Murphy tosses six touchdown passes
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 30, 2012 1:50 AM
For years Julius Murphy has dreamed of having the type of game that causes quarterbacks to be remembered forever.
Murphy doesn't have to dream anymore.
The senior signal-caller completed 15 of 19 passes for a career-high 271 yards and six touchdowns in Goldsboro's 41-18 win over the North Duplin on Friday night at Cougar Stadium.
Murphy threw for 202 yards and five scores in the first half and has racked up 847 yards and 13 touchdown passes in the last four games.
"This is the kind of game I've dreamed about," Murphy said. "I've never thrown for more than four touchdowns in a game in my life and today I did it. We felt like there were some matchups we could take advantage of. This really wasn't about me this was about my team."
The Cougars (5-1, 1-0 CC) needed fewer than two minutes to reach the end zone on the game's opening drive. Murphy's 9-yard touchdown pass to James Clyde gave Goldsboro an early 6-0 lead.
The Rebels answered with a 70-yard drive that spanned nearly three minutes and culminated in Tyler Royal's 24-yard touchdown run.
Goldsboro's second drive also resulted in points as Murphy connected with Joseph Baker on a 13-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion attempt failed and the Cougars led 12-6.
Murphy and Baker hooked up on a 66-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter. Rasheed Malette tacked on the two-point conversion as the lead grew to 20-6.
"I think the passing game opened up because the running game got going early," Goldsboro head coach Eric Reid said. "I think that put North Duplin on their heels a little bit. Our receivers caught the ball well and each week our passing game has gotten better because we have had time to get repetitions in."
The Cougars recovered a North Duplin fumble and Murphy tossed his fourth touchdown pass of the first half, a 43-yard strike to Karon Alston. Malette's conversion extended the margin to 28-6.
Goldsboro recovered an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff and Murphy cashed it in with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Toric Best.
North Duplin (4-2, 0-1 CC) pieced together a 62-yard drive that ate up nearly seven minutes and ended in Royal's 16-yard touchdown pass to Cedrick Kornegay just before halftime to cut the deficit to 35-12. Royal finished with 129 yards rushing on 28 carries and added 30 yards through the air.
"I'm tickled to death with how we competed after that initial start," Rebels' head coach Hugh Martin said. "We had some drives and we had a mistake here or there."
Murphy tossed his sixth touchdown pass of the game from 17 yards out to Hunter McCoy midway through the fourth quarter.
Jacob Warren provided a 24-yard rushing touchdown late in the game for the Rebels.
The Cougars entertain Rosewood next Friday while North Duplin visits Princeton.