GRANITE CITY – Sherand Boyd, Jr. was appointed as head coach at Granite City High School last January, and has installed his pillars of success for the team to help turn around the Warriors football program.
The team finished 0-9 for the third consecutive year in 2025, and last won a game on September 17, 2022, defeating Madison 51-36. The Warriors last won more than one game in 2919, going 3-5 in that season, last made the IHSA playoffs in 2018, finishing at 5-5, and last had a winning record in 2011, when the team finished 6-4. The Warriors have won only once in the postseason, in 1986.
In the opening days of preseason practice for the 2026 season, which begins Aug. 21 at home against Freeburg, Boyd has seen much positive progress on the team’s outlook since taking the job.
“Oh, we’re doing alright,” Boyd said. “I’m enjoying all the guys coming out, it’s exciting to be out here, It’s a blessing to be the head coach out here. The guys are showing up. The pillars that we’re looking to work for our program is discipline, effort, and attitude, and we want our guys to get those pillars grounded into them. That’s the foundation of our football team, and I think we’re beginning to turn the wheels on that.”
Boyd knows that the Warriors’ program has been very downtrodden the last few years, and looks to turn things around as soon as possible.
“I think the beauty of it is that when things are really bad, I think good things come out of that,” Coach Boyd said. “I believe that the administration, I believe that the city, the community, they want to do and throw every resource possible, to make sure that this football program is successful. I tell people that that anything that needs to happen for a first year head coach that’s coming into a situation with the history of this program, those things have happened for us. And that’s contributed big time for the success so far this summer, and into fall camp.”
How are they listening to teaching? How are they taking coaching? How much effort are they giving on a Friday night, and in practice. But also, how are they contributing those values into the classroom? Those are the things we’re measuring, and the results of that are to make sure kids are eligible to play, we have great numbers here on the sideline, and then, I think all of those results will show on the scoreboard what comes from that.”
Boyd also took time to thank the Granite City administration, sponsors, and fans for their support of the team.
“I appreciate everyone who supported the Granite City football program,” Boyd said. We’ve had tremendous donations from (the various team sponsors), the Granite City school administration, from our superintendent, Dr. (Don) Harris, Mr. (Tim) McChristian (the school principal), John Moad (the Warriors’ athletic director), all of those people have done a tremendous job at contributing what we’re able to provide out here for these kids, and I think the community’s going to be excited when they show up Aug. 21, and we get to take on Freeburg, and show people what we’ve been working on.”
