‘Kenya-like’ crown, with brother’s help
HVA freshman Murphey state champ at 15-0
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With his right hand and arm, the official is ready to determine Ella Murphey of Hardin Valley Academy, on top, has pinned Chokwuedom Odeigah of Collierville to capture the girls wrestling 190-pound class state title Thursday afternoon, Feb. 25, at Chattanooga Convention Center. - Photos by Alan Sloan
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Getting a big hug from head coach Marc Giles is HVA freshman Ella Murphey, which came moments after she won the girls wrestling 190-pound class state championship match. - Photos by Alan Sloan
CHATTANOOGA — Getting some tough early wrestling pointers from older brother Marshall Murphey — who never cut much slack on his little sister while actually wrestling her as far back as the seventh-grade — Ella Murphey has been well-schooled in wrestling as a Hardin Valley Academy freshman.
“He’s a very big guy, but I wrestle with him about every day,” Murphey said of Marshall, a four-time HVA state qualifier who she added has helped her develop into a state champ. “... There are surprise attacks throughout the day. You have to know how to defend it.”
Throw in the value of her high school head coach, Marc Giles, and this freshman is conjuring up memories of former HVA wrestling great Kenya Sloan, a four-time state wrestling champ and No. 1-ranked nationally (180-pound class) her senior year who never lost a match (87-0) in her Lady Hawks career.
Murphey, ending her rookie high school season a perfect 15-0 in the 190-pound weight class, easily handled the state tourney field in Chattanooga Convention Center Thursday, Feb. 25. She pinned Chokwuedom Odeigah of Collierville (17-4) in the second period to claim the 190 state championship.
“I love her wrestling style, I love how hard she’s worked,” Giles said.
As for Giles’ influence, “He has been my coach since I was in the seventh-grade, and he taught me pretty much every single thing I know” about wrestling, Murphey said.
As for big brother Marshall, a four-time state qualifier for the Hawks in the 170 to 182 weight range, “He beats up on her all the time,” Giles said about the older brother’s teaching methods, which Ella welcomes.
