Chicks Picks – 09/22/2011

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 22, 2011 | 3:27 PM

Welcome to Week 4 of the high school football season. Chick’s Picks returned from vacation earlier this week and spent some quality time catching up on TV, thanks to her cherished DVR.  Not long into her vegging out, however, Chick’s Picks was awestruck by what she found before her very eyes.

Refusing to believe what she saw, Chick’s Picks paused, rewound, and watched in slow motion over and over.  The popular commercials featuring “the most interesting man in the world” had a new spokesperson.  This cold, hard, slap in the face to Chick’s Picks was confirmed.  That new spokesperson was The Fumbler himself.

How could this be?  What did The Fumbler have to offer that made him worthy of this fancy new title?  Chick’s Picks ran through all the reasons she should have been named “the most interesting woman in the world,” instead–she is the life of parties she never attends; she’s won trophies for her game face, alone; and, who could forget that she has twice won the lifetime achievement award for crystal ball gazing?

Chick’s Picks considered this a sad day in the world of pigskin prognosticating.  She did, however, enjoy the simple pleasure of finishing last week with a 55-13 (81%) record, bringing her season total to 160-43 (79%). 

Here are this week’s big games:

CLASS AAAA
#1 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (3-0) at #3 Woodland Hills (3-0)

The Wolvarena plays host to this showdown between Top 10 Class AAAA giants Friday night.  Last week, the Vikings upended Bethel Park, 42-7, as the Wolverines routed Plum, 45-6.  Both come into this meeting with perfect records and in early control of the Big East Conference.  Expect to hear a lot from the backfields on each side.  Central Catholic’s Damion Jones-Moore has already racked up 409 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.  Woodland Hills’ Jaimire Dutrieuille has seven touchdowns under his belt, and is approaching the 300-yard mark.  The Vikings and the Wolverines are both allowing an average of just 10 points per game.  The Vikings owned the Wolverines last year with a 24-7 victory.  Chick’s Picks thinks the tables turn this time around.
Woodland Hills over Pittsburgh Central Catholic.

CLASS AAA
#8 Mars (3-0) at Indiana (3-0)
The Planets visit the Little Indians in Greater Allegheny Conference play.  Mars needed a field goal in overtime last week to overcome Hampton, 10-7.  This marked the second consecutive week the Planets narrowly escaped with a win.  Week 2 brought the Planets a 21-20 victory over Pine-Richland.  Indiana also snuck by last week, 13-12 over Highlands, thanks in large part to Tyrayl Veney, who scored the winning touchdown with less than three minutes left to play.  Veney has eight touchdowns already this season.  The Little Indians have not defeated the Planets since 2008, 21-0.  Since then, Mars has gone 2-0 and outscored Indiana 55-28.  Chick’s Picks likes the Little Indians to upset the Planets and maybe earn a little love in the MSA Sports Top 10 next week.
Indiana over Mars.

CLASS AA
#7 Ellwood City (3-0) at #6 Beaver (3-0)
Ellwood City is proving to be another star for the Midwestern Conference this season.  The Wolverines take their perfect record on the road this week to take on Beaver Friday night.  Ellwood City moved to (3-0) after edging Mt. Pleasant last week, 31-28, while Beaver recorded its third consecutive shutout with a 21-0 rout of New Brighton.  The Wolverines faced that same New Brighton team a week prior, but allowed 40 points en route to their win.  Needless to say, the Bobcats defense is a force to be reckoned with, not allowing any points yet this season.  The only other team in the WPIAL to boast this is Monessen.  Although the Wolverines are a much-improved team this season, history is certainly not in their favor.  Ellwood City has not defeated Beaver since 2004.  Chick’s Picks respects the improvements, but think the Bobcats still have this one.
Beaver over Ellwood City.

CLASS A
#2 Rochester (3-0) at #3 Sto-Rox (3-0)

McKees Rocks will be the site for this highly anticipated Big Seven Conference showdown Friday night.  Rochester and Sto-Rox both ramped up with huge wins last week, 46-7 over Union and 43-11 over Neshannock, respectively.  The Rams’ De’Andre Moon has been impressive thus far, racking up 364 yards and nine touchdowns.  Vikings QB Lenny Williams has yet to be stopped, throwing for 481 yards and six touchdowns, while gaining another 200 yards on the ground.  When these to met last season, Rochester escaped with a narrow 35-32 victory.  This was the closest contest of the season for the Rams (next in line was a 16-point win over Western Beaver).  Offense has not been a struggle for either of these, as both are averaging over 40 points per game.  Rochester’s defense has allowed 26 points.  Sto-Rox has allowed only 17.  Chick’s Picks likes the Vikings on their home turf this time around.
Sto-Rox over Rochester.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA:

Big East Conference
Altoona over Kiski Area
Penn Hills over Plum

Foothills Conference
Latrobe over Connellsville
Gateway over Penn-Trafford
Hempfield over Norwin

Northern Seven Conference
Butler over Pine-Richland
North Allegheny over Erie McDowell
North Hills over Shaler

CLASS AAA:

Greater Allegheny Conference
Highlands over Kittanning
Valley over Hampton

Keystone Conference
Derry over Albert Gallatin
Franklin Regional over Hollidaysburg
Greensburg Salem over Ringgold
Laurel Highlands over Uniontown

CLASS AA:

Allegheny Conference
Deer Lakes over Apollo-Ridge
Ford City over Shady Side Academy
Burrell over Freeport
Summit Academy over West Shamokin

Century Conference
Steel Valley over Burgettstown
Keystone Oaks over South Allegheny
Seton-LaSalle over Quaker Valley
South Fayette over Washington

Interstate Conference
East Allegheny over Charleroi
Greensburg Central Catholic over Yough
Jeannette over Southmoreland
Mount Pleasant over Brownsville

Midwestern Conference
Aliquippa over Freedom
Laurel over Riverside
New Brighton over Mohawk

CLASS A:

Big Seven Conference
Cornell over Neshannock
Union over South Side Beaver
Shenango over Western Beaver

Black Hills Conference
Brentwood over Avella
Clairton over Chartiers-Houston
Fort Cherry over Carlynton
Serra Catholic over Brentwood

Eastern Conference
Avonworth over Leechburg
Springdale over Northgate
Wilkinsburg over OLSH
North Catholic over Riverview

Tri-County South Conference
Beth-Center over Carmichaels
Monessen over California
West Greene over Mapletown
Jefferson-Morgan over Geibel

PITTSBURGH CITY LEAGUE
Langley over University Prep
Brashear over Westinghouse
Oliver over Perry

WPIAL/CITY LEAGUE NON-CONFERENCE
Ambridge over Elizabeth Forward
Chartiers Valley over Bethel Park
Central Valley over Trinity
Knoch over Fox Chapel
Bishop Canevin over Frazier
Moon over McGuffey
McKeesport over Seneca Valley
Montour over Canon-McMillan
Mount Lebanon over Hopewell
Belle Vernon over New Castle
Blackhawk over South Park
Thomas Jefferson over Baldwin
Upper St. Clair over West Allegheny
Beaver Falls over Waynesburg
West Mifflin over Peters Township
Fort Hill (MD) over Allderdice
Howland (OH) over Carrick

Tags: Beaver, Ellwood City, Indiana, Woodland Hills