Last week was not a good day for picks for me. I only went 5-3, and now am 33-9 on the season. Last week we saw STMA win it’s second straight, upsetting Maple Grove, 21-0 at home on a game you heard right here on AM1360 KRWC, while #2AAAAA Monticello picked up a ranked win over #6AAAAA Brainerd at home, 21-15. This week we should have the best matchups of the whole season, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a short week due to MEA, and it’s going to be a lot cooler, but it should be a great night of football! Good luck to all the teams.
All games subject to change.
All games on Wed., October 14th at 7 PM unless noted otherwise.
#2AAAAA Monticello Magic (6-0) at #1AAAAA Elk River Elks (6-0.)
Last Week: Monti defeated #6AAAAA Brainerd, 21-15, while Elk River defeated #7AAAAA Armstrong, 49-20.
The Matchup: The Magic held the Warriors to 65 yards rushing last week, and they will have to do it again against the Elks almost unstoppable running game. The Elks rushed for 465 yards and 5 TDs in their win over the Falcons last week. Monticello has the more balanced offense and Sr. QB Carson Deibele threw for 147 yards and a TD last week. The Elks rely on a deep core of RB’s, along with QB Jackson Davis who rushed for 109 yards last week and completed his only pass for a touchdown. The Magic have the better defense, but the Elks are stronger than usual on defense, still the Magic have the edge there.
The Pick: The Magic have the more balanced running game, led by Cale Holthaus, and if Deibele can hit some big passes to big play WR’s Johny Moore, and Jeron Schlangen they could easily win this game. I also believe the Magic can limit the Elks offense more than most, but I’m picking the Elks, because they had a much easier game last week then the Magic, they’re at home and it’s a short week. Again, I’m taking the Elks, 28-24, but check back with me when these teams meet in the Section final, it could be flipped, just like last year, when Monti won during the regular season, but the Elks won in the playoffs.
Above, Jackson Davis, #9, leads the Elks high powered offense as there starting QB.
#10AAA Dassel-Cokato Chargers (5-1) @ #6AAA Holy Family Fire (5-1).
Last Week: DC crushed Montevideo, 57-6, while Holy Family defeated Watertown-Mayer, 21-7.
The Matchup: Jackson Nyquist rushed for 140 yards and TD in the Chargers blowout win last week. The defense also was stingy for DC, as they are only allowing around 13 ppg. For Holy Family, the relied on their defense again to defeat the Royals last week, 21-7. The Fire also have a three headed monster at RB with Levi Trout, Max Simpson, and Damion Komtangi. Both these teams rely on running the football on offense, and dominating on defense, which has worked all year for both, with each team coming in at 5-1. The Fire do have the better passing game, led by southpaw QB Ethan Ryan.
The Pick: Just like Monti and Elk River, these two could see each other once again in the Section finals. Last year both games were shootouts, with the Chargers winning in the regular season, 42-35, while Holy Family won in the Sections, 35-32. I don’t think this season it will be a high scoring game. Both teams play great defense. DC should be able to take advantage running up the middle vs. the Fire, really the only weak spot for HF. In the end though, Ethan Ryan will hit a big pass down the seam, his best throw and the Fire will win a tight one, 17-14. Just like Monti and Elk River though, they could see each other again in November. Stay tuned.
QB Ethan Ryan, above, #9, will have to hit some key throws for Holy Family on Friday night if they hope to defeat DC.
#1AAAA Orono Spartans (6-0) @ #10AAAA Delano Tigers (5-1).
Last Week: Delano defeated Mound, 42-7, while Orono defeated #7AAAA Marshall, 20-7.
The Matchup: Grant Bruett was back at it last week for the Tigers. The Jr. QB rushed for 124 yards and two TD’s and also threw for 113 yards and a touchdown. Noah Wentzel had a big game in the secondary for the Tigers with 13 tackles and an interception. For the Spartans, they have dominated all season! Last week was the first time Orono hasn’t scored over 35 points, including scoring 73 in a dismantling of Mound. The defense is just as good, allowing just 21 points the last three weeks. They have a QB that can run or pass in Finn Dyvik, who avg. 177 yards per game through the air, and a strong running game led by Hudson Hirt, 104 ypg.
The Pick: Another Top 10 matchup this week, and another potential section playoff game. Delano has a stingy defense, but to defeat the Spartans this week, Bruett will have to hit some big passes, and they will need a big game at RB from Dacarri Lowery. On the other side of the ball, Dyvik did throw thee picks last week, so if Delano can force turnovers, they have a shot. This could be a good game, but I just feel like Orono has way more balance on offense, and they will make Delano one dimensional. Spartans, 27-14.
Orono, above, won the Section championship last season, and this year they are the #1 ranked team in the state in AAAA.
#1AAAAAA Moorhead Spuds (6-0) @ STMA Knights (2-4).
Last Week: STMA upset #10AAAAAA Maple Grove, 21-0, while the Spuds defeated #2AAAAAA Eden Prairie, 55-34.
The Matchup: The Knights after a 0-4 start have won two straight, and last week held the Crimson to 111 yards of total offense. They have found a star in RB Braylon Bohm, who avg. 100 per game on the ground, while Jr. QB Lucas Bryan had a solid game last week, throwing for 80 yards in the Knights win. For the Spuds, they are just ridiculous! They put up 55 points on EP last week. Eden Prairie! That just doesn’t happen. They have four players signed to the Gophers, led by QB Jett Feeney. Listen to these video game numbers. 29 TD’s and zero interceptions this season. Speaking of video game numbers, WR David Mack caught 5 TD’s last week and for good measure also tossed a TD in the Spuds win. So yeah, the Spuds are loaded!
The Pick: The good news. The Knights have won two straight. They are running the ball efficiently and are hitting some crucial throws when they need too. Defensively they dominated a ranked Maple Grove team last week. The bad news? The Knights upset the Spuds last season, but the Spuds played without Feeney that game, and I guarantee you they haven’t forgotten. Knights might be able to move the ball this game, but it won’t matter because no matter how well the Knights defense is playing, no one can stop Moorhead. Spuds, 49-21.
Above, Jett Feeney on the left and David Mack on the right, are one of the top QB/WR duos in the whole country! They both have signed with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Buffalo Bison (2-4) @ Spring Lake Park Panthers (4-2).
Last Week: Buffalo lost at Irondale, 27-15, while Spring Lake Park defeated Cooper, 44-7.
The Matchup: Buffalo is really struggling on offense, avg. just 10 ppg in their last three. QB Reiker Wignes has carried the offense, including last week where Wignes threw for 164 yards with a TD and also rushed for 93 yards and a TD. Despite the loss, it was nice to see the combo of Wignes to WR Matthew Jordan connect again, as Jordan had 5 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. For SLP, they started off slow, but behind a stout defense, led by 6’3 190 LB Ian Aalund (14 tackles and an INT last week.), have looked like there old selves, allowing just 15 ppg in the last four weeks. On offense, they were without QB Nolan Roach the first two weeks, but the offense is back on track, avg. 36 ppg in their wins.
The Pick: Another section matchup that we could see again in the playoffs. SLP defeated Buffalo last year in the Section finals and went on to win it all. I don’t think the Panthers will win it again this year, but they have a ton of balance on offense, and they haven’t even had their top RB Marquell Mitchell, most of the season. The Bison will have to be able to run the ball and find another receiver to go along with Jordan if they have any chance to win. Panthers are playing well, Bison are not. Panthers, 34-14.
Nolan Roach, above, #21 led the Panthers to a state championship last season in AAAAA as a QB.
Milaca Wolves (1-5) @ #1AAA Annandale Cardinals (6-0).
Last Week: Annandale won at Rockford, 47-7, while Milaca lost to Foley, 42-21.
The Matchup: Last week the Cards gave up a quick TD on a long pass to Rockford that tied the game. That just angered the Cards! Annandale scored the final forty points and cruised to the win. Sr. QB Braylon Fobbe tossed three TDs to three different receivers (Jack Newman, Brody Berggren and Cooper Broman.) all in the first half, and the Cards picked off the Rockets three times on defense. The Wolves offense has been improving. After scoring 15 points in their first three games, they have scored 68 in their last three and have a big weapon in RB Soren Hasselberg who is avg. 112 yards rushing per game and tops the team in receptions.
The Pick: The Wolves are improved on offense, and can be stingy on defense, but let’s be real, this is Annandale. The Cards still playing without their top RB and LB, continue to roll. The Cards don’t really worry about who they are playing, they just continue to build all season, and the Wolves don’t have the players to keep up with Annandale, even for a while, Cards big, 48-0.
Rowan Bishop, #37 in red, picks off one of three interceptions the Cards had on the night in their road win over Rockford last week.
Howard Lake WW Lakers (3-3) @ Watertown Mayer Royals (4-2).
Last Week: HLWW lost to New London Spicer, 47-21, while the Royals lost to #6AAA Holy Family, 21-7.
The Matchup: What happened to the Lakers last week? The usual stout d got obliterated by the passing game of NLS, as the Wildcats threw for 260 yards and 6 TD’s last week. The Lakers also struggled in the passing game, throwing for 31 yards and an interception. The good news for the Lakers is RB Benjamin Gatz rushed for 123 yards and a TD in the loss. The Royals, have a very solid defensive line, and overall, the defense has been very good all season for the Royals. Offensively the Royals started off strong this season, but have hit a rut the last few games.
The Pick: The good news for HLWW is that the Royals don’t have the same passing game as NLS, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a good QB, he is just young. Jace Gagnon has talent but is just a Freshman for the Royals. The key to this game will be if WM can stop the running game of HLWW. I think they can slow it down, but eventually the Lakers will start to find some cracks in the Royals D and win on the road. Lakers, 21-13.
The Royals, above, in white, will look to throw the ball against a HLWW team that struggled against the pass last week.
Rockford Rockets (2-4) @ Pierz Pioneers #3AAA (6-0).
Last Week: Pierz throttled St. Cloud Apollo, 79-7, while Rockford lost at home to #1AAA Annandale, 47-7.
The Matchup: For Rockford, Sr, 6’5 WR Ethan Robran can cause a lot of problems for the opposing defenses. Last week he got behind the Annandale secondary early and scored on a long TD pass, just the first TD allowed all season by the first team Cards defense in regulation. The Rockets also have an athletic QB with a strong arm in Max Ladman. The problem is, Ladman had to leave the Annandale game at halftime and if he can’t play, Robran might have to play QB, but I was impressed with So. QB Gio Valdez last week, and he could also get the call if needed. For Pierz, three times this season, they have scored over 60 points in a game, and they can do it in multiple ways. QB Preston Saehr avg. 200 yards per game in the air, and RB Braydon Foust, avg. 100 ypg on the ground.
The Pick: Poor Rockford, #1AAA Annandale last week, #3AAA Pierz this week, yikes! The Rockets need to find a more balanced attack this week, and they can do it. Canon Braun is a very good running back, but the Rockets couldn’t get him going against the Annandale runs defense last week. Either way, it won’t matter. The Pioneers have way too many weapons for the Rockets. Pioneers, 54-7.
Braydon Foust, above, #2 has helped the Pioneers to scoring over 60 points in a game three times this season.
Maple Lake Irish (2-4) @ West Central Area Knights (3-3).
Last Week: Maple Lake lost to Upsala Swansville, 55-12, while WCA defeated Long Prairie Grey Eagle, 43-0.
The Matchup: The Irish had no answers for the Upsala Swanville running game last week, as Maple Lake allowed 244 yards rushing and seven touchdowns against US. In the Irish four losses, they are allowing 43 ppg, while in their wins, they are allowing 3.5? So consistency is a big thing for the Irish to improve on. Before last week, WCA hadn’t scored over 14 points in a game all year, but busted out against LPGE for 43 points, led by QB Owen Gruchow, who avg. over 200 yards passing per game. The WCA defense, a lot like Maple Lakes, has been up and down all season.
The Pick: Two teams that are very inconsistent on both offense and defense meet, so who knows what’s going to happen. I think the Maple Lake defense is slightly better than the Knights defense, and I think QB Jaxson Diebold will hit a couple big throw, and the Irish pull it out, 20-16.
WCA, above, will look to go above .500 with a win over the Irish on Wed, night.
