Tigers look to win one for Coach Murphy

It is not the same.

Practice for the Wilmington Tigers is just not the same without head coach William Murphy being around.

The 74 year old local coaching legend was more than just a coach to these Tigers. He was a father figure; both on the field and at the Martin Luther King Center. In fact, three of his real family members attended practice on Wednesday, including his two sons who received the sad news Sunday night.

“I didn’t know what to think. I actually broke down with the phone call and had to hang up. I just wasn’t expecting it,” said Murphy’s son Russell Murphy.

William Murphy IV said his father had tremendous pain on the left side of his chest the day before his death. The family suspects a heart attack killed this man who had such a big heart when it came to young people.

William Murphy’s niece, Evette Brown said, “I pray that someone out here will be another standup model for these young kids out here. I know they can’t fill his shoes, but we need somebody to step up.”

So that begs the question. Who’s going to be the head coach on Saturday?

“We are not going to name a head coach this Saturday,” said Wilmington Tigers president William Bordeaux. “We have a head coach. Coach Murphy is our head coach and he’ll definitely be there with us, maybe not in person, but in spirit.”

Despite the death of their head coach, the Tigers will try to focus on football Saturday. They will host the Arbutus Big Red in the Mason-Dixon League title game.

Wilmington Tigers assistant coach, Adrian Palacios said, “We’re going to have them up 20 points in the first quarter because he’s going to be pushing us every play. I guarantee it. After all, this has been a Cinderella season for us being undefeated at 11-0. I mean we’re going to play the game of our lives.”

Win one for the Gipper? Not this Saturday. It is win one for Coach Murphy.

William Murphy will be inducted into the Mason-Dixon League Hall of Fame on Saturday night. His family will accept on his behalf.

William Murphy’s funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Williston Middle School gymnasium.