A funny thing happened after the December 2022 gridiron battle over who would be state 4-A high school football champion.
Greensboro’s Grimsley High School lost the game to New Bern, 40-28 in the state championship. However, as all sports fans know, it ain’t over till it’s over.
And, in fact, the game wasn’t quite over even nearly a year after it was “over” and a winner had been decided.
Earlier this month, the North Carolina High Schools Athletics Association – which had been investigating the New Bern football team for improprieties – determined that all of the team’s wins had to be taken off the books if a player shouldn’t have been playing due to academic ineligibility. That meant the team had to vacate the school’s 2022 state championship.
One might think that would automatically make Grimsley state champions for 2022 – but one would be wrong in thinking that. Actually, what happens in this situation is that the association declares the title for that year as “vacated” – meaning, of course, there just would not be a 4-A football champion that year.
But that’s going to change if Guilford County Commissioner Pat Tillman gets his way. He spoke about the matter at a Thursday, Oct. 5 meeting of the Guilford County commissioners just days after the news broke that New Bern had to vacate the title.
“I’m working on a resolution to honor our team,” he said, adding that the state athletic association might not declare Grimsley the 2022 champions, but they can’t stop Guilford County from doing it.
“We’re going to declare that Grimsley is.” he said.
“We’re Guilford. They’re the state,” he added, noting that the state can say what it thinks – but so can Guilford County.
Tillman said after the meeting that he hopes to go further than just presenting and passing the county resolution essentially declaring Grimsley state champions. He said he also intends to speak to some state legislators to see if he can get some traction on officially making Grimsley the state champion for 2022 and get the team the recognition and honor it deserves.
Boy I can just imagine the howls of racism we would hear if this was Dudley and not Grimsley Wannabe king skip would be on his soapbox screaming at the top of his lungs about this injustice
If Dudley would’ve lost in the the state, you think they would fight to overturn the vacated championship? Heck naw! That’s why we have “THE EAST” on our jerseys because Greensboro or Guilford not with us.
This is a local proclamation to honor Grimsley since they lost to a team that essentially forfeited, not “overturning it”. Believe me, I’m certain that if Dudley were in this same position and they had a Commissioner or any elected official that stepped up for a local resolution, it would get overwhelming support. In fact, in the County’s newly passed budget, Dudley Athletic boosters received money out of the County budget for their Boosters when NO other High School sports department did. To say Dudley doesn’t get support, is not accurate statement. We got love for all our High Schools. Put down the Hater-ade – Panther Pride is alive and well and wo is Whirlie Nation. Can’t we all get along?
https://vo.licensure.ncpublicschools.gov/datamart/details.do?selector=false&selectorType=&selectorReturnUrl=&anchor=3a525ea.0.0
How hypocritical to punish some kids for being ineligible while the AD at Grimsley is inelible to hold his position. The only school in Guilford county (possibly the state) to hsve an AD that doesnt hold a required teaching license. What is good for for the goose is good for Grimsley. Scott, get a copy of the AD’S contract and youll see where it says thst it is required for the AD to hold a current teacher license.
Do they have to have a teaching certification if they are not teaching? Just asking.
did the ‘ineligible’ player(s) even get on the field ? make a substantial contribution ?