Chicks Picks – Week 9 – 2010

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, October 28, 2010 | 12:00 AM

Welcome to Week 9 of the high school football season. Earlier this week, Chick's Picks heard an absurd story about a man following his dream. A lawyer working at a firm in California happened to be a huge Texas Rangers fan. When his team made it to the World Series, the man quit his job so that he would not miss a moment of the Rangers in the Series.

This story inspired Chick's Picks. Although admittedly a bit extreme, she could not help but dream about how she would spend the WPIAL postseason if she was not prognosticating each week. Chick's Picks would visit all of her favorite teams around the WPIAL. Perhaps she would even borrow a page from Lee Corso's ESPN College Game Day book and show up to games wearing the mascot head of the predicted winner.

Chick's Picks' fantasy was short-lived, however. After such successful regular season of prognosticating, surely all would not be right in the WPIAL if Chick's Picks did not continue with her crystal ball. Chick's Picks finished last week with a 58-10 (85%) record, bringing her season total to 367-109 (77%). Here are this week's big games:

CLASS AAAA

#5 McKeesport (7-1) at #10 Gateway (5-3)

The Foothills Conference title will be on the line Friday night as the Gators host the Tigers. Last week, Gateway routed winless Connellsville, 49-7, while McKeesport shut down Hempfield, 30-7. Gateway got off to a slow start this season, dropping back-to-back games to Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt and Penn Hills. The Gators recovered nicely, with only one loss since then, to top-ranked Pittsburgh Central Catholic in Week 7. The Tigers have been perfect since their Week 1 loss to Steubenville, and will undoubtedly face their toughest challenge since then this week. The Tigers last knocked off the Gators in 2006, 38-32. Gateway has had McKeesport's number in each of the last three meetings since then. Chick's Picks likes the Gators to make it four in a row Friday night.
Gateway over McKeesport.

CLASS AAA

#6 Knoch (8-0) at #5 Mars (7-1)

The Knights visit Mars Saturday evening to take on the Planets for the Greater Allegheny Conference title. Knoch is coming off a close 28-21 win over Highlands last week, as the Planets walloped Valley, 56-0. The Knights feature one of the highest-scoring offenses in the WPIAL, averaging over 42 points per game. Both Mars and Knoch boast strong defenses, holding opponents to less than ten points per game. The Planets, especially, have come on strong as of late, not allowing a point since Week 5. Last week's win marked a third consecutive shutout for Mars, outscoring its last three opponents 117-0. Knoch has yet to face an opponent of Mars' caliber this season. Chick's Picks likes the big-game experience of the Planets in this one.
Mars over Knoch.

CLASS AA

#7 Beaver Falls (7-1) at #4 Beaver (7-1)

This Beaver County battle kicks off Friday night with second place in the Midwestern Conference on the line. Both the Tigers and the Bobcats recorded their seventh wins of the season last week–Beaver Falls 10-3 over Ellwood City and Beaver 41-7 over Laurel. Aliquippa was responsible for the only loss of the season for both the Tigers and the Bobcats. Beaver Falls has found yet another backfield star in Trey Hall, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark last week with his 202-yard performance. Beaver's defense has been one of the top-performing in the WPIAL, allowing only 6.5 points per game. Beaver Falls has won four straight against Beaver. Chick's Picks thinks the Bobcats will get their first win over the Tigers since 2005.
Beaver over Beaver Falls.

CLASS A

#7 Sto-Rox (6-2) at #8 Cornell (7-1)

The Raiders host the Vikings Friday night in Coraopolis. The winner of this one could claim dibs on second place in the Big 7 Conference. Cornell claimed its seventh win of the season last week, 42-19 over Union. Prior to this year, the Raiders needed four seasons combined to tally seven wins. The Vikings pulled out a narrow 38-31 win over Shenango last week, despite playing without 15 players who were deemed academically ineligible. It is yet unknown how many Vikings players will still be ineligible for this week's game. Cornell's only loss this season came to #2-ranked Rochester, 41-0, in Week 7. Sto-Rox nearly upset Rochester in Week 4, but fell 35-32. Chick's Picks knows this is Halloween week, but the fear of the unknown with the Vikings doesn't scare her.
Sto-Rox over Cornell.

CLASS AAAA

Big East Conference:

Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Fox Chapel

Plum over Kiski Area

Woodland Hills over Penn Hills

Foothills Conference:

Latrobe over Hempfield

Penn-Trafford over Norwin

Great Southern Conference:

Bethel Park over Baldwin

Peters Township over Canon-McMillan

Mount Lebanon over Upper St. Clair