HobbsDailyReport.com
VALDESE – The only girls’ varsity head basketball coach Draughn High has ever had is retiring.
The Morganton News Herald is reporting Jay Murray, the Wildcats’ leader since the school opened in 2008 and also a former head coach at East Burke, plans to retire after the school year ends.
Liz Taylor, junior varsity girls’ coach at Draughn, will coach the varsity team next season, The News Herald reported. She played for Murray at East Burke and at Draughn.
Murray has coached basketball for 34 years, beginning his career as a boys’ varsity assistant coach at East Burke in 1983. His career record is 232-214.
Murray became East Burke’s varsity girls head coach in 2000-01, replacing Rick Ogle. His first team went 20-8 and reached a sectional final before losing to Southeast Guilford.
Over the next seven seasons, the Cavs went 102-82, reaching the state 4A playoffs another five times but not getting past the second round.
In addition to a 20-win season in 2000-01, Murray guided the Cavs to 18 wins in 2006-07 and 17 wins in 2001-02 and 2004-05.
When Draughn opened, Murray became the girls’ head coach there and the Wildcats won a South Piedmont 1A-2A title by going 16-0, and they closed at 24-5 after being beaten by East Davidson in the third round of the 2A bracket.
Draughn, playing in the South Mountain Athletic 2A-3A last season, went 4-12 in league games to tie for seventh and finished 9-16.
Five of Murray’s nine girls’ teams at Draughn reached the postseason, and they had one winning season (14-11 in 2014-15) over his final eight years.
Murray’s record as Draughn’s coach is 109-124.