LAST WEEK: 9-3.
OVERALL: 104-34.
Keith’s playoff picks from The Huddle Blog here.
Full capsule previews for first-round games here.
Oh yes, the picks.
You didn’t think I’d stop predicting games just because the regular season ended, did you?
Pshaw!
Eight big, delicious District 3 football playoff games featuring L-L League teams Friday night, and after breaking down the stats and looking over the trends, this is what I came up with pick-wise.
The envelope please …
York High @ Wilson – Bearcats are riding a 4-game losing streak and are down to their third-string QB – who used to be the team’s starting center. Oy. Bulldogs are three points and a missed wide-left field goal from being 10-0, and they’ve showed major moxie coming back on teams in the fourth quarter to pull games out – oh yeah, and they’d love to defend their title. Wilson will take care of Step 1. ‘Dawgs tame Bearcats, 38-7.
Chambersburg @ Penn Manor – Trojans are 5-5 but played a pretty brutal schedule (lost three of final four games, with the setbacks coming to Bishop McDevitt, Central Dauphin and State College; ouch). Comets needed a major fourth-quarter comeback a week ago to dispose of pesky Cedar Crest, one week after coughing up late lead to Wilson. So Penn Manor is still looking to put the whole package together. And the Comets are nursing some nagging injuries. That said, can Penn Manor win a first-round game for the second year in a row? Yes. Comets topple Trojans, 27-7.
Governor Mifflin @ Manheim Township – Mustangs go at it almost exclusively via the ground, and feature a power-packed option attack with some gnarly ball-carrying weapons. Blue Streaks have won two in a row and have really stiffened up on D lately. Super matchup here between two programs that are familiar with each other. Tricky pick. Township stays hot, rides Brian Sourber, comes up with some big stands late and wins. Streaks stop ‘Stangs, 20-17.
Shippensburg @ Manheim Central – Greyhounds (sweet nickname) didn’t have much luck the last time they were in Districts against an L-L League team (Elizabethtown 35, Shippensburg 7 in 2007), and now they’ve got to come to Manheim and take on the only undefeated team in the bracket. And I could sit here and rip off silly Barons’ stats until I’m blue in the face, but I’ll spare you. Have a hunch this shutout streak continues – for at least one more week. Barons blank ‘Hounds, 45-0. Plug: I’ll be blogging live from this game at LancSports.com.
Elco @ Cocalico – Two L-L League teams having at it in this most interesting first-round game. Tons to like about this game, which will feature the L-L League’s top two offenses during the regular season. And man, were they ever close in that category: Cocalico averaged 379.3 yards per game; Elco 379.2. That deserves a wow. So this game, naturally, will come down to defense, and who can make the big stop when it counts. Slight edge in that department to Cocalico, which very quietly featured one of the stingiest defenses in the league this fall. So I’m leaning Eagles here – by a smidge. Could be some mad points in this game. And look for Elco QB Arron Achey to join the 4,000-career-yard passing club (he needs 42 yards) in this one. Oh yeah, a pick. Hmmm. Eagles hold off Elco, 34-28.
Conestoga Valley @ Northern York – Toughest first-round game to pick in my book. I’ve struggled with this one all week, mostly because I never see Northern and I just don’t know much about the Polar Bears. Yeah, Polar Bears. Easily the best nickname in the bracket. Love that one. CV is back in the playoffs, but the Buckskins are coping with some injury issues. Still, here they are. And CV has RB Kevin Kelley, who needs 82 rushing yards for a 2,000-yard season, which is pretty cool. So you know the Bucks will ride him early and often. Northern’s forte, at first glimpse, seems to be defense. The Polar Bears are giving up just 215 yards a game. And I’m sure they know Kelley is coming. That said, everyone knew Kelley was coming, yet nobody stopped him. His season-low output was 112 yards. I’m rambling. Would be cool to see the Bucks go on the road and continue their magical comeback season with a W. But my gut is leaning toward Northern here. Polar Bears beat Bucks, 24-19.
Lampeter-Strasburg @ Conrad Weiser – Cue the scoreboard operator guy: You’re going to have a busy night, my friend. Could be some major points in this game. There was the last time L-S and Conrad Weiser hooked up in the playoffs: Pioneers 49, Scouts 21 in 2007, when L-S went on to win the Triple-A crown. So this just might be a good omen for L-S, which started its last district run with a win over Conrad Weiser in Round 1. That was then, this is now. And right now, L-S is one of the hottest teams in the bracket, winners of five in a row and weapons aplenty. Been saying it for a month and I’ll say it one last time: I would not want to be the team playing L-S in the first round. And Conrad Weiser is that team. So I’m going L-S here, even though the Scouts have some major weapons of their own, most notably D.J. Robinson and Codie Butler. But I think L-S stays hot and continues this interesting journey. Pioneers conquer Conrad Weiser, 40-17.
York Suburban @ Lancaster Catholic – Crusaders’ have been waiting for this moment for a year, and it’s finally here. You know Catholic is jonesing to get back to the state semifinals and make amends for the loss to Philly West Catholic. And the Crusaders can’t get back to that stage unless they win here. So they better not be overlooking Suburban, which is 7-3, played a grinder schedule, and has some weapons. But the Trojans haven’t seen a double-barreled attack like Catholic features. Period. So I’m going Crusaders here. Catholic sinks Suburban, 42-10. Plug: Keith Schweigert blogging live from this game at LancSports.com.
MORE PICKS – Just for yucks, I’ll give you picks for the other first-round games around District 3: QUAD-A – Bishop McDevitt over Harrisburg (going to drop in on that game; jonesing to see this McD outfit); South Western over Cedar Cliff (sorry, Mr. Cantafio; wonder how this season might have turned out if your starting QB didn’t crack his collarbone in the Manheim Central scrimmage?); Central York over Dallastown (nice backyard York County rivalry there, eh?); Central Dauphin over Spring Grove; Cumberland Valley over Muhlenberg (hopefully the Eagles don’t turn it over eight times like they did in their last district-playoff game – a 35-7 loss to Wilson in last year’s title game). … TRIPLE-A – Daniel Boone over Greencastle-Antrim (Boone survives long bus ride; QB Jon Monteiro is the real deal; Barons next?); Hershey over Kennard-Dale; Susquehanna Township over New Oxford; West York over Mechanicsburg (you think the Bulldogs are ready to squash someone after falling to Double-A Littlestown 47-21 last week? Um, yes.). … DOUBLE-A – Middletown over Trinity; Delone Catholic over Wyomissing; Littlestown (fresh off clobbering of West York) over Milton Hershey. … SINGLE-A – Reading Holy Name over York Catholic; Steel-High over Camp Hill; Millersburg over Reading Central Catholic. Is this bracket exactly the same every year, or is it just me?
