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What happened at Page this year!?!?

PagePirates44

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2004
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Page goes 3-8, places 3rd in the conference, lost to the arch rival and missed the playoffs.

Last season was bad, and this season was worse.

Some people say that it was the schedule that was Page's demise, but Page loses to Davie, Northern Guilford, Dudley, and Ragsdale, 4 games Page probably should have won, looking back at what happened in those games. Page is supposed to be able to compete with teams like East Forsyth and West Forsyth. Highland Springs should have been the only game were Page was out-manned and destined to lose. The schedule was not the reason why Page lost so many games this year.. Some people say that it was because Page had so many injuries, but injuries are part of the game, and all teams experience injuries at one point or another. Injuries are not the reason why Page lost so many games this year.

Coming into the season (this summer), Page had a Senior QB, Senior RB, 3 senior DBs who all had D1 offers, and a lot of other talented players on both sides of the ball all over the field. A lack of talent or being young is not the reason why Page lost so many ball games this year. With the tradition that Page has, kids normally want to play on a team like Page, but for some reason some of those leaders that Page was supposed to have transferred out of the program, I don't know the exact reasons why for most of them (RB Adams to Dudley, and CB Butler-Garner to NE Guilford), but it happened and it caused Page to play younger players early on in their development. Page was not really supposed to be as "young" as they were this season, but something down the line didn't click and it didn't bode well.

Call it a down year, call it whatever you want. But it wasn't a down year because of a lack of talent or because the schedule was tough. A lot of Page alumni who have been going to games for 40-50 years think it is a lack of direction and output from the higher ups within the football program. AND, even if it was a lack of talent, we've seen in the past where less than average talent at Page be able to flourish because they were led properly. Page this year, lacked fundamentals, lacked discipline, they lacked motivation and they did not execute well. All of this is directly tied to coaching and NOT because of the players or the schedule. It seems like a lot of the kids are just not on board right now, they aren't making the scrappy hard-nosed plays that we are used to seeing. A good coaching staff could take our kids to the playoffs, even with the "brutal" schedule and injuries. They can coax ok players to be good, good players to be really good, really good players to be exceptional. We have not seen that with the current coaching staff. Its been 3 years now, and it's progressively gotten worse as time has gone on.

The bottom line is, this is all for the kids. They want to win, and they want opportunities to play at the next level. if the level of play on the team is diminished, those opportunities go away. Page supporters love football, and have seen what it takes over the years. We want to see the best opportunities for the kids.
 
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They are making the playoffs? Right.. 3rd place should make it,..maybe...it was the toughest schedule in the State.
 
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Well maybe not playoffs but then again, I’ve seen a 3-8 3rd place team make the playoffs. Maybe in the East bracket
 
As a Greensboro guy, former NE Guilford Coach we need Page to be relevant it helps to validate our County. But you know how it is in Gboro. Balance of power shifts drastically for short periods of time. Started around early 2000s. I think Grimsley took the juice from y’all. Nonetheless, a powerhouse program like Page is only one savvy coach away.
 
Well good news PagePirates44..... you got in. Even better news.... 3rd round is a real possibility along with us. I haven’t seen y’all since you won the 4AA state title, so it’ll be fun having y’all in town Friday night. I believe this will be the first ever meeting between our two programs?
 
All that about not making the playoffs, and they get a nice seed for a 3-8 team. The conference had 3 playoff spots guaranteed. They finished 3rd. So...
Hey man, cycles happen. Teams aren't going to be great all the time. Page recently had two championship appearances, but before that, they were 4-8, and in 2004 they were 0-11. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down. For everybody. Look no further than Grimsley.
 
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making the playoffs as a 3-8 team just shows how broken the current playoff system is in North Carolina. Sure, we are happy for the young men to be able to play another football game, but wish it felt more deserved and earned instead of just given out
 
I am a Page Pirate but for some reason I don’t always agree with PagePirates44. That said....I do on this one. Always puzzled before when a team with a record like this got in the playoffs. Can’t question them and then be ok with your team getting in the same way.

Oh well....everyone is 0-0 now. Hope Page can shake things up a bit. Let’s go Pirates!!
 
Basically, it's about what games you win, not how many. If Page went 4-7, 4-0 in the conference, would you have a problem with them getting in? They'd be conference champions, right? But still only be a 4 win team.
I agree that the system is watered down, but just like with any other sport (except college football, which is the true farce), if you finish in the top portion of the group you're in, you make the playoffs. Page earned their spot. The won the games that really mattered. Was a spot for the top 3. They were third. Conference records matter more than overall records.
 
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Listen...try to find more loyal supporter than me for the Pirates. Alumni here...played football, basketball and baseball. Text and talk to the coaches every week. Both of my children were/are athletes at Page. The system is what it is....but still feel the way I do. You go 4-0 and win the conference is one thing. You go 2-2 and place 3rd...with an overall 3-8 record and that is something else. Happy they are in and can’t wait for Friday.

Again...all are 0-0 now. BTW, Page will win Friday night at Mooresville.
 
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Listen...try to find more loyal supporter than me for the Pirates. Alumni here...played football, basketball and baseball. Text and talk to the coaches every week. Both of my children were/are athletes at Page. The system is what it is....but still feel the way I do. You go 4-0 and win the conference is one thing. You go 2-2 and place 3rd...with an overall 3-8 record and that is something else. Happy they are in and can’t wait for Friday.

Again...all are 0-0 now. BTW, Page will win Friday night at Mooresville.


Oh. That’s interesting.
 
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Fun fact- we tend to suck vs Greensboro teams. In recent years we’ve gotten smoked by Grimsley and SE Guilford. We hold a win over Ragsdale that I know of but a long long time ago.
 
Mooresville went into the playoffs last year without their starting QB who suffered a concussion during the 4th quarter of a 50 point blowout loss at Mallard Creek on the final night of the regular season. no excuse for that blunder and they never recovered. They might have lost to Grimsley anyway but their offense was legit with him in the line up.

I filmed that 2nd round playoff win at 12-0 Ragsdale in ‘02. Mooresville shut down their all world RB Toney Baker and QB Wes Pope, avenging a 3A Western Regional final loss at home two years prior. It was one of the coldest, windiest high school games I ever worked and I worked a bunch of them in my day.

The strength of this years team is their defense imo, which has gotten much better since the early season losses to WF and Hough. This team has faced the best of the best and now stands ready to begin the 4A playoffs with most hands on deck and relatively healthy. 3-8 Page should be taken very seriously however. just my two cents.
 
Page had a shake up in their coaching staff. What I hear when he left he tried to take down the entire program and HC. That's why so many kids transferred and Page lost a few good coaches in the offseason. With all that you look at this bracket and see they could very well be facing East Forsyth in 2 weeks. These are some Crazy days for sure!
 
Page had a shake up in their coaching staff. What I hear when he left he tried to take down the entire program and HC. That's why so many kids transferred and Page lost a few good coaches in the offseason.

It seems like every offseason for the past 3 years, there has been some kind of turnover or new hire in the Page coaching staff. What ever happened to stability and consistency?
 
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Agree....when I played many years ago (many!) the coaching staff had all been together for a decade or so. Unfortunately, just not that way as much any more. Not that way as much in the workforce in general. Back then, people would typically work for one company and retire on pension. I realize there are some coaches and employees that are still throwbacks and stay in one place. For many it’s just very different today...inside of football and outside.
 
With the Page season ending tonight does Coach Rolfes return for a 4th season at Page? I heard a certain coach who won a State Championship there is available if Rolfes does step away
 
That's tough. It happened really fast and to be honest Rolfes only had 1 bad seasons. First yr to the 3rd rd 2nd year they won 9 or 10 games but had to forfeit due to the AD not knowing who was eligible. Yes the HC needs to know that too bit you do lean on support for that. So in the end how did this relationship go so bad in 1 season? I keep seeing everyone posting how nice a person Rolfes is but they literally fired him 4 days after their last loss.
 
Really good and legitimate question Warhead. I’m sure some will have opinions on that but doubtful anyone will have more than that.

I guess at this point...let’s just think it wasn’t the right fit. I’m sure coach Rolfes will find a situation that is a better fit for him. I’m also sure Page will find a coach that is the right fit for the program.

In the end, really hoping for the best for the young men. Given some of the events at Page over the last year...forfeits....losing a teammate to homicide...and now a coaching change they need our support.
 
Idk about specific names but I bet this is a program that will have a long list of applicants. Page is a good program, and with the right hire, will get back to elite levels pretty quickly imo.
 
My shortlist in no particular order:

Kevin Gillespie, Kennedy Tinsley, Aaron Beal, Tripp Stone, Josh McGee, Doug Robertson
 
Page belongs back in the polls. I remember when they were a force. Was surprised by there record this year... good luck Page...
 
Didn’t Gillespie leave Page in the middle of Spring practice or workouts? Kind of put them in a tough spot. That plus lack of success in Asheboro would lead me to believe they may be interested in other options. But honestly what do I know? :)
 
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