Murphy Men Advance in AHSAA Playoffs
Next Game
Murphy Men vs. Fairhope Men
May 1, 2010 - 7:30 P. M.
Baker High School Stadium
The Murphy High School men's soccer team advanced to the second round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoff with a heart stopping, hard fought win against the Section Two runner-up, Foley Lions, at the Baker High School Stadium on April 27, 2010.
The Panthers and Lions played to a 0-0 tie at the end of regulation and continued the scoreless play through two overtime periods. After the two overtime periods, the two teams went to kicks from the mark. After the first five kicks, the score was still tied with both teams making three kicks. After that, the kicks from the mark went to sudden death with Bradley Key scoring the winning goal on the 9th kick.
Andrew Smith got the shutout for Murphy, which was the Panthers' 6th shutout in a row and their tenth in their last 13 games.
2010 marks the third year in a row that Murphy has made the 6A playoffs but the first year in many that Murphy has advanced past the first round. The two previous years, the Panthers lost in the first round to the Fairhope Pirates.
With the victory over Foley, the Panthers will again play the Fairhope Pirates, a 2-1 winner over the Baker Hornets, in their first round game. Last year's first round playoff game between Murphy and Fairhope was a barn burner at Majors Field in Fairhope with Fairhope winning 2-1. That victory helped propel Fairhope on a remarkable run that ended with the Pirates winning the State 6A Championship. Murphy was the only team that even scored a goal on Fairhope in the 2009 playoffs.
Murphy will meet Fairhope this year at the Baker High School Stadium on May 1, 2010 at 7:30 P. M. with hopes of advancing to the final four in Huntsville and with hopes of bringing home the 6A state championship.