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Gone, never forgotten: Spartans fight hard in Murray’s honor

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Feb 13, 2021

The chair always used by late Milford boys hoop coach Dan Murray remained vacant for Friday's game with Hollis Brookline. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

MILFORD – Milford High School athletic director Marc Maurais caught himself on Friday at a door where he would normally meet Spartans head coach Dan Murray on game days.

“He’s be carrying food and drink in for a concession stand,” Maurais said. “And I said , ‘Whoa, he’s not going to be here.'”

But the hope in the Milford gym yesterday afternoon was that the longtime Spartans coach, who passed away suddenly last Sunday, still had a presence at the contest with Hollis Brookline.

Murray, after the Spartans lost to the Cavaliers by 38 points in the season opener a month ago, said his young team would be better as the season went on. He was right, as the Spartans hung in with the Cavs Friday as long as they could in a 61-49 HB win.

“It was definitely tough, but we knew Coach would want us to be here playing today, he would want us to work hard, and that’s why we played today, for him,” Milford senior Mike Philbrick said. “If he was here and could see this, he’d definitely be proud of how much we’ve grown since the first game of the season.”

The Cavs led throughout, up 17-10 after one quarter, 29-22 at the half, and then were rolling with a 48-29 lead after three. But the Spartans (1-3) made it interesting in the fourth quarter, as a driving layup by Chuck Urda closed it to 54-43 with 3:41 left. HB’s Matt Dias hit a big 3-pointer with 2:30 left, though, to seal the deal. Adam Razzabon led the 3-4 Cavs, who snapped a four-game skid, with 14 points while Brian Szewczyk and Dias added 12 each.

Caden Zalensi led the Spartans with 16 while Ryon Constable added 11.

“It’s been a rough week, a hard week,” Milford co-coach Don Gutterson said. “The kids knew (Murray) would want them practicing for the game, so they came out here ready to go. We knew we had a lot on the line, a lot to prove after the last game. I was really proud of how the kids played together, stuck together as a team.”

And so would have Murray, who had been ill and missed a week of practice while hospitalized but was expected back this week.

“Definitely,” Gutterson said. “Tonight was all about Dan. The rest of the season’s all about Dan. He’s given so much to the community, we want to be able to give back to him.”

They did with their effort yesterday, and before the game the players from both teams wore T-shirts with “Coach Murray” across the front. Members of the Cavaliers coaching staff and some reserves, in fact, kept them on the entire game. A moment of silence was held before the opening tip. Murray’s chair with his name on it remained empty.

“Dan stood for all the right things you want in a coach,” HB head coach Cole Etten said. “Dan stood for working hard, Dan stood for basketball, Dan stood for being a role model off the court.

“His players came out and played, and played the right way. I think he’d be proud of the way they played tonight.”

“I was very much impressed in the first half with the composure they showed,” Maurais said of the players. “They were very much aware that he is here, and his chair, that’s his chair. I’m sure it was very difficult for them.”

It was difficult for everyone this week in the Milford basketball community, and probably one of the most difficult for longtime AD Maurais.

“In a long time, it was an up and down week,” Maurais said. “I’ve got a little memorial going in my office with pictures from the 70s (when Murray played for Milford), something we’re working on for next week. I see some great memories which makes me feel really happy to have known him.”

Maurais added that he’s working on putting some displays of highlights of Murray’s career – which also included a stint coaching at Wilton-Lyndeborough – in the hallway before the team’s final home game, next Friday vs. rival Souhegan. “I’ll be speaking with them about something we can do together,” Maurais said.

Etten said the Division II atmosphere won’t be the same without Murray.

“The spirit of Dan will live on,” Etten said. “There’s always bigger things than basketball, for what Dan meant for the community of Milford, and for his family, Dan meant all the good intentions. His spirit will always live on, whenever you step foot in Milford, or Wilton, or wherever he’s been.”

It definitely will with his players.

“We’re just going to keep working hard, Philbrick said. “Just for him.”

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