(Editor’s Note: “Senior Snapshot” is a new feature that aims to give recognition to deserving seniors who have shown leadership, talent and toughness throughout their sports careers.)

Staff Report

In the two seasons before Mae Murphy showed up on the campus of Moorestown High, the Quakers’ girls basketball program went a combined 10-31, and in their lone state playoff game in those two seasons — the latter of which was the covid-shortened 2020-2021 campaign — Moorestown didn’t even score 20 points in a lopsided loss to Ocean City in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 3 tournament.

Four years later, Moorestown is an annual threat to win the sectional title because of players like Mae Murphy. Her freshman year, when current coach Matt Emerson took over, Murphy played in 11 games and helped the Quakers to a 17-9 record that included a first-round playoff win over Cherry Hill West.

Since then, Moorestown has gone 22-8, 25-6, and currently is 16-5 and has won four of its last six games.

Murphy isn’t a huge scorer, as she’s currently fourth on the squad averaging just less than six points per game, but she brings so many other things to the table, including great leadership and hustle. She rarely comes out of the game and often times is matched up defensively against an opponent’s standout player. She has nearly 200 steals in 89 career games and also has produced 211 rebounds and 167 assists, showing her willingness to do the dirty work and share the ball.

Last year, Moorestown was on the brink of playing for a sectional title before Absegami pulled off a stunning 51-49 overtime victory in the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals. Murphy filled up the stat sheet in that game, scoring a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and also added four rebounds, three assists and four steals. With Murphy leading the way, the Quakers set a program record last year with their 25 wins, and she’s also a three-sport standout, having played soccer and lacrosse. She’s 16 goals away from 100 in lacrosse and likely will get that this spring, as she netted 32 a year ago and 39 as a sophomore.

— Dave O’Sullivan, Staff Writer