Christ School rolls past Murphy
MURPHY - Christ School's reputation as a growing power in WNC was only strengthened by its performance Friday night against the 2018 1A defending state champion.
Sophomore running back Pierce Hammonds rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Navy Shuler added 208 passing yards and two scores during a 27-7 road win over Murphy.
It was the Bulldogs' first loss since their 2018 season opener, breaking a winning streak of 16 games.
"This is a big win for us," Christ School coach Nick Luhm said. "Any time you beat someone at home its big for your program, especially when it's a great team like Murphy."
The win moved Christ School, which sits at No. 1 in the Citizen Times' weekly poll, to 3-0 on the season with a week off before traveling to play Charlotte Latin.
"We know Murphy has a great tradition of winning," said Hammonds, who scored on runs of seven and 33 yards during the win. "We didn't play our best tonight, but we still got the win. There are still lots of things we need to work on."
It was Murphy who took an early lead off a first quarter 43-yard touchdown run from running back Devonte Murray. The senior finished with a team-high 107 yards, but was held to 23 yards in the second half.
Christ School took a 14-7 halftime lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Navy Shuler to Wilson Handy and a touchdown run from Hammonds.
Shuler finished the night 12-of-24 for 208 yards and touchdown passes to Handy and a 19-yard touchdown to N.C State commit Aydan White in the fourth quarter.
Tight end Charlie Browder led the team with four catches for 50 yards.
"Our defense played good enough to win through three quarters," Murphy coach David Gentry said. "But when you play a team with all that firepower, you have to execute. Our offense just couldn't get going after that first drive."
Murphy's offense was held to under 50 yards in the second half.
Gentry's career win mark sits at 409, needing four wins to become the all-time winnigiest high school coach in the state.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 3 in the Citizen Times poll, will host Life Christian Academy next week, a team that Mountain Heritage decided to take off its schedule after an altercation during the LCA-Robbinsville game in Week 2.
"I talked to the LCA coach," Gentry said. "He knows if he doesn't come with a better attitude, we have highway patrol that will take him out of here. We don't expect to have any problems."
MURPHY - Christ School's reputation as a growing power in WNC was only strengthened by its performance Friday night against the 2018 1A defending state champion.
Sophomore running back Pierce Hammonds rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Navy Shuler added 208 passing yards and two scores during a 27-7 road win over Murphy.
It was the Bulldogs' first loss since their 2018 season opener, breaking a winning streak of 16 games.
"This is a big win for us," Christ School coach Nick Luhm said. "Any time you beat someone at home its big for your program, especially when it's a great team like Murphy."
The win moved Christ School, which sits at No. 1 in the Citizen Times' weekly poll, to 3-0 on the season with a week off before traveling to play Charlotte Latin.
"We know Murphy has a great tradition of winning," said Hammonds, who scored on runs of seven and 33 yards during the win. "We didn't play our best tonight, but we still got the win. There are still lots of things we need to work on."
It was Murphy who took an early lead off a first quarter 43-yard touchdown run from running back Devonte Murray. The senior finished with a team-high 107 yards, but was held to 23 yards in the second half.
Christ School took a 14-7 halftime lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Navy Shuler to Wilson Handy and a touchdown run from Hammonds.
Shuler finished the night 12-of-24 for 208 yards and touchdown passes to Handy and a 19-yard touchdown to N.C State commit Aydan White in the fourth quarter.
Tight end Charlie Browder led the team with four catches for 50 yards.
"Our defense played good enough to win through three quarters," Murphy coach David Gentry said. "But when you play a team with all that firepower, you have to execute. Our offense just couldn't get going after that first drive."
Murphy's offense was held to under 50 yards in the second half.
Gentry's career win mark sits at 409, needing four wins to become the all-time winnigiest high school coach in the state.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 3 in the Citizen Times poll, will host Life Christian Academy next week, a team that Mountain Heritage decided to take off its schedule after an altercation during the LCA-Robbinsville game in Week 2.
"I talked to the LCA coach," Gentry said. "He knows if he doesn't come with a better attitude, we have highway patrol that will take him out of here. We don't expect to have any problems."
