The Same Ole, Same Ole

[Mr Honda]

After seeing the results of the state title games this year; and I'm speaking specifically of 7A, 8A and Private schools, once again the same ole same ole prevailed. YYYaaaawwwwwnnnnn. There's simply no drama anymore. We pretty much know year after year after year now, who the champions and contenders will be. The winners of course were, of course transfer portal schools....Hough and Grimsley. The third transfer portal we focus on, Weddington, did go 12-2, but one of those losses were to another transfer portal school...Grimsley. Then we absolutely cannot leave out the privates. The private school recruiting/transfer portal team, Providence Day went 13-0 this season. Then we have Weddington, who went 12-2. We'll get to them shortly. After Weddington we have Hough, who went 14-0 and won state. Then we have the poster child for transfer portal teams in North Carolina, Grimsley, who finished 15-0 and won state.

So let's take a look at those teams over the last four years. Providence Day has four losses over the last four years. But....all four of those losses were to fellow transfer portal, recruiting teams...Rabun Gap, three losses and Weddington, one loss. Not a single loss to a non-transfer portal team. Next we can look at Weddington. They have five losses over the last five seasons; They're portal activity doesn't look quite as brisk, as they one loss Butler and Marvin Ridge and another to Myers Park, yet they do have two losses to transfer portal specialist, Grimsley.

Then we come to Hough and Grimsley. Hough has gone 48-7 over the last five seasons, using the portal. Out of those seven losses for Hough, three were against Dutch Fork, Byrnes and Northwestern. The other four were, one loss to Mallard Creek and three losses to Grimsley.

Then we have the poster child of North Carolina transfer portal teams...Grimsley. Over the last four seasons, they've gone 60-1. Their only loss? To another transfer portal team, Weddington.

But the competitive balance in North Carolina, at least in 7A and the new 8A hasn't been upset has it? There's no need to bring this up, is there?

Thus, now we know with at least 99.9 percent accuracy who'll be in competition for state titles every year. Guess what? My prediction for the 2026 season is Weddington, Hough and Grimsley will be the top three contenders (geez, how did I know that? Just a lucky guess I suppose.

Thank goodness for the transfer portal, that makes things so predictable now.

But if teams like Grimsley, Hough, Providence Day or Weddington want to keep on using the portal, thats up to them. But just realize as you continue to rack up wins and championships, that it's MEH. No big deal, no great accomplishment. You're manufacturing your teams, not truly building them.

But just as long as your kids eventually get those Div 1 scholarships and NIL money..to heck with the rest of the programs and the competive balance of the game, right? You're kids are happy and you can build your own personal record.

 

[BallKnower1995]

I mean it’s the same in the East, especially in 8A. Rolesville or Millbrook is probably going to be the pick to represent for the next 3-4 years, the only exception being Hoggard. Millbrook had 12-13 kids transfer in this year, 1 of them was halfway through the season. But the West just does it better

 

[Bulldawg5544]

On one hand I’m all for players taking control of their own destiny. On the other, I think it ruins the purity of the sport. Similar in college with NIL and the portal, I love that players are finally getting compensated for what truly is a full time job, but with that you got teams like Texas tech randomly getting good and Ohio st pretty much paying $20 mil for a championship. This has been mentioned before, but this is a nationwide issue. Even the top public schools in the nation like Buford, Duncanville, and Grayson all recruit national talent annually. Myers park getting good all of a sudden isn’t a coincidence. West Charlotte (now under investigation) getting good all of a sudden isn’t a coincidence. I’ve even seen it on smaller scales in cities like Fayetteville with South view poaching the cities best players for a couple wins. With the split into 8 classifications it’s only going to get worse. Get used to seeing the same teams in the finals (Grimsley, Hough, Weddington, Rolesville, Cleveland, Clayton, Millbrook, CG). How these teams haven’t gotten caught yet, I have no idea. Hough taking Cape Fears starting rb, 71sts starting OL, and Trinity Christian’s starting WR was the worst kept secret back in 2020. Even now, the starting qb being from Clinton. Now with these teams being rewarded with a ring and there being no signs of punishment coming, this will be the new norm indefinitely.

 

[Powidz]

71st got caught this year early and had to forfeit a win over Cape Fear. But at least it was addressed early and swiftly as it should have been.

 

[Ramkant]

Yep, same old, same old. You should be a motivational speaker at a Karen convention

 

[sammyk32]

OK as someone who has been on both sides of the fence on this here you go. Either the state will crack down on all this transferring and teams thatclaiming kids are McKinney Vento just to get them into their school or they are just going to let it go on the way it is. My guess is the state will do nothing. So my suggestion is this to all the coaches who are upset about transfers(Coff Coff Cleveland). You can go to your conference leadership. You can go to the NC football coaches association and see if you can gain traction there. You can go to the NCHSAA and see if you can gain traction there. You can go to your state representative and see if you can gain traction there. Now you better have a solution that will fix the problem just not complain about a (broken) system. You can also take the hit, say you are not going to play teams who are recruiting pay the fine take the forfeit go to the news and explain what you are doing. My guess is if enough teams did this maybe there would be some movement. What you should not do is go on a message board or write letter hiding your identity to every team in your conference complaining. So hopefully this is helpful

 

[3ydsandacloudofdust]

I mean it’s the same in the East, especially in 8A. Rolesville or Millbrook is probably going to be the pick to represent for the next 3-4 years, the only exception being Hoggard. Millbrook had 12-13 kids transfer in this year, 1 of them was halfway through the season. But the West just does it better

Rolesville, Millbrook, Clayton, SER, of course Cardinal Gibbons due to their private status. WF use to... the list goes on and on. Its harder in the East than choice transfer schools but it happens everywhere. Some do it getting their kids leaving 8th grade others get them during their hs time but its prevalent in the east at multiple levels.

Some states have created a "state champion" that consists of the best from the classifications the elite teams the transfer portal team in NC and then the rest would be be Classification champions. So a Grimsley and Hough etc would be in the special playoffs to compete in the one state championship while others would be in a normal classification playoffs.

Or the east west stuff need to go so the best will play the best for the state championship in their class.

Also get rid of 7A and 8A.

 

[Greengold_4ever]

We all know high school football runs in cycles. All of these complaints, gripes and issues were said about the previous kings of the mountain. From Havelock, New Bern, Indy, Mallard Creek and so on all had periods where everybody was playing for 2nd and hoping for an answered prayer. Teams that are in multi-school districts and close proximity to rivals are always going to be accused of recruiting, transfer portal, cheating whatever you want to call it. They will have their moment in the spotlight then a new power will emerge and have their turn; it is the nature of the beast. Social media, camps, 7 on 7 leagues provide kids the ability to get to know each other more than in the pre-technology era it allows them to collude and build the "allstar" teams (them or their parents). But rest assured nobody stays on the top forever ask any of the multiple state championship winners of the past.

 

[Greengold_4ever]

Follow up to previous post. Think about it, 10 years ago if you would have said there would be discussion on any team from Greensboro or the Raleigh area being major players in the state championship pictures you would have been laughed off the forums. Mecklenburg County had a death grip on the state title so when you put things in a historical perspective. It really isn't the "same ole, same ole".

 

[sammyk32]

Follow up to previous post. Think about it, 10 years ago if you would have said there would be discussion on any team from Greensboro or the Raleigh area being major players in the state championship pictures you would have been laughed off the forums. Mecklenburg County had a death grip on the state title so when you put things in a historical perspective. It really isn't the "same ole, same ole".

What changed out in Raleigh. I think a few coaches from the 336 brought the Winston Salem attitude out there and changed the 919 and broke Wake forest grip on the area. Raleigh was prime for the picking and it did not take long for it to operate more like Winston Salem/Greensboro and Charlotte . In fact I used a line from scarface when Tony said Miami(Only I used the Raleigh area)was a big P**** waiting to be F*****. And that was true. Schools were doing this in Charlotte (Mallard Creek, Myers Park, Vance/Chambers, West Charlotte) Winston Salem (East Forsyth, Mt Tabor, West Forsyth) Greensboro( Grimsley, Page , Dudley) and out east (Havelock, Hoggard) for years . Now you have some teams in the Raleigh area (Clayton, Millbrook, Rolesville) who are being accuses of getting kids. Is it true? Yes 100% but you cant hate the player if that is the game people. Look who is at those places or who was at those places and connect the dots. Not hard and it is what it is. I am not saying anything negative just saying the truth. Thing is this if you look at it this has been going on for about 15 years. It's not going to change anytime soon. Oh and not to come off a certain way did I do this at Parkland and Rolesville Yep. Would have done it at Corinth Holders too if those dumb rednecks would have just let us work

 

[3ydsandacloudofdust]

What changed out in Raleigh. I think a few coaches from the 336 brought the Winston Salem attitude out there and changed the 919 and broke Wake forest grip on the area. Raleigh was prime for the picking and it did not take long for it to operate more like Winston Salem/Greensboro and Charlotte . In fact I used a line from scarface when Tony said Miami(Only I used the Raleigh area)was a big P**** waiting to be F*****. And that was true. Schools were doing this in Charlotte (Mallard Creek, Myers Park, Vance/Chambers, West Charlotte) Winston Salem (East Forsyth, Mt Tabor, West Forsyth) Greensboro( Grimsley, Page , Dudley) and out east (Havelock, Hoggard) for years . Now you have some teams in the Raleigh area (Clayton, Millbrook, Rolesville) who are being accuses of getting kids. Is it true? Yes 100% but you cant hate the player if that is the game people. Look who is at those places or who was at those places and connect the dots. Not hard and it is what it is. I am not saying anything negative just saying the truth. Thing is this if you look at it this has been going on for about 15 years. It's not going to change anytime soon. Oh and not to come off a certain way did I do this at Parkland and Rolesville Yep. Would have done it at Corinth Holders too if those dumb rednecks would have just let us work

I never saw a school more against themselves than that Corinth Holders.

 

[fitguync30]

What changed out in Raleigh. I think a few coaches from the 336 brought the Winston Salem attitude out there and changed the 919 and broke Wake forest grip on the area. Raleigh was prime for the picking and it did not take long for it to operate more like Winston Salem/Greensboro and Charlotte . In fact I used a line from scarface when Tony said Miami(Only I used the Raleigh area)was a big P**** waiting to be F*****. And that was true. Schools were doing this in Charlotte (Mallard Creek, Myers Park, Vance/Chambers, West Charlotte) Winston Salem (East Forsyth, Mt Tabor, West Forsyth) Greensboro( Grimsley, Page , Dudley) and out east (Havelock, Hoggard) for years . Now you have some teams in the Raleigh area (Clayton, Millbrook, Rolesville) who are being accuses of getting kids. Is it true? Yes 100% but you cant hate the player if that is the game people. Look who is at those places or who was at those places and connect the dots. Not hard and it is what it is. I am not saying anything negative just saying the truth. Thing is this if you look at it this has been going on for about 15 years. It's not going to change anytime soon. Oh and not to come off a certain way did I do this at Parkland and Rolesville Yep. Would have done it at Corinth Holders too if those dumb rednecks would have just let us work

Forsyth Co. has open enrollment. So I don't know how you can crack down on all the moving around with a set up like that. If a kid should be going to Glenn but can get transportation to go across the county to W. Forsyth, as far as I know, that is allowed. I was under the impression that Guilford Co. does not have open enrollment. So if a kid playing ball should be going to W. Guilford (not a good football team) and ends up at Grimsley (state champion team), I am not sure how that happens or why it is allowed.

 

[BallKnower1995]

Forsyth Co. has open enrollment. So I don't know how you can crack down on all the moving around with a set up like that. If a kid should be going to Glenn but can get transportation to go across the county to W. Forsyth, as far as I know, that is allowed. I was under the impression that Guilford Co. does not have open enrollment. So if a kid playing ball should be going to W. Guilford (not a good football team) and ends up at Grimsley (state champion team), I am not sure how that happens or why it is allowed.

From my understanding, Guilford County Schools has a lottery system, so to speak. You are assigned your home base school, but you can enter a lottery to attend a different school of your choosing within the county. Of course, I'm sure there are limited spots and you have to provide a valid reason for the request (not just sports). However, easy to manipulate.

Millbrook (and any other magnet school) in Wake County is similar. A student can apply to the magnet program and once accepted they can transfer without having to move physical addresses