The Guilford County commissioners have hinted that they were going to do something to call attention to the 2022 Grimsley High School football team that lost in the state championship against New Bern High School, which later had its state title taken away for, among other things, using ineligible players.

While New Bern had to vacate that state title, the title was not subsequently given to Grimsley.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners doesn’t have the authority to officially declare Grimsley state champions. However, on Thursday, Oct. 19, the board is going to do what it can  to shine a spotlight on the team by approving a resolution honoring the team’s undefeated record and presenting the resolution to them.

There will also no doubt be a picture or two taken of the team with the commissioners.

The effort to honor the team has been led by Commissioner Pat Tillman, who will read and present the resolution at the meeting.  Tillman said earlier this month that he wanted something to be done about the fact that the team was essentially the state champions but would not be recorded in history as such.

After this year’s investigation by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, New Bern High School had to forfeit all of its wins during the 2022 football season – including  the state championship game against Grimsley.

Grimsley “lost” to New Bern, 40-28, in the game last December.

The resolution notes Grimsley’s football program “has experienced victory most recently in 2021 with an undefeated record by winning the North Carolina 4-A State Championship, and in 2019 by winning the Metro 4A Conference Title and a Number 1 overall seed in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.”

It also notes the dedication of the 2022 Grimsley High School football team and that of the coaches, athletic boosters and parents, and it concludes, “Now Therefore Be It Resolved by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, that it joins our local and state entities as we recognize and celebrate the 2022 undefeated season for the Grimsley High School Football Team.”