Prep notebook: Murphy unintentionally flirts with state record book

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on October 1, 2012 1:49 PM

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Goldsboro High quarterback Julius Murphy unintentionally flirted with the N.C. High School Athletic Association football record book Friday evening.

He spread his 15 completions and career-high 271 yards among six different receivers during a 41-18 win over North Duplin. His six touchdown passes were two shy of tying the single-game state record.

"I just played hard," Murphy said. "I had to get my teammates involved because it really wasn't about me. It was about my team so I just wanted to get all my teammates involved and get them some touches."

"I'd do it again"

Gassed from surrendering a touchdown on a 12-play drive, Charles B. Aycock's defense had little time to rest before the overtime session against South Johnston.

Golden Falcons head coach Randy Pinkowski won the coin toss and elected to defend rather than go on offense.

The Trojans scored on the first play, but officials called an offensive holding penalty near the line of scrimmage. Quarterback Austin Raynor fired a 19-yard touchdown strike to Quentin Williams on the next snap.

"A lot of coaches like to go defense first so you know what you've got to do to win the ballgame," Pinkowski said. "We were in that situation. He kicked the extra point. We knew we had to score and run a two-point conversion to win it.

"I would have went for two because I didn't want their offense back on the field and my defense was gassed."

Costly turnover

Tied at 22-all late in the third quarter, the Golden Falcons took over at their own 40-yard line and went to work.

Neil Clark ripped off back-to-back 19-yard runs, which put the ball just outside South Johnston's red zone. Aycock converted a third-down play, but coughed up the ball two snaps later at the 5.

Had the Golden Falcons scored, they would have more than likely pulled off the homecoming win before a standing-room-only crowd.

"We're not here ... not having this conversation if we don't fumble on the five, but that's the nature of the game," Pinkowski said. "That was the breaker and we needed it right at that point (in the game) to seize the momentum back.

"That ripped our hearts out."