— by Josh Strope, The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register
WHEELING, W.Va. — To say Adam Murray has had a memorable football career is a vast understatement.
He is a three-time state champion. He is the leading tackler in the storied history of Wheeling Central football.
And today, he adds more hardware to his overflowing trophy case, being named the winner of the Sam Huff and Chuck Howley Awards as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
The Huff Award, which goes to the top defensive player in the state, is the third one for Murray, while the Howley Award, given to the state’s best linebacker, is his for the second straight season.
“These mean everything to me and they are not just a reflection of what I did, but also my teammates,” Murray said. “All the supporters and my teammates and coaches at Wheeling Central, they put me in this position. I wouldn’t be able to do this without my teammates, coaches and the Wheeling Central community.
“I also want to congratulate all the other players that were in the running for this award for the great seasons they had.”
Murray will again be feted at the 74th annual Victory Awards Dinner on May 3 at the Embassy Suites in Charleston.
Murray, who is the only multiple-time Huff Award winner, had another stellar season for the Maroon Knights.
He had more than 150 tackles, bringing his total to more than 600 for his career to put his name at top of the list for a storied Wheeling Central program.
He added five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
“Adam’s motor started running his freshman year and never stopped,” Wheeling Central coach Mike Young said. “To be recognized again, it is history he is making for himself and Wheeling Central.
“He is a quality kid, well respected by his teammates and his peers. He is a tremendous student-athlete. This is well-deserved in terms of what he has given and what football means to him.”
And while the numbers are up there with the best in the state, this year, Murray took on a more important role.
As a senior, Murray knew back in August he was going to be asked to take on more of a leadership role. It was something he was preparing for, going back to his time as a freshman when he looked up the seniors on that squad.
With all eyes on Murray thanks to his previous achievements, the pressure was on from the beginning.
“It was hard to get away from it because everyone is looking at you,” Murray said. “But I was able to block it out. In the moment, it wasn’t important. What I was focused on every time I stepped on the field was winning the game and trying to get to the state championship.
“The people that were always watching me to see if I was that good or not, it fueled my fire and I played with a chip on my shoulders. I knew I had to be there for my teammates.”
That role increased significantly Oct. 18 in a loss at Martins Ferry.
That night, starting quarterback Curtis McGhee III, another team leader, saw his season come to an end with an injury.
Two weeks later, the Maroon Knights were beaten by two touchdowns against St. Clairsville.
The mystique around Wheeling Central was seemingly gone and many teams and fans around the state were licking their chops at what looked to be a wide-open Class A field.
Murray had other ideas.
“I knew when Curt got hurt, I had to be the one to step up,” Murray said. “I knew Jacob Rine would get the job done (as the new starting quarterback) despite so many people doubting us.
“It was one of the things I made clear before the playoffs started. We knew it was not going to be easy, but we still had a shot if we really wanted it. It made me start working even harder at practice and I knew I had to step up and make big plays and bring up the play of everyone around me.”
Murray and McGhee have been best friends since they were 6 years old. Seeing McGhee go down with the injury was tough on the senior linebacker. But he knew the way to reward him for his stellar career was to give his quarterback one last celebration at Wheeling Island Stadium on the first Saturday in December.
“Curt, Adam and Jacob all great up together, playing football, basketball, baseball together,” Young said. “They are more than just teammates, they are brothers. They banded together and stepped up for each other.
“We went through the playoffs playing great defense and that was Adam Murray leading the way. He took a lot kids under his wing. He encouraged guys like Vinnie High, Payton Marling, Mason Smith, Michael Toepfer.
“He has set the bar very high and it is going to be tough for someone to match it. That says a lot for the future of Wheeling Central football and anyone that has goals to reach for what Adam Murray accomplished. He was a team player from the word “Go.”
Behind Murray, the Wheeling Central defense was dominant during the playoffs, allowing 19 total points through the first three rounds. It culminated Dec. 7 with a 38-21 victory against Doddridge County that earned Wheeling Central
“These awards are great and I feel so humbled. The state championships were obviously the main goal, and, knowing the history of Wheeling Central, to do it three times, I am really blessed. It is hard to put into words.”
Murray edged out Bluefield’s Sean Martin for the Huff Award. Others receiving votes were Huntington’s Brocton Blair, Martinsburg’s Trey Sine, Parkersburg South’s Brandon Penn and Oak Glen’s Michael Lemley.
Blair, Sine, Parkersburg South’s Sam Schuler and Capital’s Logan Spurlock were also in the running for the Howley Award.