Chicks Picks – Week 8

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, October 22, 2015 | 12:59 PM

Welcome to Week 8 of the high school football season.

This week, we officially made it to the future. Wednesday, October 21, 2015 marked the date when Marty McFly and Doctor Emmett Brown traveled into the future in Back to the Future Part II. After so much talk about which of the movie’s predictions came true, Chick’s Picks took a moment to reflect on what she was doing back in the days of when the movie was set.

Surely it is hard to believe based on appearance, but yes, Chick’s Picks was around back in 1985. Although she was not driving a DeLorean, she did have a sweet set of wheels – a Jeep 4X4 Power Wheels, that is. Hoverboards – well, we aren’t quite there yet. And the Cubs almost made it to the World Series.

Oddly, quite a few of the movie’s predictions were on par. Something was missing, though. Chick’s Picks reviewed the entire Back to the Future trilogy, but found no prediction about WPIAL prognosticating – no mention that she would be the cream of the crop when it comes to this elite skill. Clearly, it completely missed the mark on this one.

Chick’s Picks finished last week with an impressive 58-7 (89%) record, upping her season total to 368-86 (81%). Here are this week’s big games.

CLASS AAAA
#6 Mount Lebanon (7-0) at #1 Woodland Hills (7-0)

The Blue Devils head to the Wolvarena to take on the top-ranked Wolverines Friday night in a battle for first place in the Southeastern Conference. Mount Lebanon maintained a perfect record of its own last week with a 35-20 victory over North Hills, while Woodland Hills held off Class AAA’s #1 West Allegheny, 22-15. The Blue Devils are led by quarterback Eddie Jenkins, who has thrown for 1,059 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year. The Wolverines boast the backfield duo of Miles Sanders and Jo-El Shaw, who have combined for 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns so far this season. Sanders, a Penn State recruit, is just 264 yards shy of 4,000 for his career. When these two met last season, Woodland Hills rolled to a 47-0 win. Chick’s Picks predicts a repeat performance this time around.
Woodland Hills over Mount Lebanon.

CLASS AAA
#6 Mars (6-1) at #9 Hollidaysburg (5-2)

Hollidaysburg hosts Mars in a Greater Allegheny Conference showdown Friday night. The Golden Tigers are coming off of a 14-13 upset of Hampton last week, while Mars shutout Knoch, 21-0. Hollidaysburg quarterback Jarrett Cavalet has thrown for 622 yards and eight touchdowns on the year. Mars running back Isaiah Johnson has rushed for over 900 yards in seven games. The Planets and Johnson average 31.4 points per game – 10 points more per game than the Golden Tigers. When these two met last season, Mars topped Hollidaysburg, 20-14. Chick’s Picks predicts a tight contest in this one, with the edge still going to the Planets.
Mars over Hollidaysburg.

CLASS AA
#8 Seton-LaSalle (6-1) at #1 South Fayette (7-0)

The Rebels take on the top-ranked Lions in Century Conference action Friday night. Last week, Seton-LaSalle topped Valley in non-conference play, 52-36. South Fayette remained unbeaten with a 54-8 win over Sto-Rox. The Rebels’ only loss this season came to Steel Valley, 27-21, in Week 4. The Lions rolled over that same Steel Valley squad, 37-0, in Week 6. The favorite target of Seton-LaSalle quarterback Nolan Abbiatici so far this season is Paris Ford who has tallied 514 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. South Fayette quarterback Drew Saxton is approaching the 1,000-yard mark and tossed 20 touchdowns. The Lions boast the top offense in Class AA, averaging over 51 point per game. These two met twice last season, with South Fayette taking victories in both outings. Chick’s Picks predicts another in the win column for the Lions in this one.
South Fayette over Seton-LaSalle.

CLASS A
#8 Bishop Canevin (5-2) at #2 Cardinal Weurl North Catholic (7-0)

Cardinal Weurl North Catholic hosts Bishop Canevin in a Black Hills Conference showdown Friday night—the second straight week of Top 10 opponents for the Trojans. Last week, Cardinal Weurl North Catholic held off Avonworth, 26-14. Bishop Canevin blanked Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 35-0. The Crusaders have been on a roll since back-to-back big wins over Chartiers-Houston and Avonworth in Weeks 5 and 6. Trojans quarterback Erik Taylor has passed for 1,119 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year. Taylor pilots one of the top offenses in Class A, averaging nearly 43 points per game. The Crusaders feature a strong ground game, led by Amaan Bridgett, who has rushed for over 600 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season. When these two met last season, Cardinal Weurl North Catholic rolled to a 48-7 victory. Chick’s Picks knows the Crusaders are greatly improved since last year’s (2-7) season, but not quite ready to take down the defending WPIAL runners-up Trojans.
Cardinal Weurl North Catholic over Bishop Canevin.

CLASS AAAA

Foothills Conference

Kiski Area over Connellsville

Hempfield over Altoona

McKeesport over Norwin

Penn-Trafford over Plum

Northern Eight Conference

Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Pine-Richland

Butler over Fox Chapel

North Hills over Shaler

Southeastern Conference

Baldwin over Canon-McMillan