Chicks Picks – Week Three – 2013

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 12, 2013 | 12:22 PM

Welcome to Week 3. The Boss had been in desperate need of a new smart phone for much longer than Chick’s Picks could remember. Although MSA Sports is continually evolving in the social media world, The Boss has turned those reigns over to his people, while remaining content with his early edition Blackberry—surely one of the first models ever made.

The ancient artifact was still an integral part of Friday nights at MSA Sports World Headquarters, with the tall task of receiving text messages of score updates from across the WPIAL. So, Chick’s Picks was delighted when The Boss told her its text messaging capabilities had died, and he would finally be in the market for a fresh new smartphone.

Imagine her surprise last Friday night though, when The Boss proudly showed off his shiny, new, exact replica of the deceased Blackberry. Chick’s Picks scratched her head, puzzled that The Boss somehow tracked down the same decade-old model that had haunted the house prognosticator for years.

One thing Chick’s Picks was not scratching her head about was her performance last week, going 53-14 (78%). This upped her season total to 99-32 (76%). Here are this week’s big games.

Agree with her picks? Disagree? Chick’s Picks wants to hear from you! Be sure to follow her on Twitter @ChicksPicksMSA. Don’t forget to tweet your scores to us @MSASports!

CLASS AAAA
#2 North Allegheny (2-0) at #7 Seneca Valley (2-0)

If the Tigers are looking to silence any doubters this season, they are getting off on the right foot. North Allegheny has outscored its first two opponents 97-14, including a 42-7 win over Fox Chapel last week. Seneca Valley is coming off of a 43-25 win over Pine-Richland. Tigers QB Jeff Clemens has stepped in smoothly, already passing for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Raiders QB T.J. Holl has shown versatility with 167 yards in the air and 102 yards on the ground. These two met twice last season, with North Allegheny winning both—including the WPIAL semifinals. Chick’s Picks likes the Tigers in this one, as well.
North Allegheny over Seneca Valley

CLASS AAA
#6 Moon (2-0) at #1 West Allegheny (2-0)

Moon continued its climb up the ranks of the MSA Sports Top 10 last week with a 14-6 win over Blackhawk. West Allegheny held onto the top spot after throttling Ambridge, 42-7. The Tigers and the Indians meet in a Parkway Conference showdown Friday night in Imperial. Moon, in just two short weeks, has shown significant improvement over last season’s disappointing (2-7) finish. QB Aleksi Yaramus leads the Tigers with 249 passing yards and two touchdowns. West Allegheny continues to rely on the triple threat that is Andrew Koester, Chayse Dillon, and Tory Delmonico. The three have combined for over 500 yards of offense already this season. Chick’s Picks hasn’t forgotten that the Indians just won a championship with this crew.
West Allegheny over Moon

CLASS AA
#3 South Fayette (2-0) at #9 Steel Valley (2-0)

The Ironmen host the Lions in a Century Conference battle Friday night. Last week, South Fayette blanked Keystone Oaks, 59-0, while Steel Valley routed Burgettstown, 53-3. When these two met last season, the Lions came away with a 50-0 win. Things will be much different this time around. South Fayette will rely on the arm of Brett Brumbaugh, who has thrown for over 400 yards and five touchdowns so far this season. Steel Valley is packing a one-two punch in the backfield with D’Andre Pickens and Duane Murray, who have already combined for over 900 yards and 11 touchdowns. Chick’s Picks still likes the Lions’ experience to win out in this one.
South Fayette over Steel Valley

CLASS A
#4 Neshannock (2-0) at #2 Sto-Rox (2-0)

Sto-Rox hosts Neshannock in a rematch of possibly the biggest upset of last season. The Lancers stunned the Vikings, 35-34, in Week 3, handing Sto-Rox what would be its only loss of the regular season. Neshannock comes into this week with a perfect record after knocking off Laurel, 34-12. Sto-Rox, also undefeated, toppled South Side Beaver, 55-6, last week. QB Ernie Burkes and RB Eli Owens are a dual threat for the Lancers ground game, combining for nearly 600 yards and six touchdowns so far this season. Sto-Rox boasts the highest-scoring offense in Class A, averaging 48.5 points per game. The Vikings are led by top WPIAL QB Lenny Williams, who has thrown for 564 yards and eight touchdowns in just two games. Chick’s Picks thinks the Vikings will get revenge in this one.
Sto-Rox over Neshannock

CLASS AAAA

Foothills Conference

Hempfield over Connellsville

Gateway over Kiski Area

McKeesport over Norwin

Penn-Trafford over Altoona

Northern Eight Conference

Pine-Richland over Butler

North Hills over Shaler

Southeastern Conference

Mount Lebanon over Plum

Penn Hills over Baldwin