Westminster Schools of Augusta hopes 8-man football stigma changes with state championship
Westminster Schools of Augusta football has done two things since Sept. 15.
Win and win big.
Following a 34-31 loss to Holy Spirit Prep, the Wildcats (11-1) rattled off eight-straight wins, culminating in Saturday’s 35-14 effort over Windsor Academy in the Georgia Independent Athletic Association 8-man state championship game.
Westminster has outscored its opponents 397-92 over those eight games, including three shutouts.
It was the Wildcats’ first state title since 2019.
“We had great play out of (Levi) Murphey, great play out of Levi Ketterman, great play out of Rader Ketterman, who scored a couple of touchdowns tonight,” Westminster coach Chris Murphey said. “The defense really stepped up holding those guys to 14 points. They just really did a good job all the way around and it’s a complete group of guys on both sides of the ball and special teams.”
Junior quarterback Levi Murphey shined on both sides of the ball, tossing three touchdown passes and recording four interceptions (including a pick-six) as a defensive back. He became the all-time leader in touchdown passes in program history and already holds a number of other Westminster passing records.
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This may be Murphey’s first year leading the varsity program, but he was the middle school coach for four seasons and spent last year as a varsity assistant. He’s coached many of these players since they were 12 years old.
“What’s cool about this is these were my middle school guys that I was coaching when they were sixth and seventh graders,” he said. “I’ve been with them this long and just to see them grow as football players and young men and to win the state title makes it even more special.”
Murphy’s son, Levi, had a decision to make as an eighth grader: stay at Westminster or explore other schools and play 11-man football. Many of his teammates chose the latter, but Levi wanted something different in the end.
“We had some really good players that went to other schools because they didn’t want to play 8-man football. He got caught up in that bug in his eighth-grade year and I was letting him make a decision and see what he wanted to do,” Murphey said. “He came back and said, ‘Dad, I think it’s just as good where I’m at.’ I said, ‘I agree,’ and I’ve thought that all along. There are a lot of good things to say about blooming where you’re planted.”
Breaking the stigma of 8-man football
One clear takeaway from this Wildcats team is that a handful of their players could play football for just about every program in the Augusta area. Levi Murphey shows an advanced ability to run the Wildcat offense that would translate to quarterbacking at any level. At the end of the day, 8-man football is different football, not lesser football.
“It’s good that people are starting to see the quality of football that 8-man can bring,” Murphey said. “We’ve got some guys that think can play at the next level and that want to play at the next level. I’m hoping that some of these college coaches and scouts will start paying attention to some of them.”
Graduating just eight seniors from this team while bringing back key contributors like Levi Murphey, Levi Ketterman and Charlie and Porter Grinalds means this team will also be a serious contender in 2024.
“The outlook,” Murphey said, “Is bright for next season.”
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Westminster Schools of Augusta cruises to GIAA 8-man football title
