Murray happy to be back at full strength for Merrimack football

James Murray went into this football season feeling like he had something to prove now that he was a senior on the Merrimack High School football team.

One of just two returning players with starting experience on the offensive side of the ball, Murray was eager to show that the 2016 version of the Tomahawks wasn't just a fluke.

But the offensive lineman also wanted to show that he was back to the player he once was.

As a sophomore, Murray started on the line as Merrimack had one of its better seasons in the last decade, going 5-4 and coming up a game short of the playoffs. But in the season finale against Timberlane, Murray felt something happen to his lower back.

"I got sandwiched between two guys," he said. "It hurt a little bit and I didn’t really think anything of it. I played the rest of the game, and I didn’t play that well because my back hurt. I got home and I realized it was still painful."

While his back felt better in the morning, Murray didn't say anything about the injury and proceeded with Merrimack's offseason lifting program. The pain in his back became normal, just something he had to deal with, until one day, it was more than that.

"When February came around, it felt really bad," Murray said. "I was home one day and I sneezed and I dropped to the floor and my legs went numb. It turned out that I had two herniated discs in my lower back and one was partially torn."

With months still to go until the start of football season, Murray heard the one thing from his doctor that he didn't want to hear - his junior year was likely over before it started, and maybe beyond that.

"I know how much playing football means to him," Merrimack coach Kip Jackson said. "He just likes to play. I was really concerned about that because it was obviously weighing on him, the possibility of not playing football anymore. It wasn’t great, but we had to try to remain positive because a lot of things are possible with hard work."

Murray made a promise to himself in the doctor's office that he'd do whatever it took to get back on the field in 2016. While that included recovery and physical therapy, it also meant getting into the best shape of his life.

"I had to go a long way to get my back strong again," he said. "I went through six months of physical therapy. I’ve never been healthier than I am now from that."

But as tough as it might have been to return to the football field, nothing compared to the pain of having to watch most of last season from the sideline, as Merrimack went 9-2 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

"It was rough," Murray said. "I’ve been injured a lot over the years playing sports, and this one really hurt, because I knew how good the team was going to be. I was very excited to be a part of it and I wanted to play with the seniors from last year. To have it all happen in front of my face made it hurt."

Murray was able to play a few snaps here and there over the course of the final few weeks, and coming into this season, he was one of the few guys with a lot of varsity experience returning.

"I think he was the most experienced kid coming back and he missed a whole year," Jackson said. "Right now, James is just playing offense. He’s pretty valuable there, not just because of how he plays, but because of his experience. He learned he was going to have to be more of a leader than in the past."

The Tomahawks have gotten off to a 3-1 start this season heading into Friday night's home game against Nashua North, and Murray believes there are still big things to come for Merrimack in 2017.

"I knew from last year’s team that we were going to have talent," Murray said. "That senior class just had so many talented athletes. Everyone was overshadowed by them. Everybody bought in and I think we’re starting to realize we’re a very good team when we want to be. We have a chance to do something special."

Being a senior, with aspirations of playing college football and being a coach down the road, Murray understands what the remaining games mean to himself and his teammates.

"You can’t take anything for granted," he said. "The guys coming in who haven’t had much experience on varsity, I think they’re realizing they don’t have that much time. Everyone is stepping up."