2014 Short Picks – Week 10

Tagged under: pfn

Bill Engelhardt | October 29, 2014

The final week of the regular season will clear up the seeding positions as well as the 7th and 8th seeds for the playoffs. The WPIAL begins the run to the Heinz Field Championships with their playoffs this weekend. Last week’s “Short Picks” finished at 19-6. My pick of Quakertown over Council Rock North was in jeopardy early in the game as Q-town fell behind 26-7, but fought back to win the game going away. Nice going Panthers and I am sure Hunter Nice had some key efforts in that victory. Remember this week is Halloween so crazy things can happen.

I have not found an abundance of competitive games on the card for this week. In District 2, the big dog Crestwood Comets who are undefeated playing the Pottsville Crimson Tide from Distirct 11. This should be a tune-up for the Comets playoff run as they cap off a 10-0 season…Crestwood.

District 5 Chestnut Ridge hosts the Golden Eagles of Tyrone. Both schools come into the game with identical 8-1 records. Tyrone looks like a one TD favorite, but the Lions might just be able to pull off the upset at home…Chestnut Ridge.

In District 6, the Laurel Highlands Championship Trophy is at stake when the Marauders of Bishop Guilfoyle travel to Somerset. Both the Marauders and the Golden Eagles have pretty much breezed to 9-0 records this season. The Marauders had a couple of key injuries earlier in the schedule, but are at full strength for this week. Somerset’s stadium will be a standing room only as all of District 6 and District 5 fans have been waiting for this game all season. I think the B.G. defense will prove to be the difference...Bishop Guilfoyle.

The Blairsville Bobcats host Redbank Valley’s Bulldogs. This inter-district game between the District 6 Bobcats and the Bulldogs of District 9 is a tough call. The Bobcats undefeated season suffers its first blemish…Redbank Valley.

There will be some offensive fireworks in Dubois on Friday night when the Karns City Gremlins(9-0) come to town to face the Dubois Beavers(7-2) led by quarterback Gabe French. Gabe’s offense has averaged nearly 50 points per game while the Gremlins score on average of 45 points per game. This should be a dandy of a show. Last team with the ball wins…Dubois.

Sharpsville’s Blue Devils got back on the winning track after two mid-season losses. The Blue Devils will have their hands full this week when they host the Greenville Trojans. By a whisker…Greenville.

The Wilmington Greyhounds have faced a couple of tough competitors the past couple weeks and this week will be no different when they host the Slippery Rock Rockets. The Rockets need this win to complete an undefeated season…Slippery Rock.

In District 11, both the Indians of Lehighton and the Olympic Olympians of Jim Thorpe are looking to improve on identical 7-2 records. A win for both clubs would improve seeding positions and guarantee a home field game in the first round. The Indians look like a winner this week…Lehighton.

Saucon Valley welcomes the Palisades Pirates. The Pirates will keep it close, but the Panthers should prevail by a nats eyelash…Saucon Valley.

In Bethlehem, the Freedom Patriots meet cross town rival the Liberty Hurricanes. Throw out the season records for this one is for bragging rights for the next year. The ‘Canes came away with a win last year and could be primed to pull off an upset over the favored Patriots. It will be close, but no cigar for the Hurricanes…Bethlehem Freedom.

In District 1, the winner between Abington and North Penn gains a playoff spot while the loser can pump up the basketballs. The Ghosts got off to a very promising start to the season, but stumbled to the finish line as they are presently ranked in the 16th spot in AAAA of District 1. Conversely the Knights struggled early, but finished strong and a win assures North Penn a chance to play at least one more week. A key game for both squads…North Penn.

The Quakertown Panthers pulled off a stunning comeback last week at Council Rock North and remained undefeated. Question is can the Panthers return to earth in time to face a pesky Central Bucks East team that experienced some hard luck losses? C.B. East has the home fans behind them as they make the Panthers work for a win…Quakertown.

In a cross-town rivalry, Council Rock North must regroup for a visit to the Council Rock South Golden Rams. I smell another upset this week…Council Rock South.

Berks Catholic looks like the prohibitive favorite in the District 3 A playoffs. Meanwhile, the Spartans of Wyomissing are favored to win the District 3 AA playoffs. The Saint travel to Wyomissing where the two undefeated teams will clash in what should be a classic. The home town fervor should be enough for the Spartans to squeak out a victory…Wyomissing.

In District 3, a battle between Central Dauphin’s Rams and the Central Dauphin East Panthers will determine the Commonwealth Division champ. I like the Panthers by a slim margin of one point…Central Dauphin East.

The Lower Dauphin Falcons are the last team standing in the way of an undefeated season for the Bishop McDevitt Crusaders. Falcons keep it close as Crusader fans sweat this one out…Bishop McDevitt.

With identical records of 8-1, the West York Bulldogs travel to Gettysburg home of the Warriors. I like the home team in this playoff tune up…Gettysburg.

In the first round of WPIAL action, the Altoona Mt. Lions versus the Bethel Park Blackhawks. The Mountain Lions are a much improved team at 7-2. I think the Blackhawks have battled through a little tougher schedule and for that reason I like…Bethel Park.

Indiana’s Indians host the West Mifflin Titans. These are two pretty evenly matched squads. The Indians have the home field advantage…Indiana.

In other games:
Beaver over South Park
Frazier over South Side Beaver
Woodland Hills over North Hills
Penn Hills over Plum
Hampton over New Castle
Montour over Mars
Seton-LaSalle over McGuffey
Avonworth over Mapletown