Player Profile

Eamon Murphy

School: Weddington High

Class: Junior

Position: Linebacker/receiver

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Notable: Murphy is a three-year starter that has played positions on both sides of the football during his career. … Was a member of Weddington’s lacrosse team last spring that won the Class 1-3A state championship. … Has verbally committed to play lacrosse at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Eamon Murphy is the ultimate utility player for the Weddington High football team.

And the 6-foot, 190-pound junior is one of the Warriors’ most experienced football players and that will be key as Weddington hits the stretch run of the Southern Carolina Conference schedule.

In his third season in a Warriors’ uniform, Murphy has lined up at receiver, running back, safety, tight end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker. That experience has led Murphy to be one of the Warriors’ team leaders as the school looks to defend its Class 3AA football state championship.

Weddington (5-2, 2-1 SCC) is in the thick of the conference title race as they prepare to host Parkwood High on Friday, Oct. 13. Weddington also has league games left with Marvin Ridge (away), Monroe (away) and Cuthbertson (home).

“Eamon plays wherever we need him,” said Weddington coach Tim Carson. “He is real versatile and he can doing anything on the football field.”

Carson said Murphy’s experience has proved to be key to a Warriors football team that had to replace most of last year’s state championship team.

“Eamon has started since his freshman year, and as a freshman he was a safety and a receiver,” Carson said. “He started both ways as a freshman. Last year as a sophomore, he started as a receiver, a tight end and also an outside linebacker.

“Eamon is one of the hardest working players that we have and he is one of our leaders.”

Murphy said starting as a freshman was a little intimidating and he has used that experience to mentor his younger teammates

“The experience has helped a lot because you know the speed of the game,” Murphy said. “Coming from middle school to high school the biggest difference was the speed of the game. It was intimidating at first as a freshman but I played with a bunch of older guys that really helped me out.”

Murphy said he enjoys playing on both sides of the football.

“The guys that do play both ways, we are in good condition,” Murphy said. “It’s not a problem. We don’t change the playbook too often week-to-week.”

Weddington lost 42-6 to Charlotte Catholic on Sept. 28 but the Warriors rebounded with a 29-6 win against Piedmont on Oct. 6. Murphy said the Warriors are focused on finishing the regular season on a strong note.

“Going into Catholic, we had a bad week of practice,” Murphy said. “But we fixed it and we played well against Piedmont. We are focused on playing well the rest of the season.”

When the final horn sounds on Friday nights, Murphy sometimes trades in his football gear for his lacrosse gear. Murphy is also one of the state’s best lacrosse players and he has already committed to play lacrosse at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Murphy is planning on making the military a career.

In addition to his state championship football ring that he earned last fall, Murphy also has a state championship lacrosse ring after the Warriors won the Class 1-3A Lacrosse State Championships this past spring.

“Winning two state championships, for the five or six of us that are on both teams, was great,” Murphy said. “I’ll practice lacrosse on the weekends as we have club practice. Army is going to be a great opportunity. I went to a camp during our bye week during football last year and they noticed me.

“They started talking to me and it is a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. It has been the school of my dreams since I was a kid. It’s the right fit.”