LAST WEEK: 2-0.
OVERALL: 120-38.
I usually save the pick column for Thursday morning.
But since I have 10 minutes to kill, I thought I’d go ahead and put this sucker together now.
Two beauties to pick this week – Manheim Central vs. West Allegheny in a Triple-A state semifinal, and Lancaster Catholic vs. Philadelphia West Catholic in a Double-A state semifinal.
That, my friends, is big-boy Pennsylvania tackle football at its finest.
It’s Final Four time, which means the winners go to Hersheypark and play for state gold, and the losers report directly to football and/or wrasslin’ practice.
Call it what you will – crunch time, money time. But call it big-time football, with a lot riding on this weekend’s games, which I’ll try and predict right about now …
Manheim Central vs. West Allegheny, PIAA Triple-A state semifinal, Friday, 7 p.m. @ Mansion Park in Altoona – Both teams have plenty of gaudy numbers and plenty of hardware in their respective football trophy cases. To me, this matchup comes down to one thing: Can Manheim Central curtail West Allegheny RB Mike Caputo and the Indians’ ‘Wildcat’ attack? By all accounts, West A isn’t going to trick you; the Indians will put Caputo in the shotgun behind center, and he’ll take the direct snap and run. Nothing fancy. Just follow blockers between the tackles, try and find holes and drag guys. Period. He’s a plow horse. If the Indians’ trot their QB onto the field, odds are they’ll throw the ball or try and spread you out. But a good chunk of the time it’ll be ‘Wildcat’ and Caputo. The Barons have had a stingy and stout D throughout the season – Manheim Central had the top-ranked defense in the L-L League for a good portion of the regular season, and the Barons are allowing just 210 yards and 10 points per game. And in its last two games, Manheim Central has been challenged by super athletic players in Conrad Weiser’s D.J. Robinson – who took plenty of snaps in the ‘Wildcat’ – and Susquehanna Township QB Ben Dupree, who terrorized the Barons all night in the district title game out of the shotgun. So this isn’t something Manheim Central hasn’t seen. But it sure sounds like West Allegheny runs this set pretty darn well; hence Caputo’s 2,550 rushing yards and 32 TD runs. Oy. Yeah, yeah, a pick. I’m getting there. Really, really like the mojo around this Barons’ team. I’m sensing the same kind of vibe that the 2003 and 2004 teams let off. Confident. Focused. Business-like. Tough road trip and a long bus ride. And a stingy opponent they know little about – led by a rock-solid back who can do damage. But my gut says Barons here. All the WPIAL folks just tuning in to read this have just proclaimed me a ‘homer’ but that’s all right. The sun will come up tomorrow. Manheim Central outlasts West Allegheny, 27-21. I’m blogging live from this game at LancSports.com if you can’t make it.
Lancaster Catholic vs. Philadelphia West Catholic, PIAA Double-A state semifinal, Saturday, 1 p.m. @ Coatesville High School – So can the Crusaders get some payback here after the Burrs beat them 37-14 in last year’s state semifinal in Philly? The short answer is yes. Lancaster Catholic’s offense is a handful, and from the sounds of it, West Catholic doesn’t have the same speed demons as last year – at least on the flanks and in the playmaking/skill department. Oh, the Burrs can still make plays. No doubt about that. But they don’t have the same burners like Curtis Drake and his merry band of O playmates like last season. One thing West Catholic does have, I’m told, is size – and plenty of it. The Burrs have some burly dudes in the trenches, and in high school football, if you win in the trenches, you usually win the game. So West Catholic should/could have the advantage in that all-important area. The Burrs have been ultra stingy on defense, allowing just 169 yards per game – that’s pretty low. And West Catholic gives up just 11 points a game. Lancaster Catholic’s forte is moving the ball at breakneck pace, with Kyle Smith picking opposing secondaries apart with his pinpoint accuracy and multitude of weapons. This will be a big test for Smith and his mates. That’s probably the crux of this game for me: Can West Catholic slow down Smith, RB Jordan Stewart and the Crusaders’ high-powered O, which cranks out 41 points and nearly 375 yards per game? If it’s a dry, relatively warm day (read: no snow, like last weekend), I think the Crusaders have the goods to use their speed and move the ball and challenge the Burrs’ D. Homer alert: I really like the Crusaders here. If you’re into fate and destiny and payback and revenge and all that good stuff, then all signs point to Lancaster Catholic clearing this hurdle and getting back to Hersheypark Stadium – this time to play for a state title. So I’m leaning Crusaders here. If Lancaster Catholic is ever going to get to the state championship game, the time is now. The Crusaders have the best quarterback in the state, a slasher in Stewart and a crop of wideouts who can all make plays. Lancaster Catholic also has the No. 1 D in the L-L League, allowing just 198 yards a game. The time is now, and I think the Crusaders ring the bell and get the job done. Lancaster Catholic over West Catholic, 28-20. Keith blogging live from this game at LancSports.com if you can’t make it.
BONUS PICKS – Some more picks for your reading pleasure: PIAA QUAD-A SEMIFINALS – Ridley over LaSalle College (Ridley knocked off nationally ranked North Penn last week) and State College over Cumberland Valley (I saw the Eagles knock off Bishop McDevitt last Saturday night – very impressive. But I’m leaning Little Lions in this one; call it one of my infamous ‘gut’ picks) … PIAA TRIPLE-A SEMIFINAL – Selinsgrove over Archbishop Wood (I picked against the Seals last week. Um, bad pick. These guys are No. 1 in the state for a reason) … PIAA DOUBLE-A SEMIFINAL – Wilmington over Greensburg Central Catholic (Wilmington is the reigning state champ, and will go to Hershey and defend its crown against Catholic-West Catholic survivor) … PIAA SINGLE-A SEMIFINALS – I’m certainly no expert when it comes to the Single-A bracket, but I’ll take Bishop McCort over Tri-Valley and Farrell over Clairton.
