ANDOVER – Wednesday night at St. John’s Prep’s Glatz Field, all eyes will be on No. 10, Garrison Murphy.
He’s been the playoff hero for the Eagles, scoring three impressive goals in two tournament wins, including being one of five players this season to get one past Lowell’s dynamite goalie Ikaro Da Silva in the Eagles’ thrilling 1-0 Div. 1 Round of 16 win held Saturday morning.
Among the eyes that will be on Garrison on Wednesday will be his parents Dan and Beth (a lifelong Andover resident) — who played collegiate soccer at Assumption and Elon University, respectively — and sister Keaghan.
She can certainly play, too.
The Murphy’s are a soccer family … and a darn good one.
Keaghan just wrapped up her third season as the center-back for the Phillips Academy girls’ soccer team. A junior, she verbally committed in June to play her collegiate ball at Division 1 Dartmouth University.
Her older brother of 16 months, committed in January to play for Div. 1 UMass Amherst starting next fall.
“I’ve always had a passion for soccer, especially growing up playing against my brother all the time. Plus having two parents who played collegiate soccer has played a key factor,” said Keaghan. “No matter what we do, we’re all really competitive.”
She says she gets that ultra competitiveness from Garrison.
“My dad has always said that I get my aggression by growing up and playing in the backyard with Garrison,” said Keaghan. “I also grew up playing on boys soccer teams because I always liked the piece of aggression and competitiveness. I think I found that from my brother.”
The siblings are extremely close. While they share of love and a bond with soccer – as well as recreational skiing and lacrosse – they are also standout students in the classroom.
“Keaghan’s such a hard-working person. She studies so much, and I must give that to her with the work that she puts in the classroom and on the soccer field,” said Garrison. “It doesn’t go unnoticed because she’s going to Dartmouth.”
Keaghan started every game since she was a freshman and helped lead the Big Blue to 11 wins, but missed out on the playoffs. Phillips posted six shutouts and gave up one goal or less in 12 games, and she’s the No. 1 reason for that.
“Center-backs is where teams are built from and to have a ninth grader be in that role and given that responsibility when they are 14 years old and just keeps growing is a huge responsibility,” said Phillips’ head coach Lisa Joel. “She is growing with that expectation really well.”
“She’s one of the top players in club — playing for the FC Stars — not just on her team but nationally. No one has higher expectations of Keaghan than Keaghan and that really pushes her game to the next level,” added Joel.
Garrison has taken his game to the next level, especially during this tournament run. He has 15 goals this season, which comes after missing last year’s regular season due to dislocating his knee for the second time in three years.
He scored two goals in the team’s first round 3-1 win over Algonquin before adding the game winner against Lowell.
“My 40 years of high school soccer, Gary’s the best striker I’ve ever coached,” said St. John’s Prep head coach Dave Crowell to Phil Stacy of the Salem News, minutes after the victory. “Not so much in terms of (scoring) numbers, but he has incredible speed, great size, and to be able to drive at the speed he does … it’s why he draws so many fouls. Other kids just can’t keep up with him.
“He’s dangerous all over the field and works his tail off,” continued Crowell. “Gary’s the real deal, the guy who’s going to get it done for us when we need it.”
Just like the Eagles needed that extra offensive punch during their 2022 state championship season.
“That was a crazy experience, beating Needham and winning the state title. I feel like that experience has shaped me into the player that I am today,” said Garrison. “Coach Crowell called me up from JV for the playoffs and I just thought that I would get reps in at practice, but he had faith in me to put me into the games.”
A win on Wednesday against No. 9 seed Cambridge and Garrison and his buddies will be celebrating as state champions for the second time.
Win or lose, Garrison’s No. 1 supporter will be there supporting him.
“Garrison’s the hardest worker I have ever met,” said Keaghan. “I’m inspired by his work ethic and his determination in the classroom and on the soccer field.”