Our picks for week three wasn't so bad. I was 3-1 in the "games to watch", only losing on the Bok/IMHOTEP game. That result didn't surprise me much, as I thought this would be the best opportunity for Bok to finally lose a regular season game this year. But, Bok has been so consistent over the years, I just couldn't pick against them.
I really wanted to see both the Wood/Prep and O'Hara/Roman games. It would have worked out great if the first game had stayed a day game. But, now that they are both night games, I'll have to pick one over the other. I may just go to the O'Hara/Roman game, as it's a lot easier to get to than P/W for me.
I'll be at the Mastbaum/Olney game Friday afternoon doing stats for the DN. Not a real sexy game to see, but a game nonetheless. Friday night, I'll be filming a game up in Morrisville. Saturday, I just may check out McDevitt/Germantown and O'Hara/Roman, both games at Germantown.
Below are my picks for "Games to Watch" this week, as well as my picks for all of the games in District 12.
Records
Week 3, Games to Watch 3-1 1.000
Week 3, Overall: 20-5 .800
Season, Overall Games to Watch: 9-3 .750
Season Record: 64 - 20 .762
Week 4 - Games to Watch
Wood (0-0, 3-0) at Prep (0-0, 1-2) - This is one of the crossover games that many people, including myself, has been waiting for in the 2010 season. Wood, defending AAA City Champs, went through the 2009 season with one of their two main rushers being their multi-talented QB, Jerry Rahill, who carried the load for the offense in their failed run to the state title. Prep, who has reliquished their "Tops in the PCL" title to La Salle the past two years, and coming off two consecutive thumpings to St Peter's and North Penn, will try to get their train back on the tracks. Wood features Desmon Peoples, the leading rusher for Prep in 2009. Peoples transferred to Wood during the off season and, along with Brandon Peoples (I think they are cousins), leads the ground game for the Vikings. Wood's defense has given up 23 point (Quakertown) and 12 (CHA) before shutting out the hapless Eagles of Conwell-Egan in week 3. If there is any question about whether Wood still has a top-notch defense, we'll find out in week 4.
Pick: Wood 24 - Prep 14
O'Hara (0-0, 3-0) at Roman (0-0, 3-0) - This game will be the first real test for the Lions of O'Hara. No offense to Ryan, Dobbins and Neumann-Goretti (well, maybe some offense to N-G). Coming into this game, O'Hara has yet to give up a point. In their three shutouts, they have scored, on average 38 points. But, keep in mind, O'Hara has not exactly scheduled the NFL Eastern Conference in their pre-season. Gone are the days of taking on all comers. Now, it seems as though they'll play anyone who they know they'll beat. But, this looks like it's a mandatory crossover game. Roman comes into this game with quality wins over West Catholic, Malvern Prep and Chestnut Hill Academy. Their defense is giving up about 46 yars per game on the ground. Roman's pass defense may be a little suspect, where they are yielding almost 170 yards per game, as well as 5 of the 6 touchdowns they have given up, including the 317 yard, 3 TD performance from Malvern Prep (some RC folks told me that most of those yards were on a couple of very long TD passes). Rumor had it that the Lions opened the season with their QB injured. In week 2, Ryan Laughlin threw 17 times, completing 10, for 152 yards and 2 TDs. In week 3, against the former pride of S. Philly, Neumann-Goretti, Laughlin threw a perfect 5 for 5 and 156 yards, in the 60-0 rout. Our expectation is for O'Hara to try to test the Roman defense with running back, Adam Dempsey, and when that fails, go to the air and try to exploit a possible chink in the Roman armor. Either way, this should be one of the best games to watch in Week 4.
Pick: Roman 14 - O'Hara 6
Frankford (0-1, 0-3) at Bartram (1-1, 1-2) - With only 4 of the 7 Gold Division teams making the playoffs this year, this game could have major implications in the final determination of the standings. Bartram is 1-1 in league play, losing to Northeast beating Germantown. After this game, Bartram will still have to play Washington after this week. Frankford will be playing only their second league game, after losing their first to Washington in week 2. The Pioneers still have Northeast in the coming weeks. Although this game will probably not decided a spot in the playoffs, it certainly will decide the seedings going into the playoffs.
Pick: Frankford 26 - Bartram 6
IMHOTEP (3-0, 4-0) at Del-Val (2-0, 2-1) - With the big win against Bok behind them, IMHOTEP now sees Del-Val in their sights. Both teams enter this game undefeated in league play. IMHOTEP seems to want to show the league that they are for real, while Del-Val (2009 A Division champs) is trying to establish itself among the best of the AA division. In my humble opinion, IMHOTEP just has too many guns for this fight.
Pick: IMHOTEP 38 - Del-Val 6
The Rest of the Games
Roxborough over UC
Bok over Future
Central over Southern
Dobbins over West Philly
Franklin over Boys' Latin
Furness over Edison
Gratz over MLK
Olney over Mastbaum
Judge over PC
IMHOTEP over Del-Val
Washington over Lincoln
Northeast over Overbrook
Comm Tech over Prep Charter
La Salle over Bonner
Lansdale Catholic over Pennridge
Chester over Fels
N-G over Bracetti
West Catholic over Haverford School
McDevitt over Germantown
Carroll over Ryan
CHA over Conwell-Egan
