Notebook Feb. 9, 2024

Football NLI Holden Grieger, Cosumnes Oaks’ big offensive tackle, announced this week he had signed a National Letter Intent at Western Illinois University. This past week the NCAA signing period opened for football and another former Cosumnes Oaks player, Anthony Grigsby, announced he signed with Nevada. Grigsby had an outstanding season last fall quarterbacking the College of San Mateo. They were 11-2, losing to Riverside College in the CCCAA Championship game, 24-21. Grigsby was 19-of-26 passing for 236 yards and a touchdown in that game. “He was a tenacious player at C.O.,” current Cosumnes Oaks football coach Martin Billings said. “I coached him on the freshman basketball team and he was an outstanding leader and player and he made his players better by his leadership and expectations.” By the way, the “High School Transfer Portal” has hit the Wolfpack program during this football off-season. Billings confirmed two of his top players from a year ago have already transferred to other area schools to continue their football careers next season. Kam Totten is now at Folsom and running back Brandon Lambert has transferred to Grant. “We just move on,” Billings said. “They transferred and I have so many guys I work with at C.O. I have to focus on them. This is what I told (Totten and Lambert): ‘Thank you. It’s a pleasure to work with you over the years and good luck.’ I have a lot of young men at C.O. who are outstanding and I have to place my energies on them.” And, the movement of high school players, particularly in football, who move on to schools with a recent history of success? Here’s what Billings said: “This is what is happening. That’s something I cannot control, but what I can control is working with my guys at C.O. and I am having a great time doing it.” Terry Chapman Gymnasium Monterey Trail High School's gymnasium will now be named the W. Terry Chapman Gymnasium after approval came Feb. 7 from the Board of Trustees of the Elk Grove Unified School District. Chapman was founding principal at Monterey Trail. "He was a great team builder and exceptional in enabling problem solving and inclusion of ideas to grow a stellar learning community," associate superintendent Chad Sweitzer said to the Board. Chapman was also founding principal at Harriet Eddy Middle School, associate principal at Joseph Kerr Middle School and principal at Florin High School. Super Bowl Trivia The average cost of a ticket to the Super Bowl the last five seasons has been $6, 680. On the resale market the cheapest ticket to Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII went for $8,586 each.