Grafton High has had head football co-coaches the past two seasons. Following Max Bolton’s departure earlier this week, the Clippers are searching for a head coach just weeks before the official start of fall practice.
York County Schools Public Relations and Communications Officer Katherine Goff said Wednesday that Bolton departed as coach earlier this week following a meeting with Grafton High principal Stephen Gavin. Neither she nor Bolton gave a reason why he’s leaving after sharing head coaching duties the past two seasons with Creighton Incorminias, who left in December to become an assistant coach at Granby High in Norfolk.
“He (Gavin) met with Coach Bolton and (expressed) appreciation for the progress made on the football field under his tenure,” Goff said. “But they felt it was time to move the football program in a different direction and amicably separated.
“Grafton will be looking for a new coach and hopes to have him in place as soon as possible.”
Progress under Bolton and Incorminias was significant in their two years at the helm. The seventh and eighth head coaches at Grafton since the start of the 2016 season, they inherited a program in 2022 that had won only four games (one by forfeit) in five seasons before they took over.
The Clippers went 6-5 in both of their seasons as co-coaches, and reached the Class 3 Region A playoffs in each. They started practice in 2022 with only four seniors, but the next coach will step into a program with increased participation, experience and talent. One district coach said recently he expects Grafton to be a top-two team.
“I think we made great progress, with back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in a while (since 2015 and ’16),” Bolton said. “We made the playoffs both seasons and I felt we could contend in the district this year.
“This is a special group of seniors and I hope they can continue the momentum. I wish all the kids the best of luck.”
Marty O’Brien, mjobrien@dailypress.com
