted to put the game out of reach, though Cole Laney and Bodine would tack on six more with 14 seconds remaining on a 23-yard pass.
Williams finished with 245 rushing yards, while Adams posted 116. Leading the defensive effort was both Williams and Adams, who had seven each.
For Murphy, Cole Laney was 8-of-24 with 180 yards in the air, with Bodine catching 159 of those. The Bulldogs' rushing leader was Ledford, who amassed 92 yards on the ground. Ledford's five tackles also led Murphy on defense.
Robbinsville will enjoy an off week before traveling to Andrews on Thursday, Sept. 26. Kickoff at Hugh Hamilton Stadium will be at 6 p.m.