Chocolate Town or bust
Written by: Joe Stokes on Wednesday, December 4th, 2013. Follow Joe Stokes on Twitter.
The 2013 high school football season has reached sweet sixteen weekend and the eight winning teams will receive a chocolate treat as the prize. The best of the east will meet the best of the west in Hershey to determine the state champions of all four levels next weekend.
It is now time to dive right in with predictions on five of the most competitive contests this week.
Playoff week four predictions were average at best with three of the five teams winning as predicted. Archbishop Wood, St Joe’s Prep and Imhotep advanced as predicted while North Penn and Upper Darby (non-playoff) dropped hard fought contests and failed to win as predicted.
The last seven years the prognostication record stands at 359-152 while going 42-24 for this season and 13-7 this post season.
The top game in the east AAAA this weekend is the showdown between the Neshaminy Redskins District One Champions taking on the District Twelve title holders St. Joe Prep Hawks at Northeast High in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. This contest could be a true classic as the Redskins shocked the North Penn Knights last Friday night with a dominating 42-7 win. The Redskins are led by D’Andre Pollard who broke to the all-time season rushing record at Neshaminy with 2798 yards on 300 carries in 2013. The District One title has eluded Neshaminy since 2004 and North Penn has been responsible for knocking the Redskins out of the playoffs in 2008, 2010 and 2011. The Hawks caught a break last Saturday when injured QB Chris Martin returned to the line up just in time to lead The Prep to a tough win over Parkland 21-10. The key to victory will be the ability of the Hawk defense to limit the Redskin running attack. Part two of the puzzle will be how effective the Prep passing attack will be on Saturday. The call here is a close one with the Hawks defense doing just enough to frustrate the Redskins.
St. Joe’s Prep 26 Neshaminy 24
The next playoff showdown to watch involves District Twelve AAA champion Archbishop Wood facing off against District Two champion Berwick at J Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown on Friday night. Wood QB Tom Garlick led a talented team that won an impressive 42-14 victory over Academy Park last Friday. The Bulldogs pounded Clearfield 44-7 last Friday and Coach George Curry is always tough to beat. The Vikings are likely to wear down Berwick in the second half.
Archbishop Wood 35 Berwick 23
The rest of the fearless forecast:
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 27 Lower Dauphin 21
Imhotep 31 Berks 21
Erie Cathedral Prep 38 Bishop McDevitt 17
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December 8th, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Johnson,
This is St Joes first trip to Hershey
December 8th, 2013 at 7:44 pm
@ Johnson,
I hear ya about the Catholic schools. But why then has the Publics dominated for so long in championship wins?
December 8th, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Seriously??? Here we go with this recruit stuff again. We were the better team, plan & simple. This is a group of kids on both teams that love to play football leave it at that. Their whole focus is to play ball and get an education. Let me put it in capital letters for you, Wood DOES NOT RECRUIT!!! Berwick doesn’t want us on their roster, move on and look forward to 2014.
December 8th, 2013 at 9:34 am
Tom
You better be a heck of a lot better. Wood has 16 starters returning. Consider yourselves lucky Wood had three TD called back or they would have put up 60+. Not to
Mention it was the sloppiest game they have played in a while.
Also u never answered my question. Do you still think Becca could beat Wood? Lol
December 8th, 2013 at 7:21 am
O.K. here we go, PIAA football finals.
Recruiter schools:
St. Josephs (Back again)
Pittsburg Central Catholic (Back again)
Bishop McDevitt (Back again)
Archbishop Wood (Back again)
Imhotep Charter
North Catholic
Public Schools:
South Fayetter
Old Forge
Just saying when you can recruit your players
you can put together a great team!
December 8th, 2013 at 12:49 am
Berwick should put wood on there 2014 schedule and play them as a rematch and get revenge on them cause we will be better in 2014.
December 7th, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Tom
Do you still think Becca could best Awood?
December 6th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
The Old Forge vs. Steelton Highspire game has been POSTPONED due to incliment weather. The game has currently been rescheduled to 4PM on Saturday and will still be airing LIVE on WQMY!
http://www.myfoxnepa.com/
December 6th, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Thanks Mike for update
Berwick Vs Archbishop Wood is 5 PM (confirmed)
December 6th, 2013 at 11:54 am
…DAWGS vs WOOD…SATURDAY @ 5:00…
December 6th, 2013 at 11:43 am
My info is that Berwick vs Archbishop Wood is set for 3 PM Saturday
December 6th, 2013 at 11:18 am
..the DAWGS vs WOOD game has been postponed to Saturday…time pending…either 3:00 or 7:00…
December 6th, 2013 at 10:57 am
@Johnson,
Let’s look at the past 10 years. 2003 4 Public champs, 2004 2P-2C, 2005 4P, 2006 4P, 2007 3P-1C, 2008 4P, 2009 2P-2C, 2010 2P-2C, 2011 2P-2C, 2012 3P-1C. Where is the integrity being destroyed? Was it unfair in ’03,’05, ’06, and ’08? Your comment has no validity when you look at the numbers. Pubs have won 75% of the chips over the past 10 years, I honestly have no idea what you are trying to say.
December 6th, 2013 at 5:46 am
O.K. I’ll say it, three of the teams forecast to win the championship are Catholic schools and if Berks Catholic wins then the whole championship will be a Catholic school sweep.
I wouldn’t care if this was accomplished fair and square, but public schools can’t compete with Catholic schools that obviously, with out a doubt, recruit their players. It’s not fair and in reality it ruins the playoff system. Anytime a team has the ability to recruit the best players from a given area, it destroys the integrity of the game. I know you guys don’t want to accept this or discuss it for some reason, but it’s true.
December 5th, 2013 at 7:04 pm
‘NO WAY’ IM GOING WITH NASHAMINY OVER ST.JOES PREP. FINAL SCORE.. 28 TO 24, GOOD GAME BUT CLOSE..
December 5th, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Berwick will lose by 20 at the least. wood on a different level than berwick. Sorry dawgs but after the game you will be called berwick puppies
December 5th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Every time I read a Berwick fan post, I can help but think of the SNL skit ‘Da Bears’. Who would win in a game, Coach Curry or God? Trick question, Coach Curry is God.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:04 am
…Coach Curry may be a master but he does have some trouble with “first meetings” of a “quality” opponent…hopefully we do not have to wait until the next meeting of the schools to get the win…
December 5th, 2013 at 8:54 am
and what green horn are you. look at st Ignatius. there line was 6 foot 4 and weighed 280. Berwick beat them. I think beca could beat wood. im glad you guys think that Berwick will loose. you guys forget Berwick is a second half team. so wood better do it in the first half. go dawgs. my score Berwick 35 wood 21