U-32 grad faces big test today
Toolbox
Staff Report - Published: November 21, 2009
Milton's Mike Riley and U-32's Todd Murphy are two of the players still playing NCAA Division III football. That puts them in a select group of only 32 teams as the national playoffs begin today.
Riley and Murphy are key members of the Maine Maritime team that takes a 9-1 record into its playoff game at Montclair State. Maine Maritime defeated Curry 48-42 in the New England Football Conference championship game to earn its spot in the playoff brackets. Montclair won the New Jersey Athletic Conference by edging Kean 14-6.
Murphy is a big piece of the bruising Mariners ground game that averages 416.9 yards per game. Murphy has run for 517 yards with six touchdowns. Most impressively, he averages 8.8 yards per carry. He has scored 42 points, ranking him fourth on the team.
"Whenever we need him, he comes through," McKenney said. "Everyone is always doing something when he plays in our offense, whether it's being the lead blocker or something else and he always does his job.
"He is a great student of the game and a great student in the classroom."
Riley is the ballhawk in Maritime's secondary, leading his team with seven interceptions.
"He has made a lot of big plays for us," coach Chris McKenney said.
Riley is also third on the team in tackles with 67.
39