Chicks Picks – Week Six – 2017

By: Don Rebel
Friday, October 6, 2017 | 4:19 AM

Welcome to Week 6 of the high school football season. As many of you are aware, the MSA Sports Network has now become the TribLive High School Sports Network. Chick’s Picks was thrilled with this news, and was particularly excited when one of her counterparts, The Birdie, mentioned her on Twitter earlier this week.

At first, Chick’s Picks was not sure how to take this “mention,” since she and The Birdie had been bitter rivals for many years. She began to wonder…

Is there room for two prognosticators under one roof? What does The Birdie bring to the table that Chick’s Picks doesn’t? She and her crystal ball are legends, after all.

Where did he come up with that name, anyway? The Birdie…synonymous with Chick’s Picks?

Chick’s Picks pondered these unanswered questions, and came to only one conclusion. She is happy play in the same sandbox with The Birdie, though she surely will not be sharing her crystal ball with him anytime soon.

Chick’s Picks finished last week with a 54-10 (84%) record, upping her season total to 249-71 (78%). Here are this week’s big games:

CLASS 6-A
#5 Penn Hills (5-1) at #4 North Allegheny (4-2)

The Tigers host the Indians in a Northern Seven Conference showdown Friday night. Penn Hills is coming off of a 44-28 victory over Seneca Valley last week, while North Allegheny rolled over Mount Lebanon, 44-27. The Indians boast one of the top passers in the WPIAL in Hollis Mathis, who has thrown for 1,353 yards and 13 touchdowns already this season. The Tigers bring a balanced attack in quarterback Luke Trueman, who has 616 passing yards and 426 rushing yards on the year. The Indians have allowed only 90 points in six games. Chick’s Picks predicts that they visitors will pull the upset.
Penn Hills over North Allegheny.

CLASS 5-A
#4 Upper St. Clair (5-1) at #1 West Allegheny (5-0)

Upper St. Clair heads to Imperial to take on West Allegheny in Allegheny Nine Conference action Friday night. Last week, the Panthers routed Chartiers Valley, 38-12, while the Indians rolled over Kiski, 31-7. Both Upper St. Clair and West Allegheny remain perfect in conference play. The Panthers’ only loss this season came to Steubenville (OH) in Week 1. Upper St. Clair’s balanced attack features quarterback Jack Hansberry, who has passed for 762 yards, and running back Colin McLinden, who has rushed for 459 yards on the year. West Allegheny looks to their old faithful running game, led by Will Weber and Dante Flati. The two have combined for nearly 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Chick’s Picks likes the defending champ Indians to remain perfect in his one.
West Allegheny over Upper St. Clair.

CLASS 4-A
#4 Montour (4-1) at #9 Highlands (3-2)

Highlands hosts Montour in a Northwest Nine Conference matchup Friday night. The Golden Rams topped Albert Gallatin last week, 30-20, while the Spartans knocked off Knoch, 35-3. All signs point to the passing game in this one. Highlands is led by quarterback Seth Cohen, who has tossed 12 touchdown passes and thrown for 988 yards. Montour quarterback Kavon Morman has passed for 753 yards and nine touchdowns. The Spartans defense has allowed only 64 points in five games – nearly half that of the Golden Rams. Chick’s Picks predicts that the Spartans will bring home the road win in this one.
Montour over Highlands.

CLASS 3-A
Apollo-Ridge (4-2) at #5 Freeport (4-1)

Allegheny Conference action heats up Friday night when Freeport hosts Apollo-Ridge. The Vikings dropped out of the Top 10 after a 35-21 loss to Seton-LaSalle last week. The Yellow Jackets blanked Burrell, 44-0. Apollo-Ridge running back Logan Harmon has 10 touchdowns on the year. Freeport quarterback Austin Romanchak has passed for 292 yards, and rushed for a team-best 425 yards and nine touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets have allowed only 75 points in five games. Chick’s Picks predicts that the home team will come away with the win in this one.
Freeport over Apollo-Ridge.

CLASS 2-A
#4 Burgettstown (5-0) at #6 Beth-Center (6-0)

Two perfect records are on the line when Burgettstown travels to Beth-Center for a Century Conference battle Friday night. The Blue Devils recorded their third shutout of the season last week with a 45-0 rout of Brownsville. The Bulldogs rolled over Chartiers-Houston, 50-7. This matchup features the top two offenses in Class 2A. Burgettstown has scored 226 points in five games, and Beth-Center has posted 231 points in six games. The Blue Devils’ Jarred John and Ryan Lounder have six touchdowns a piece. The Bulldogs’ balanced attack is led by quarterback Baily Lincoski, who has 549 passing yards and 533 rushing yards on the year. Running back Dominic Fundy has rushed for 762 yards and 10 touchdowns. Burgettstown’s defense is the best in the WPIAL, having allowed only nine points all season. Chick’s Picks likes the hard-nosed D in this one.
Burgettstown over Beth-Center.

CLASS 1-A
#6 Carmichaels (4-1) at #3 California (6-0)

The Trojans host the Mighty Mikes in a Tri-County South Conference showdown Friday night. Last week, California blanked Monessen, 53-0, while Carmichaels rolled over Mapletown, 31-8. These two are tied for the top spot in the conference. Nicholas Mundell has rushed for 372 yards and six touchdowns for the Mighty Mikes. The Trojans boast the top offense in the WPIAL, averaging nearly 60 points per game. Jelani Stafford ranks among the top three running backs in the WPIAL, rushing for 964 yards and 14 touchdowns so far this season. Chick’s Picks likes the home team to remain perfect in this one.
California over Carmichaels.

CLASS 6-A:

Northern Seven Conference

Central Catholic over Butler

Southeastern Conference

Hempfield over Altoona

Mt. Lebanon over Norwin

Non-Conference

Bethel Park over Seneca Valley

Pine-Richland over Peters Township

CLASS 5-A:

Allegheny Nine Conference

Fox Chapel over Hampton