So far this season I have gone 11-5 in my picks through two weeks. Good enough for a Wild Card spot if this was an NFL record. Good, but I’m looking for elite! This week is really tough, lots of tough picks. Good luck to all the teams.
All games Friday night, September 12th at 7 PM.
Holy Family (2-0) @Howard Lake WW (1-1). You can hear this game Friday night on AM1360 KRWC, krwc1360.com and on our app. Pregame starts at 6:30 PM.
The tough schedule continues for the Lakers! Last week HLWW became the first team to win at DC since 2020! This week the Fire come into town with a top ten ranking in AAA. The Lakers have been running the ball well and have an added dimension with a throwing game this year, led by So. Hunter Bush. The Fire rely on speed and deception and have a nice QB in Ethan Ryan and good back in Levi Trout. If the Lakers can dominate the interior, they could pull the upset!
The Pick: Oh, so close, but the Fire have just a little too much skill for the Lakers, but don’t be surprised if HLWW pulls off the upset. 27-22 Fire.
Holy Family RB Levi Trout, above in blue with the ball, is avg. over 100 yards per game rushing this season.
Bemidji (1-1) @ Buffalo (1-1).
Grant Benson has done it with both his legs and arm for the Bison, combining for over 340 yards per game with 6 TD’s. Last week Buffalo shut down Cooper, 24-6 and return home for a tough matchup with the Lumberjacks. For Bemidji they lost a shootout with #1AAAAA Elk River, 50-42 and then bounced back against Grand Rapids last week, 24-7. If Logan Phonethep RB plays, I give the Lumberjacks a slight advantage, but without knowing if he plays it’s a toss up!
The Pick: Even without Phonethep I think the Lumberjacks have the slight edge, but this one could go either way. 28-27, Lumberjacks.
If Logan Phonethep, above plays tonight for the Lumberjacks, the Bison will key on him as he makes the Bemidji offense hum.
Delano (2-0) @ Zimmerman (2-0).
Are the Tigers for real? It looks like it, but we will find out tonight! The defense has been dominant for Delano, only giving up 10 points per game, but Zimmerman is a whole nother animal. The Thunder led by RB Mason Spence (173 ypg), have run over their opponents so far avg. over 40 ppg. The key will be if Grant Bruett can lead a balanced passing and running game for Delano to keep the Thunder off the field.
The Pick: Zimmerman just has too much fire power for the Tigers, but Delano will be competitive, 31-20 Thunder.
Nathan Spence, above, leads a high-powered running game for the Thunder.
Dassel-Cokato (1-1) @ Jordan (1-1).
DC who played in the AAA state championship game last season lost at home for the first time since 2020 last week against Howard Lake WW. How will they respond? Hard to tell, but the Hubmen are a real challenge. Jordan has a very athletic team which could give the Chargers fits! DC on the other hand has to take care of the ball and lean on So. RB Jackson Nyquist. This game is really simple. Can Jordan stop the powerful DC running game? On the other side, can DC stop the Hubman passing game?
The Pick: If it wasn’t a perfect night to throw the football like it should be tonight, I would go DC, but on their home turf, literally, I’ll take Jordan, 28-20.
Jordan HS, above, moved down this year from Class AAAA to AAA.
Annandale (2-0) @ Foley (1-1).
This could be the first Cards test. Last year the Falcons gave the Cards some problems defensivly in a 26-0 Cards win. As section rivals, they know each other well. Foley likes to play power football, and they will need to run between the tackles and sustain long drives to upset Annandale. On the other side, the Cards have outscored opponents so far this season, 88-0 with their starters in and have only given up six points in two games. The Cards after passing their was past Little Falls, laned on Cam Ergen and the running game last week.
The Pick: Foley is a tough physical team, but so is Annandale, and the Cards have all the weapons on offense! Redbirds, 26-7.
Foley, above, will have to be at their best to challenge the Cards tonight.
Cambridge-Isanti (1-1) @ Monticello (1-1).
Well, well, well, after an 0-9 season it appears that the Bluejackets are back! CI won their opener over Sartell, and blew out Chisago Lakes last week, 42-13. The Jackets have gotten back to running the ball and playing solid defense. Peyton Coplan is avg 121 yards per game on the ground for CI. Last week it looked like the beginning of last season as the Magic offense bogged down, and lost to Alexandria, 7-0. The defense has been dominant, led by Garret Bauer, but the offense has to pick it up this week for Monticello.
The Pick: Monti won last year, 48-13, but this year it will be much more competitive, but I think the Magic find their offense and roll, 29-13.
The physical line, above, for the Bluejackets have led to a surprising 2-0 start for Cambridge-I.
Long Prairie Grey Eagle (0-2) @ Maple Lake (1-1).
LPGE has gotten off to a rough start, losing by an avg score of 46-0 to start the season. In fact LGPE has lost ten straight dating back to last season, and have been shut out five times in their last ten games. For Maple Lake, they came oh so close to starting, 2-0, dropping an OT loss to Ashby last weekend. The Irish are starting to learn not only how to compete, but to win!
The Pick: The Irish, should be 2-0, and that 36 game losing streak is long forgotton! You heard it here first, Irish will improve to 2-1, and it will be a blowout! 35-12.
LPGE, above, preparing for Maple Lake this week.
STMA (0-2) @ Wayzata (0-2).
This just doesn’t feel right! Both teams struggling mightily going into tonight’s game. Both STMA and Wayzata have great traditions but have started slowly this season. The Trojans can’t stop anybody, giving up 84 points in two games, and the Knights have had a hard time moving the ball, rushing for under 100 yards in both of their losses. On offense, Ty Haring needs to lead the offense and take care of the ball, and DL Antonio Rios will need to lead an inspired defense to win on the road.
The Pick: Two desperate teams that aren’t used to being 0-2. You know both teams are hungry, and that should lead to a great game! 24-20, Trojans.
Wayzata, above, is looking to pick up their first win of the season tonight against STMA, but so are the Knights!
Milaca (0-2) @ Rockford (0-2).
There is no way to sugarcoat this. Milaca has not played well this season. The Wolves haven’t been able to move the ball on offense and have given up sixty points in the first two weeks and they werent exactly playing offensive juggernuts. For Rockford, it really hasn’t been much better. The Rockets have been just ok on defense but have struggled to move the bal on offense. The one big advantage for Rockford is the passing combo of Max Landman to Sean Asangwe.
The Pick: Rockford get their first win of the year, 20-0.
It’s been a tough start for Milaca this season, as it’s also been for Rockford. Someone tonight will get their first win!
