Nemo Grandorff Sets the Standard on and off the Field

He’s the definition of ‘Purdy Grit.'”

Less than 12 hours after the Peninsula Seahawks football team edged Capital 10-9 in Olympia, senior safety Nehemiah “Nemo” Grandorff was back on the sidelines — this time in a hoodie and sweatpants at Volunteer Park in Lakebay. He spends most fall Saturdays there, cheering for his 8-year-old brother, Nate, as his team chases a soccer ball up and down the field.

“(Nate) comes to all my games, so I want to be there for him, too,” Grandorff said. “I didn’t really have that positive male role model when I was growing up, so I want to make sure he does.”

“Role model” comes up often in conversations about Grandorff. Both his football coach, Clay Mauro, and wrestling coach, Gary Griffin, use it to describe him. They talk about a student-athlete who never asks for credit but earns it by example, and the person teammates look to when things get tough.

Grandorff grew up in a single-parent household on the Key Peninsula and credits his mom, Carmen, for filling every empty role. She taught him patience, empathy, and how to listen — lessons that shaped the kind of teammate and leader he’s become. Her example, he said, is what made him want to be that kind of influence for his younger brother.

Those lessons helped Grandorff become a two-time state placer in wrestling, an all-conference linebacker, and one of the most respected student leaders at Peninsula High School. He’s vice president of the People of Color Club, a member of the student senate, and serves on the Student Athlete Leadership Council. He was also asked to be on the committee that ultimately selected Mauro as the new Seahawks football coach last February.

When Mauro arrived, one of his first moves was to ask Grandorff, a returning linebacker, to switch to safety. Mauro said the change highlights Grandorff ’s athleticism and speed, traits that could attract college scouts.

“It was different and weird,” Grandorff said. “But I just did what they needed so I could help the team.” 

He’s used to adapting. As a freshman, he joined a football team that went 8-3 and reached the second round of the state playoffs. His next two seasons were rebuilding years — 4-5 as a sophomore and 4-6 as a junior — before starting his senior year under a new head coach.

“He never ever lets circumstances define his character,” Mauro said. “He’s the definition of ‘Purdy Grit.’ ”

Through it all, Grandorff became a steadying presence for younger players, the guy who can help set the tone by what he says and what he doesn’t.

Even in the middle of football season, Grandorff admits his mind sometimes drifts to wrestling. November is a tricky stretch for multi-sport athletes who need to maintain football strength while keeping weight in check for wrestling. Last winter, he dropped about 15 pounds to wrestle at 144 and finished sixth at the 2025 Mat Classic, his second consecutive state medal. He’s wrestled since he was 4 years old with the Gig Harbor Grizzlies Wrestling Club, and he falls short of calling it his favorite sport, but it’s the one where he’s seen the most personal success.

He went 42-11 last season and battled through the flu at the District 3 tournament last year, where he ultimately dropped a 4-2 decision to Capital’s Patrick Halpin in the championship match. Grandorff, who had beaten Halpin before, said he’s looking forward to battling him again this season.

“I’ve grown a lot,” Grandorff said about his maturity, prepping for matches. “I’m getting better at just focusing on the match in front of me without getting distracted.”

Griffin is equally excited for him this season.

“He’s a tremendous young man with championship-level goals,” Griffin said. “His abilities will be tested every week, but that’s exactly what he needs to reach the next level.”

His mature mindset shows up in how he handles school, work, and family. He juggles three sports, including running track in the spring, works at Iscreamery in Gig Harbor, and balances leadership roles that take up as much time as practice.

For Grandorff, his leadership, discipline, and compassion all connect. He plans to study psychology in college, maybe even become a therapist. Friends, including those who gave him the nickname “Nemo,” for no other reason than his first name sounded like the Pixar fish, already turn to him when they’re struggling.

“I’m pretty personal with people and I like helping them,” he said. “If I’m not doing something to help somebody, I don’t really feel right about it.”

That’s the version of leadership his coaches talk about: quiet, grounded, and rooted in care. Whether that’s helping his teammates shake off a bad play or cheering for Nate at a soccer game, it’s the same instinct that drives him to show up and make a difference.

“I’ll talk to him as much as I can,” said Grandorff about maintaining his relationship with his brother when he goes to college. “I want to be the positive role model to him that every young boy needs.”