Pooch Punt: Football picks replete with rambling intro
You know where the big games are tonight. So I’m not going to bore you with those details.
You know which team you’re going to watch (probably the team you support, I’m guessing) and you probably know how that game is going to turn out.
OK, you don’t know how the game is going to turn out and that’s why you come to me. You want answers. You don’t want to hear me complain about how hot it was when I’m not the one playing the sport. You don’t want to hear about how great volleyball is in my home state (don’t you wish all sports writers were like me? Of course you do). You want to hear what I have to say when it comes to Friday night football and who is winning and who is going home unhappy.
OK, so maybe you don’t want to hear what I have to say. And I’m pretty sure you don’t wish all sports writers were like me.
You see, I’m not kidding, I have the answers.
OK, enough of this just-got-to-work rambling, here are the picks:
Stuarts Draft at Harrisonburg
The Cougars head into this game 3-1 (sound familiar?) and even with the Blue Streaks missing U.Va.-bound running back Alex Owah, Harrisonburg is still a favorite (sound familiar?).
Yes, yes. Moan and complain about how two of Cougars’ wins came over Group A schools (Riverheads and Wilson Memorial) and Waynesboro. But what you may (or may not) fail to realize is Draft looked good in all those wins. Fundamentally sound. Not putting the ball on the ground. A grind-it-out running game and defense as bulky and tough as the Blue Ridge.
And Harrisonburg? Well, with Owah on the sidelines the Blue Streaks are going to be out there trying to prove a point. You know, that they can win sans Owah.
Still, I like the “upset” here. Draft shocks the Streaks again (sound familiar?) and is no longer the Sweetheart of the Southern Valley. With this win they become a “factor” and re-establish their program. Lock. The. Thread.
Wilson Memorial at Nelson County
A lot of people left Greenville last Friday talking about Nelson County quarterback Mark Wells. A lot of Fishersville residents will be leaving Lovingston tonight talking about the same guy.
Nelson by 10.
Spotswood at Waynesboro
The Little Giants have to show everybody something. The offensive line has to show it can block. The center has to show it can put a snap in the hands of the quarterback. And with Steven Brown probably on the shelf after hurting his ankle last week in the loss to Draft, it will be up to Terrell Thompson to provide most of the electricity for the Little Giants. Not yet for Waynesboro. Spotsy by 15.
Buffalo Gap at James River
Really? I need to expound on this game.
Gap. Big.
Riverheads at Parry McCluer
The Blues go into this hoping they don’t get 55 points dropped on them again. The Gladiators go into this game with all eyes on improving their defense. Expect the latter to happen. The former? Well, let’s just see how much the Blues have improved since last week.
Riverheads by 22
Rockbridge at Fort Defiance
If the Indians come out dead against the Wildcats (you know, like they did last week against Wilson) they won’t be able to score the comeback win this time.
Wildcats by 10.
R.E. Lee at Broadway
Really? Seriously? The only question here is will Lee score another 50 points.
Back Monday with more Friday night sights.
