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In the most anticipated chapter of Greensboro’s premier high school football rivalry, the Grimsley Whirlies unleashed a relentless second-half surge to defeat the Page Pirates 43-12 on Friday night. The showdown marked the first time both programs entered the rivalry battle undefeated, but it was Grimsley that walked away alone atop the Metro 6A/7A Conference standings.
With the victory, Grimsley improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in league play, extending its overall winning streak to 39 games and regular season win streak to an astonishing 68 games. Page, which entered the clash riding a 7-0 wave, suffered its first defeat of the season to fall to 7-1 (3-1 Metro). The meeting served as a rematch of the 2024 and 2025 conference title battles, with the Whirlies looking to protect their regional throne.
While Page landed early punches, Grimsley’s balance and trench play ultimately widened the gap. Grimsley now leads the historic all-time series 48-19-3, having captured eight consecutive victories over Page dating back to 2019.
The contest opened with early fireworks when Page defensive back Latrey Brandon snared an interception in the first quarter, injecting sudden momentum into the Pirates’ sideline. Grimsley’s defense held firm, and the Whirlie offense answered with a methodical touchdown drive to establish early control.
Page refused to fold early, fighting back to seize a 12-7 lead in the second quarter. That advantage, however, was short-lived. Grimsley responded with championship composure, rattling off 15 unanswered points before the break to turn the deficit into a commanding 22-12 halftime cushion. From there, Grimsley’s defense completely smothered Page’s attack.
The Whirlies forced three consecutive three-and-outs to open the second half, clamping down on running lanes and suffocating the passing game. Page was held to just 74 yards on the ground and 91 through the air for the game. Whirlies’ running back Ty Shoemake took complete control of the second half. Shoemake punished Page defenders between the tackles, racking up 135 yards and four touchdowns. He broke Page’s spirit with a 14-yard scoring burst in the third quarter before punching in a 5-yard touchdown in the fourth to put the game far out of reach.
Grimsley quarterback Brody Lowe delivered another poised performance under center, completing 15 of 23 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown to maintain his unblemished 16-0 career record as a varsity starter. Page quarterback Javion Majette finished with 91 passing yards and a touchdown, but Grimsley’s aggressive defensive front eliminated his rhythm after the break, limiting him to just 2 yards on four second-half attempts. The victory firmly locks Grimsley in the driver’s seat for the Metro 6A/7A championship with two games remaining in the regular season. Page must now win out and hope for an unexpected Whirlies stumble to harbor any hopes of claiming its first conference crown since 2018.
Up next, Grimsley (8-0, 4-0): The Whirlies travel to face the Dudley Panthers on Friday, Oct. 23, in another high-stakes Metro test. Page (7-1, 3-1): The Pirates look to bounce back at home on Friday, Oct. 23, when they host Ben L. Smith.
