Murphy
Heading into Friday’s epic showdown between the State’s two defending State 1A Champions, both teams were averaging 45 points per game. Fittingly enough it would be both team’s defenses that drew rave reviews following the game. The Devils rode the strength of their defense to post a 21-7 win over arch-rival Murphy, and in doing so take the Smoky Mountain Conference Championship and the conference’s number one seed heading into the NCHSAA playoffs. While Murphy’s defense held the Devils under 40 points for only the third time all season.
The Maroon Devils found the endzone on their third possession of the game. Swain held Murphy to three downs and out on the Bulldogs first two possessions. With Swain taking over on their own 41 yard line for the scoring drive. Garrett Lane ripped off a 46 yard run on the first play. Two plays later Raymius Smith threaded the needle between two defenders to Greg Tisho for a 19 yard gain down to the 3 yard line. After Lane carried to the one, Smith did the honors on a keeper to put the Devils in front, 7-0 following the Colyn Petty extra point.
Swain turned opportunistic on the next Murphy Possession. Jacob Wildcatt forced a fumble, which Nathan Sellers fell on, giving the Devils ideal field position on the Bulldog 28 yard line. A Murphy penalty moved the ball to the 15 yard line, then Lane and Smith alternated carries moving the ball to the Bulldog 4 yard line. Smith then carried it in for the Devils second score of the night and gave them a 14-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Maroon Devils then opened the 3rd quarter with their best drive of the night. Swain marched 65 yards in 10 plays to put the game seemingly out of reach with their third score of the night. It took the Devils multiple trys from the 3 yard line but they found paydirt. It took an audible call from wide out Greg Tisho to put Swain in the endzone. Seeing Murphy not covering teammate Matthew Maennle, Tisho quickly called to Raymius Smith with the audible. The result was a 3 yard toss from Smith to a wide open Maennle for the touchdown.
Murphy mounted an 11 play 61 yard drive in the fourth quarter. A drive the Devils were more than happen to let them do in short gains, allowing more time to run off the clock. Michael Curry found Bradley Puccio in the back of the endzone for the Bulldogs lone score of the night.
Swain’s defense was dominate all night in posting their 8th straight game of not giving up more than a touchdown. To show just how dominate the Devils defense was, they held a Murphy team that averaged 348 yards a game rushing to 61 yards rushing for the game.
Corbin Panther, Jacob Wildcatt, and Payton Parker led the charge for Swain, as the trio had double figure tackles. Swain also forced 4 turnovers, including a fumble and 3 interceptions (two by Matthew Maennle and one from Payton Parker).