51 Years in the Making

The Page-Grimsley rivalry has been 51 years in the making. Over 8,300 fans headed to Grimsley’s Jamieson Stadium for the storied rivalry. I was excited to head to Greensboro, my hometown, to cover the Page-Grimsley game for the blog.

A Grimsley Student Decorated their Truck before the Big Game

Grimsley came into the game with a 1-5 season and supported a young roster of mostly sophomores and juniors.  Page entered the game undefeated with a 5-0 record.  The Whirlies young team couldn’t hold off the senior laden Page roster. 

The Grimsley Team Waits for the Game to Start

The final score was 49-0 in favor of the Pirates. Page moves to 6-0 on the season, while Grimsley drops to 1-6.

Page was lead by James Summers, a NC State recruit. Summers dominated the game; he completed nine of eleven pass attempts for 123 yards and ran for two touchdowns. Grimsley’s starting quarterback Jake Simpson broke his ankle in the last game and is out for the season.  The Whirlies replaced Simpson with Mark Poole. 

The Page and Grimsley Teams Lineup to Shake Hands
before Kick-Off

       

Grimsley had a tough night. The Whirlies didn’t complete a first down until the fourth quarter and had five total yards of offense. Page earned their fifth straight win in the series and has the potential to go far into the State Playoffs.

The Teams in Actions, Page would Win the Game 49-0

The exciting part about the longstanding rivalry series is the support from the local community.  It wasn’t just students who were excited about attending the much anticipated game. The local community showed up in droves and alumni traveled back to Greensboro for the game.

Even Ethan Albright, a Grimsley football standout who played 236 games in the NFL, returned with his family for his first Page-Grimsley game since he played for the Whirlies.

The Sun Sets on another Page-Grimsley Game, a Rivalry
that has Existed over 50 years

The excitement in Greensboro before the game was almost palpable, the records of the teams didn’t seem to matter.  As sports have proven in the past, when a big rivalry is on the line, an unsuspecting team can pull out a big win. But in a packed stadium on a chilly Friday night, the Page Pirates showed their strength and earned the bragging rights around town for another year.  

-Elizabeth Lancaster