MURPHY – When Murphy senior defensive back Ryan Payne got off the ground after an interception late in the 2A Western Regional final on Dec. 5, he started choking up.

Payne, covered in mud after a scrappy game at Murphy’s Bob Hendrix Memorial Stadium, had sent No. 1 Murphy (12-2) to another Class 2A state championship game in the Bulldogs’ 14-2 win over Starmount.

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