Let’s start today and begin to set the stage for the BIG Page-Grimsley football game coming up this Friday at Jamieson Stadium on the Grimsley campus. I believe this will actually be Page’s home game in the rotating Away/Away series for the Pirates.
We begin to break this on down with a few key questions:
#1)Guess the Attendance? I’ll say 11,247…
#2)Predict the Score? I’ll take the away team at home by a score of 28-17 Grimsley…
#3)Who will put up bigger numbers, Zach Maynard(Grimsley QB) or Will Newman(Page QB)? I say Newman will put up more passing numbers but they will be “come from behind numbers” and that Maynard will have a better overall supporting cast in his Whirlie backfield…
#4)What will be the X Factor? The Weather, it has been 90 degrees plus all week and they are calling for temps in the high 60’s to low 70’s on Friday and with a chance of rain and for temps to hit in the high 40’s on Friday night during the game…
#5)Who will be the player of the game? This is by far the toughest one of all, but I’ll go with Jamaral Rease of Grimsley, if he has a big game with support from James Hinson Jr.(playing under control) and Jack Shultz the Whirlies should make it 4 or is it 5 in a row vs. Page and prevent a Pirate upset…(Senior David Moore for Grimsley could be a huge steadying influence since he already has three wins under his belt against Page)
The last Page win I remember was when FG kicker Donald Moore booted one through for a 10-7 Pirate victory and he had to kick it twice(the first one was good) because of a penalty and Moore just graduated from UNCG and he was there four years so this ought to make it 5 wins in a row if Grimsley pulls it off.
*****Let’s hear from you and get some early returns on this BIG game*****
(In a football footnote, I was at the Page Pirates practice on Wednesday afternoon and the Pirates are working hard. I think it would be pretty easy just to stand back and watch quarterback Will Newman throw the ball all day long, the kid is that smooth. Corey King is a go-to receiver and Erik Barnard is a big-play pass catcher.
DJ McNeil looked to be playing more defense with Calvin Stout and Dequay Thigpen surrounding him in the defensive backfield. Veteran defensive lineman Lofi Leasiologi seemed to have a slight injury and I hope he is full-strength come Friday night.
There was a small back Damien Preston getting some carries and I found an X Factor in tall and lean #99 Gabriel King. King can contribute on both offense and defense and he looks like a 15-year old Julius Peppers. Looks like, doesn’t play like him yet. QB Will Newman can pass all day and all night long and he just might do that if he gets a chance on Friday.)
+++++The Aycock Middle School Lions were leading Jackson Middle 20-0 at the half in Marion Kirby Stadium.+++++