It’s week three, and it could be a rainy, unpredictable night around the state in high school football and in the Wright County Area.
Last week, I went 7-1 in my picks and am 13-3 overall, so it’s been fun so far. For me, I need to figure out this Howard Lake WW football team! I’m 13-1 picking games this season not involving HLWW, and 0-2 while picking the Lakers game. This week they take on Holy Family, see if I can finally get it right! Below are my picks for Week 3. Good luck to all the teams!
All games are subject to change.
All games are scheduled for Friday night September 18th, at 7 PM, unless noted.
Friday, September 18th, 7 PM games.
#1AAA Annandale Cardinals (2-0) vs. Foley Falcons (1-1) @ St. Cloud Tech. (You can hear this game on AM1360 KRWC, krwc1360.com and on our app. Pregame begins at 6:30 PM.)
Last Week: The Falcons lost to Pierz, 42-6, while Annandale blew out Glencoe Silver Lake, 58-0.
The Matchup: After a slow start to the season for Annandale, the Cards looked like their old selves in a 58-0 shellacking of GSL last week as the staters came out of the game halfway through the second quarter, up 42-0. The Cards had eleven different ball carriers in the game and played four QBs as everyone got in for the Cards. Most impressive, they held the Panthers to 36 yards of total offense. For Foley, they have the big three back in 6’3 QB Carson Brenny, RB Brody Lipka, and WR Von Murphy, along with a massive offensive line.
The Pick: Foley wants revenge, as Annandale has defeated them the last two years in the Section final, and have to feel good as this game will be played on a neutral field, and in possible bad weather, which could limit the Cards high flying offense. One problem! The Cards have a dominant defense that travels, and too many weapons on offense. Cards win, 36-14.
Carson Brenny, above, will have to have a big night with both his arm and legs if the Falcons hope to upset the Cards.
Zimmerman Thunder (2-0) at (2-0) Delano Tigers.
Last Week: Zimmerman defeated Princeton 21-13, and Delano got past Providence, 21-14.
The Matchup: The Thunder lost all everything RB Mason Spence and QB Thomas McEachern from last season’s team but return one of the top prospects in the state in 6’7 TE/WR Jameson Smuda. The Tigers have the multidimensional QB in Grant Bruett who combines for 211 yards per game between passing and running. The defense has been stout, led by Caleb Erickson who has 16 tackles on the season, and Brody Roers who had a team high nine tackles last week.
Who wins? Last season, the Tigers lost a 14-2 matchup. This season, I see anothe low scoring game, but the Thunder don’t have Spence and McEachern, and as long as the Tigers keep track of Smuda, their defense should carry the day. Tigers, 14-12.
The Tigers will have their hands full tonight trying to cover 6’7 Thunder WR Jameson Smuda, above.
Howard Lake WW Lakers (1-1) @ #5AAA Holy Family Fire (2-0).
Last Week: The Lakers lost at home to DC, 18-7, while the Fire cruised past Jordan, 38-9.
The Matchup: The Lakers got run over at home by the Chargers last week, and it doesn’t get any easier against a Fire team that rushed for 314 yards last week. Offensively, Jr. QB Hunter Bush has to hit some big pass plays to keep it close. The Fire have run the ball behind Levi Trout (169 ypg and 4 TD’s and an incredible 14.1 ypc) and Max Sampson (112 ypg) and they also still have QB Ethan Ryan.
Who wins? Lasty year was a thriller with the Fire hanging on to a 24-20 win. This season if Jaxon Ewert can choo up some clock on the ground for the Lakers, they have a shot, but it’s homecoming for the Fire, and they just run the ball so well, and that will be trouble for the Lakers on Friday night. Fire, 24-12.
Levi Trout, above, leads a Fire running game that avg. over 300 yards per game.
Buffalo Bison (1-1) @ Bemidji Lumberjacks (0-2).
Last Week: The Bison picked up their first win of the season at Cooper, 35-13, while Bemidji lost a tough one to Grand Rapids, 19-17.
The Matchup: The Bison have found a grove on offense, led by Sr. QB Reiker Wignes, but one issue Buffalo has it needs to find a second WR. Matthew Jordan has caught every pass the Bison have completed this season, at some point teams will try to make someone else beat them. The Lumberjacks have lost to two ranked teams in Elk River and Grand Rapids, so their record is deceiving. Behind QB Owen Vandermeer, the Jacks love to run the ball.
Who wins: Last year Buffalo won on a two-point conversion late, 32-31 at home. This season, the Bison make the trek to Bemidji. If Buffalo can get Bemidji to throw it, they will turn it over, but I think the Lumberjacks run game, at home, in the elements, gives them the slight edge, 22-21.
Owen Vandermeer, above, is both a threat as a passer and runner for the Lumberjacks.
#7AAAAAA Wayzata Trojans (2-0) @ STMA (0-2).
Last Week: The Knights lost defensive battle to Minnetonka, 7-0, while Wayzata blew out Edina, 38-14.
The Matchup: The Knights played great defense, moved the ball on offense, won the time of possession, and had a goal line stand, and lost to Minnetonka, 7-0! I did the game last Thursday and I think the Knights are getting close, Lucas Bryan is really growing as their QB, but they need to finish drives. Meanwhile, the Trojans are so back! Behind head coach Darin Lamker, these Trojans look like the glory day Wayzata teams of former coach Brad Anderson. Michael Criswell, RB, is avg. 141 yards per game and Wayzata had three interceptions in their dismantling of defending state champ Edina last Friday.
Who wins: Another tough matchup for STMA who has only played ranked AAAAAA teams so far this season. This should be another close defensive battle, but I think Trojan WR Weston Moeller gets behind the defense at some point in the game, and Trojans win, 14-10.
The Wayzata Trojans, above in blue and gold, come into the STMA game as the #7 ranked team in AAAAAA.
#3AAAAA Monticello Magic (2-0) @ Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets (2-0).
Last Week: The Magic outlasted Alexandria, 22-6, while the Bluejackets defeated Chisago Lakes, 49-14.
The Matchup: The Magic got a big win over a ranked Alexandria team last week behind bruising RB Cale Holthaus, who rushed for 154 yards and two TDs in the Magic home win. Defensively the Magic are one of the most physical teams in the state, anchored by the D line, led by Kade Lovell, and Cole Schwickenrath. These aren’t quite the glory days of Coach Larson’s 80’s and 90’s Bluejackets teams, but after a lot of lean years, things are looking up at Cambridge. Peyton Coplan is a great RB, who rushed for 147 yards and two TDs in the Jackets win last week.
Who Wins? Last season the Magic destroyed the Jackets, 48-0. This season Cambridge-Isanti is much improved, and will be a bigger test for Monti, but the Magic will still control this game throughout and win on the road, 35-14.
Peyton Coplan, above, in white rushed for two TDs in the Bluejackets win over Chisago Lakes last week.
Rockford Rockets (0-2) @ Milaca Wolves (0-2).
Last Week: Rockford lost to Watertown Mayer, 36-15, while Milaca lost a defensive struggle on Saturday to Little Falls, 8-3.
The Matchup: It’s been a tale of two halves this season for the Rockets. In Week one, they trailed DC, 27-0 at the half, but outscored them 13-0 in the second half. Then last week, the Rockets only trailed 21-15 at the half against WM, but where outscored, 15-0 in the second half, so the Rockets need to play a full four quarters to win. Good news for Rockford is they have 6’5 WR Ethan Robran, who had 4 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown last week. For the Wolves, they aren’t terrible on defense, but offense is a whole other deal. The Wolves have managed a meager nine points total in two games.
Who wins? I don’t know if Rockford is going to put together four good quarters tonight or not, but they have the difference maker in WR Robran. This could end up being a defensive struggle on a rainy wet field in Milaca, but the Rockets get it done, 21-6.
The Milaca Wolves defense, above, has been stout this year, but the offense has struggled.
Jordan Hubmen (0-2) @ #8AAA Dassel-Cokato Chargers (2-0).
Last Week: The Chargers got revenge on HLWW, who defeated them last year, winning 18-7 at HLWW last week. The Hubmen, dropped their second straight to Holy Family, 38-9.
The Matchup: Everyone knew the Chargers would be able to run the ball this year, and they have done that behind a strong offensive line, and RB Jackson Nyquist. The question was could the Chargers stop anyone after a dreadful defensive showing last season. Even after losing their top five tacklers from last season, the resounding answer is yes! The Chargers are only allowing 10 ppg so far this season, and that is bad news for the Hubmen, why? Because Jordan has only scored two TDs in two games and still haven’t found an offensive identity.
Who wins: Thin this one is simple. The Chargers will run the ball all night long, running a ton of clock and finishing with TD’s, while the Chargers D shuts down a meager Jordan offensive game. Chargers in blowout, 38-6.
The Hubmen, above in Maroon, have had a hard time moving the football so far this season on offense.
Maple Lake Irish (0-2) @ Long Prairie GE (0-2).
Last Week: The Irish lost to Ashby at home, 28-22, while LPGE lost to Browerville, 20-8.
The Matchup: After a 2-0 start last season, the Irish are 0-2 this season, but all hope is not lost as they put up a great fight against Ashby last week. The Irish have a solid QB in Jaxon Diebold and a strong running game led by RB Marshall Hall. The key for the Irish is to stop the run, as Menahga rushed for over 300 yards in week one. For LPGE, it’s bleak. Last season they scored one TD or less in seven of nine games and are off to a 0-2 start this season.
The Pick: I don’t see Maple Lake losing this game. Last year the Irish demolished LPGE,, 48-0. LPGE has shown signs of an improved football team this season, but the Irish pick up their first win of the season, 19-6.
LPGE, above in white, has been chasing teams from behind for the last two seasons.
