Are some wins on the menu for A-K Valley teams in The Birdie’s Week 5 picks?

By: The Birdie
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | 7:45 PM

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Last week: 8-3

Season: 34-16 (68%)

With the season reaching its halfway point, The Birdie was making some notes where he always makes his notes: on the back of a foil Sheetz wrapper.

Just then it hit him.

He could combine both his passions and sum up the first half of the season by awarding Sheetz menu items to the high school football teams of the A-K Valley.

Big Mozz burger, fries and a side of Boom Boom sauce for dipping: The finest feast on the menu is reserved for 5-0 Deer Lakes and Leechburg.

Wins over Class 2A contender South Park and rival Freeport are the mozzarella sticks on top of the burger for the Lancers, who have been as advertised. A showdown with Imani Christian on Oct. 11 could be for the conference title.

The Blue Devils slathered some provolone and marinara on their season with a convincing win over Jeannette last Friday. A matchup with Clairton on Oct. 11 could be for all the marbles, but no matter the result of that one, this looks like it’ll be a season to remember.

Sausage Shmuffin with hash browns on top: Might not be exactly what Freeport and Highlands ordered, but it’s still pretty stinking good. The Golden Rams have shown off a dangerous offense, and the resilient Yellowjackets are bouncing back nicely this season.

Boneless Bitez: It might look like an order of chicken nuggets now, but there’s still time to spruce it up with some Shweet and Sour sauce and make it a tasty season. This is a dish best served to Knoch and Riverview, for whom a path to the playoffs is still clear, but also to Kiski Area and Fox Chapel, who have tasted victory.

$1 hot dog: For the winless teams in the A-K Valley — Burrell, Valley, Apollo-Ridge and Springdale — it’s time to get something in your belly, no matter what it is.

And now for the entree: the Birdie’s Week 5 picks.

Highlands at Deer Lakes: By reputation, the Lancers are known for their scrappy defense, but in reality, they’ve scored at least 28 points in all five wins this season. The Golden Rams can play that game, too, so this one should be fun. Deer Lakes, 40-28

Kiski Area at Franklin Regional: The Panthers have been one of the surprise teams in Class 5A this season. A tough squad against which to end a losing streak. Franklin Regional, 28-14

Fox Chapel at Pine-Richland: The Rams haven’t shown many weaknesses this season. Pine-Richland, 34-10

Indiana at Knoch: This is a good spot for the Knights to shake off a tough loss to New Castle last week and get down to business in conference play. Knoch, 34-6

East Allegheny at Burrell: This is a battle of winless teams, but the Wildcats scored at least 35 points in losses to Highlands and Deer Lakes the last two weeks. They look like a handful. East Allegheny, 27-20

Valley at Freeport: A chance for the Yellowjackets to get some momentum going. Freeport, 34-13

OLSH at Apollo-Ridge: The Vikings are going to surprise someone this season. Could it be the Chargers? OLSH, 21-20

Springdale at Leechburg: With all due respect to the one-game-at-a-time mindset, the Blue Devils should be 7-0 for the Clairton game in two weeks. Leechburg, 33-6

Plum at Penn-Trafford: Don’t count Plum out in this one. The Warriors have been inconsistent, and the Mustangs have their moments. Penn-Trafford, 20-14

Greensburg Central Catholic at Riverview: If the Raiders are going to make the playoffs, it seems safe to say they’re going to have to beat either GCC or Jeannette. Opportunity knocks. Greensburg Central Catholic, 27-26

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Greensburg C.C., Highlands, Indiana, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Pine-Richland, Plum, Riverview, Springdale, Valley