CFNN Reporter Nick Perry

“Big time players have to make big time plays in big time games,” Head Football Coach Jake Thomas frequently says to his players.

Last Friday night, Junior running back Favour Murtala embodied that quotation to the best of his ability with a huge game against rival Terry Sanford. Murtala was instrumental in Cape Fear’s 39-28 victory. This was a highly anticipated game and a huge win for the Colts.

Murtala’s outstanding performance has earned him Athlete of the Week honors from the Cape Fear News Network. 

“It means a lot being chosen Athlete of the Week, all of the offseason hard work is paying off and we still have a long way to go but, we are just taking it game by game and we are looking forward to this week against Lumberton,” Favour described.

Murtala tallied 185 total yards from scrimmage, rushing for 170 and two touchdowns along with 15 yards receiving and another touchdown. At 16 years of age, Murtala has had only 3 varsity starts as the lead back. This was his biggest game yet, and he took full advantage of the opportunity, bringing the Colt crowd to its feet with a 67 yard romp down the sideline for a touchdown in answer to back to back Bulldog touchdowns late in the 4th quarter. 

“Favour did a really good job last week of getting north and south first, hitting the hole quickly and having great vision as his line opened up holes for him. The main thing we emphasized in practice was ball security and he did a great job of keeping two hands on the ball in traffic and as long as the offensive line keeps improving, then our offense will keep continuing to thrive,” said Coach Thomas.

“The way Favour has improved has given us another weapon on offense and keeps us able to move the chains,” said Cole Wilson, Quarterback for the Colts.

Wilson also had a very impressive game, throwing for 331 and 3 touchdowns and rushing for 51.

“We played a full 48 minutes, and everyone was clicking on all cylinders of the offense. We know we have one of the most dangerous offenses in the state so when everything clicks we know what we can accomplish,” explained Murtala.

Favour Murtala isn’t just a football player though. He is an extremely well-rounded student-athlete. He is heavily involved in SGA and is the current Junior Class Secretary. He enjoys giving back to Cape Fear both on the field and in the hallways. His friendly demeanor and positive attitude have won him the respect and admiration of all of his peers

In addition to his on the field prowess, Favour is also an honor student with a bright future ahead. Murtala is also a very accomplished member of the track team, helping the 4 by 1 relay team get to the State Championship.

Murtala can easily be spotted in a crowd with his larger than life personality. He can almost always be found wearing a big smile and an engaging personality. His coaches call him the “social butterfly” of the team. He loves to make his teammates laugh, and he loves to be with friends.

Murtala shined last Friday night, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for the rest of the season. This was an overall great team win for the Colts. We are extremely excited for the rest of this year and what a great athlete Favour Murtala will continue to become!