By Ron Wagner
sports@salisburypost.com
MURPHY ó According to the bracket, Friday night’s first-round 1-AA state playoff game between eighth-seeded Murphy and ninth-seeded North Rowan was an even matchup.
The scoreboard told a much different story.
Murphy used a stifling defense and five Rickey Edwards rushing touchdowns to overpower North 34-6 in a penalty-marred contest, spoiling the Cavaliers’ four-and-a-half-hour drive to one of the deepest western corners of the state.
“We couldn’t afford to make mistakes, and we made too many early,” North coach Tasker Fleming said.
In a game virtually devoid of drama, Murphy ran out to a 21-0 first-half lead, and the Bulldogs eliminated whatever faint remnants of hope that were created by the Cavaliers’ touchdown in the final seconds of the second quarter with a punishing 10-play, 72-yard march ó all on the ground except for pass-interference call on North ó on its first possession of the third period that made it 28-6.The Cavaliers’ got a 74-yard run from Cameron Mallett ń almost half of their 162 total yards – on their next play, but the drive stalled at the 9. North never crossed the 50 again.
“Down 21-6, we needed to finish that drive and get back in the game,” Fleming said.
Murphy (8-4) dominated all aspects of the game, outgaining North 279-162, owning a 21-7 advantage in first downs and nearly doubling the Cavaliers in time of possession.
Edwards’ 5-yard score made it 7-0 in the first quarter, and a 44-yard punt return by Anthony Brown ó aided by a crushing block by Devon Reese ó set up Edwards’ second touchdown, this time from 6 yards out.
Edwards 45-yard run late in the second quarter left the ball on the North 7, where two plays later he walked into the end zone from 2 yards out.
Mallett’s 23-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left before intermission, following a blocked punt, provided North’s only points.
Edwards finished with 129 yards on 16 carries, while brother Chris Edwards, the fullback, had 81 on 20.
“They were physical. We needed to run right at them instead of trying to cut on that wet turf, use our speed. We showed flashes,” Fleming said. “Their fullback hurt us. Typically no team has done that against us this year.”
The Bulldogs will travel to top-seeded Albemarle next week. North, which started 0-4, ends its season at 5-7.
Mallett’s eight rushes for 105 yards were almost all of the Cavaliers’ offense.
“We used five different quarterbacks (this season),” Fleming said. “We struggled to find an identity. We lacked the ability to finish drives.”
The officiating crew called 27 penalties for 246 yards, capped by an offensive facemask call against North on fourth down with 22 seconds remaining.