Murray football concludes regrettable season
For all intents and purposes, Murray High’s football team would like to forget this season.
After losing their head coach midway through the year, and their top player a few weeks later, the Spartans simply couldn’t keep up with their opponents and finished 1-9 overall. Murray, which was winless in Region 7 play (0-5), lost its final nine games of the season.
The Spartans were shut out in two of their last three games, 49-0 to Herriman and 35-0 to Bonneville, sandwiched by a 34-12 loss to Hillcrest. Murray averaged only nine points per game this season (89) while allowing an average of 33 (328).
Dan Aragon, who had coached the Spartans for four and a half seasons, resigned following a 45-0 loss to Skyline on Sept. 16 that left Murray 1-4. Meanwhile, senior running back Christian Jensen, who rushed for 1,000 yards last season, apparently missed the team’s final four games.
Herriman rolled out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to victory over Murray. Justin Adams rushed for 64 yards and threw for 54, while Derrick Sanders, filling in for Jensen, rushed for 62 yards and had 16 tackles and one sack on defense. Nick Smart caught two passes for 36 yards, Blake Jones made seven tackles and Taylor Noyce had six tackles.
Things started much closer against Hillcrest at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Huskies led only 7-0 at halftime, but increased the margin to 27-12 after three quarters. Sanders rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while Adams threw for 64 yards and ran for a score. Spencer Prestwich rushed for 87 yards and Dominic Casaus had a 37-yard reception. Sanders had 11 tackles and Austin Novak 10.
Another slow start doomed Murray’s chances against Bonneville. The Lakers led 14-0 after one quarter, 21-0 at halftime and 35-0 at the end of three quarters. Despite the loss, Sanders had a big game with 174 yards rushing and 18 tackles. Adams threw for 45 yards – 37 to Prestwich, Braxton Bytheway had 13 tackles and Novak added 11 tackles for the Spartans.
Sanders was Murray’s leading rusher on the season with 554 yards and three touchdowns. Jensen rushed for 457 yards and three scores, Adams had 214 yards and Prestwich 183. Adams threw for 834 yards and two touchdowns, while six different players each had at least 100 yards receiving. Smart had 15 receptions for 141 yards, Prestwich had 14 catches for 119 yards and Kevin Hales 10 for 125. Jensen added 12 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns in six games.
Sanders spearheaded Murray’s defense with 125 tackles and two interceptions. Novak had 58 tackles, Jones 52, Court Adams 51, Dallas Howard 43, Prestwich 38, and Bytheway and Hales (three sacks) each had 34 tackles. Adams, Jones and Prestwich had two interceptions apiece.
