Week 2 football picks

Anyone check out the Grid Picks leaderboard this week? I’ve been meaning to do it. Hold on. Let’s take a look here, I know I did pretty good but I’m not sure where I finished last week.

Where’s my name? Hmm. Oh that didn’t take long. There I am. No. 1.

So not only did I beat these two guys in the picks, I beat the entire state. Well, some guy from some city tied me, but I’m going to go ahead and declare myself the overall winner.

I’m feeling confident after last week’s showing, yet nervous at the same time. There’s pressure after correctly picking 12 of 14 games. Can I do it again? Sure, why not. It’s what I do best. It’s what I do better than anyone in the world.

JC: After watching Inception for the first time on Saturday night, last week’s loss to Andrew suddenly made sense. I was caught up in some sort of convoluted dream maze. That was the only explanation. As soon as I got in my apartment, I spun a top to prove to myself I was in a dream. To my disappointment, the top stopped spinning. (If you’ve seen Inception, you’ll get that reference. If not, why haven’t you seen it yet?) Anyway, now that I know for certain I really did take second place last week, I’m here to prove it was all a fluke. Andrew and Trevor must be dreaming if either one thinks they will top me this time around.

TP: It was the first week of the season, alright? I’m using that as my excuse for my performance last week. I was so geeked up to get out on the field that I forgot to get my ankles taped. Then, when storming out of the gates, the seniors —aka — Andrew and John hazed me by tripping me. However, rather than causing drama — I embraced the coming of age tradition and continued to play through the discomfort. Don’t think I’ll be carrying anyone’s pads though. Obviously, this is all metaphorically speaking, but in all seriousness — a monkey with flash cards could have done a better job at predicting the outcome of the games for week one. Where could I find that octopus that sacrificed his life by picking against Germany in the World Cup? Germany ended up losing that game to Andrew’s discomfort. You see, for those of you who don’t know, AA is an avid soccer fan. John was just sad the octopus died.

With this being said, I might wander down to the Hogle Zoo and ask nature which squads will win this week. Maybe, just maybe — I’ll have better success.

AA: Oh man, this trip to the zoo will be good. And remember how many times I mentioned what a big BYU fan Trevor is last season? Well, I love soccer like he loves the Cougars. We’re pretty equal there.

Friday:
Highland at Hunter
JC: The Rams fell flat on their faces against Mountain Crest . . . again. Hunter seems to be a team that plays more to Highland’s strengths as a defense. The Wolverines run first, run second and, when in doubt, run some more. Just like Highland, in fact. I feel more confident about Highland’s ability to defend against the run than the pass and I remember the Rams had little trouble containing Hunter’s offense last season.
Highland 17, Hunter 10

TP: Well, I’m here at the Elephant Encounter — and the new baby seems to like the Wolverines colors more. Elephants aren’t color-blind are they? Doesn’t John watch Animal Planet? I’ll ask him. Regardless, that’s my pick. It’s going to be a rough game in the trenches, with both teams trying to establish themselves on the ground. I really like what Dustin Pearce has done with the Hunter program, and when I spoke with him after the semifinal game last season, he made me believe that this year could be special for the Wolverines. Also, in the Top 20 countdown that the Deseret News did this offseason, Hunter’s running back Equasi Tavo mentioned this particular game was the one he was looking forward to the most. I found it to be a peek-a-boo answer, I never saw it coming considering it’s a preseason game. I thought for sure he’d say Cottonwood. However,I’m trusting his response to be a sign that Hunter will come out and get the job done. That, and I know the kid is much smarter than I am. Hunter 20, Highland 10.

AA: This will be on old-fashioned slugfest with the way these two teams play. This game could be over in two hours, which makes me wish I was covering it. And maybe I am covering it. And maybe I’m not. I’m getting sidetracked here. Ok, I saw Highland in person last week, and the Rams did some good things defensively. They did some good things offensively in the second half. But I think they’re going to see an entirely different Wolverine team than they saw last season, and Hunter will win this game. Hunter 24, Highland 17.

Olympus at Skyline
JC: I will be on hand to witness the Battle of the Rock on Friday night. It will be a big occasion for two reasons: 1) this is one of the more heated rivalries in the state. 2) Roger Dupaix will be coaching in his 300th game at Skyline. I know in talking to the Eagles before the season that several players told me their season would have an asterisk next to it if they lost to Olympus again. Skyline will be fired up. The problem is after seeing how the two teams performed in week one, the Titans are ahead of the Eagles at this point. Don’t forget that Olympus offensive guru Aaron Whitehead is a Skyline alum. He’ll know how to attack that defense as well as anyone. Olympus 24, Skyline 16.

TP: What happened to the infamous Eagle Claw that Skyline does in the fourth quarter? You know, when the fans raise their hands in the final quarter symbolizing the “It’s time for business” attitude. It seems like that has long gone. The Eagles fell on the road to Hurricane last week in the fourth. The Skyline of old hasn’t even heard of Hurricane High — then come 2010 and the Tigers have the last laugh. I saw a bunch of Hurricane fans comment on last week’s blog expressing that Andrew and I should “eat crow” on our picks. Therefore, here I am. I’ll admit, I deserve a dunce cap. Although, I did select the Tigers to win the state championship — so if that happens, “Aggie253″ needs to buy me a burger or something. As far as this week is concerned — watch out for the Eagles. Yes, Olympus had an impressive 31-10 opening night victory, however it was against Snow Canyon. Skyline has its arch-rival at home, coming off a loss, I think Skyline comes out like Zeus and slays the Titans with their thunderbolts (or triple option, whichever analogy you prefer). Skyline 35, Olympus 14.

AA: I actually thought of the eating crow comments earlier today. And that ought to tell you what a boring day I had. Anyway, so I supposedly did Hurricane some huge injustice by picking it to lose by a point to Skyline and it won by three. Whatever. Getting sidetracked again. Back to this game. I was tempted to pick Olympus in this game last year, and I didn’t. I probably would have defeated John in the picks if I would have had some guts and taken the Titans. It’s hard to judge these two teams on one week, but obviously the Titans looked better in their opener. I’m rambling and buying time while trying to decide. Ok, it’s Oly. Olympus 21, Skyline 20.

Syracuse at Northridge
JC: The Knights made believers out of me after handling Sky View with relative ease. I like Northridge’s balance on offense. Trent Buckley threw for 235 yards last week while Brock Johnson, Jordan Lee and Buckley combined for another 180 yards on the ground. You can’t stop a team that productive on the ground and through the air and I don’t really expect the Titans to do it honestly. Syracuse looked good against Copper Hills last week. But that was Copper Hills. Honestly, to give you an example, Florida will look good against Miami (OH) in their season opener. Doesn’t mean the Gators will win the SEC. Northridge 28, Syracuse 20.

TP: I’ve continued my journey here at the zoo, and I’ve stumbled upon the penguins. The little guys were chillin’ on the concrete, until I raised up the Northridge Knights logo. Almost immediately, all the penguins jumped in the water. I took it as a calling. Alright, nonsense aside — I think this game will determine which team notches the second seed in Region 1 come season end. I really like the Knights, as I mentioned last week — Brock Johnson leads a swarming defense, and Jordan Lee is a real talent in the backfield. This team is really talented, and I think they start the year off 2-0. Northridge 24, Syracuse 17.

AA: I may be in the neighborhood when these two teams kick off. And I may not. All week long I’ve planned on taking Northridge because I feel like the Knights had the better win last week. But then I saw that not only did John and Trevor pick Northridge, but the penguins at the zoo did, too. Too many second and third place finishers in the picks and wily little penguins on Northridge’s bandwagon. That means I have to go with the other side in what should be a hard-hitting, physical contest. Syracuse 21, Northridge 18.

Woods Cross at Bonneville
JC: It’s the same old story at Bonneville: an offense that cannot score points. The Lakers better hope their defense can hold several teams scoreless. That could be the only way they win very many games this year. On the other hand, I like what Woods Cross brings to the field. Anthony Kendrick showed promise of being a reliable workhorse in the backfield against Roy, with 125 yards and two TDs on 12 carries, and the passing game is strong with Tyler Parson at the controls. Don’t be surprised if the Lakers can’t stay above water against the Wildcats. Woods Cross 31, Bonneville 6

TP: If I remember correctly, Andrew picked Woods Cross in virtually every game last season. I guess Fred Fernandes made a great impression on him. Anyone want to bet he went home, got in a three-point stance and fired off for old time sakes after interviewing him? Didn’t you play center AA? I too, however, like the Wildcats here. Woods Cross’ running back Anthony Kendrick had a solid outing to begin the season, eclipsing the century mark with a 125 yards off 12 carries and one score to help the ‘Cats blank Roy. Bonneville on the other hand, had a rocky start. A team that had such high hopes really laid an egg against an underrated Layton team. The problem with the Lakers has always been on the offensive side of the ball, and it looks like that has yet to change this year. I don’t see the Lakers being able to stop a pretty prolific offense in WC — look for these teams to start the year on different ends of the spectrum. Woods Cross 21, Bonneville 10.

AA: Center? Center of the bench maybe. I might be able to pass for a lineman now, but not when I was a young high school punk. Did I really pick WX in every game last season? Freddy is the man, and I won’t pick against him here. I also messed up in my A-Z story last week and failed to mention Tyler Parson in the quarterbacks section. My bad. I know he can play. I was disappointed with how poorly Bonneville played against Layton last week. The Lakers will put it together at some point this season. Woods Cross 28, Bonneville 14.

Layton at Jordan
JC: Things are clicking for the Lancers. Grant Walker had a solid opener against Bonneville, going for 105 yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries. Zach Sorensen and Braxton Tanner were also beasts defensively, with 8 tackles and a pair of sacks respectively. Could Layton be headed for a bounceback season? It’s certainly possible. The problem is the Lancers will have to figure out how to contain dual-threat QB McCoy Hill. The senior had a fantastic debut against Fremont, rushing 11 times for 77 yards and passing for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Stopping him is going to be much more challenging than anything Layton faced last week. Jordan 34, Layton 20

TP: Well, I’ve made my way down to the Big Cats exhibits, and ironically I ran into John vigorously tapping his finger on the Tiger’s glass to gain his attention, holding a digital video recorder and wearing a safari hat. Shortly after he was escorted out of the park. Before this rather unfortunate situation shook down, I was able to get the opinion of the Lions and they seemed to make the most commotion when presented with a fresh beet. Although, personally the taste of beets makes me sick — I totally agree that the Beetdiggers will prevail. I think this is one of the better Jordan teams that has taken the field in many years — probably dating back to the 2005 team that shared a piece of the region title. Putting points on the board has never been a problem for the “Gold Dots” so I won’t even mention that side of the ball. Always, as long as can be — defense has been the issue. This year, it looks as if Jordan has made strides in the right direction in frustrating a good Fremont team. However, I think this game will be close. Layton is a team that is on the rise, and will ride the coattails of Grant Walker all season. His success on the ground will be the deciding factor on how improved the Lancers really are – just not tonight. Jordan 35, Layton 28.

AA: Here’s what I like about Layton coach Jim Batchelor: he tells it like it is. If he thinks his team is going to be good, he’ll say so. If he doesn’t, he’ll say so. He isn’t paranoid, thinking reporters are out to sell his game plans on ebay, so I like that about him, too. I like his team, and my picking competitors here failed to mention what really makes Layton’s offense go – quarterback Derek Thomas. He’s a state champion wrestler. I tried to tell him I was a state champion wrestler when I interviewed him earlier this month, but I couldn’t keep a straight face when I said it. This game means a lot to the Lancers after they were embarrassed by Jordan and its quarterback last season. The Lancers will come out and play tonight, and I think turn some heads with an impressive victory. Layton 27, Jordan 24.

East at West Jordan
JC: The Leopards proved me right last week and I am tempted to go with my Region 6 surprise team again this week, especially after Tanner Curtis and Liti Molisi combined to rush for 314 yards and 4 TDs on 30 carries. Problem is that West Jordan is equally potent on offense. Adam Boelter passed for 171 yards and scored four touchdowns in one half of play before leaving with an injury. If he’s healthy, the Jaguars could be the last cats standing in a fireworks laden scratch-fest. If he’s not well . . . the East comeback train moves on without interruption to its next stop at West. East 27, West Jordan 24.

TP: I’m somewhat concerned with picking this game, simply because most of us are left in the dark about the condition of West Jordan’s star quarterback Adam Boelter. He left the game at halftime last week with an undisclosed injury and did not return. So I’m curious to see how he’ll perform and whether or not he’ll even play. West Jordan has two athletes on the edge in Martavius Redmond and DeShawn Perkins. These two receivers have some stick ‘em hands and catch an absurd amount of balls. With this being said, I’m going against the Jaguars this game. East’s head coach Brandon Matich is a fiery dude. I remember going up to watch the Park City/Morgan game last season, and was extremely impressed with Matich’s confidence. It seems to have already worn off on East — and the team is conducting itself with an attitude of winning. Quarterback Tanner Curtis undoubtedly leads the Leopards. In the new offensive scheme, the senior rushed for over 200 yards and three touchdowns, as well as finding the end zone once through the air. Watch for East to make a statement on the road. East 24, West Jordan 17.

AA: You can’t help but feel bad for Boelter and the Jaguars. I saw the kid play against Kearns last year and I figured he’d be in for a big year. I still think this is a good game, as the Jaguars will come to play. But I think East is a little better and coach Matich will beat his mentor, Mike Morgan. That is, if the Leopards aren’t looking ahead to resuming the state’s oldest rivalry next week. East 31, West Jordan 23.

Saturday:
Mountain Crest vs Lone Peak
JC: Can anyone stop Alex Kuresa? Well, besides a certain team down in Utah County that shall remain nameless? The answer, so far, is no. And, no, that wasn’t a hint at Lone Peak either. The Knights had no trouble shutting down Bountiful last Friday. Of course, the Braves had no discernible offense to shut down either. It is telling, though, that the one play where Bountiful scored developed when Dillon Salazar got behind the defensive back covering him and turned a five yard pass into an 86 yard TD. That doesn’t really bode well for a team about to face Kuresa. Neither does the fact that Lone Peak’s red zone offense shorted out on multiple drives against the Braves. Mountain Crest 20, Lone Peak 17.

TP: I really like the idea of having two games in Rice-Eccles tomorrow. It’s a fun experience for the fans, and I would encourage everyone to attend this game as well before the big showdown after. These two teams can really play. Anyone who follows high school football in the slightest is fully aware of Alex Kuresa — so it goes without mentioning that he’s a factor. I’ve been told that sophomore receiver Faimafili Laulu-Pututau is a real game-breaker in the slot and is Kuresa’s go-to target. Also, Nate Rigby is the beast, and is the key to establishing a run-game for the Mustangs. Look for MC to line up in a deep shotgun – close to even seven yards, allowing Kuresa to see the field and giving him time from the on slaughter that Lone Peak will bring. I went to the first half of the LP/Bountiful game last week, and I was surprised with the Knights performance — other than the defensive line. If the Knights want to move the ball, quarterback Chase Hansen has to stretch the field with a deep ball. Throughout the entire first half, he either scrambled or dumped the ball off on an out-route. He certainly has the ability to do just that, so we’ll see if the Knights gamble with the deep pass a couple of times. I think it’ll be a great game, but red-zone blues will ultimately haunt Excalibur. Mountain Crest 24, Lone Peak 14.

AA: This will be the more entertaining of the Saturday games at least in my mind at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Wait a second. Is Faimafili Laulu-Pututau another name for Moroni Lee? Or Troy Pickett? Because those were the players making plays in the passing game for Kuresa and the Mustangs last week. Trevor, who are your sources? Mountain Crest wants this win after Lone Peak was the only team to beat it during the regular season last year. I think the Mustangs get it in a good game. Mountain Crest 28, Lone Peak 24

Alta vs Bingham
JC: It feels appropriate to see these two teams making an early trip to the Turf. Alta and Bingham have produced a large percentage of the top 10 state football playoff games in the last 10 years. I have no doubt that this will be one of the better regular season games we see this fall. You have to wonder what the Hawks are feeling after being on the wrong end of a miracle comeback with Cottonwood last week. I have no doubt that Alta will be strong this season and will challenge for a Region 4 title. But, after seeing Bingham destroy Viewmont last week, the Hawks are not really in the same league as the Miners this time around. Cottonwood had little trouble churning up yards in the backfield and, well, the running game just happens to be a big part of Bingham’s attack with the state’s no. 1 recruit in Harvey Langi.
JC: Bingham 38, Alta 28.

TP: We’ve all heard about how talented Bingham is. We’ve all heard about how many Division 1 offers the Miners have. We’ve all been told that Bingham is going to run the table in 5A. Now, with Alta coming off the loss to Cottonwood — fans across the state are predicting a massacre. However, I wouldn’t go that far. Rivalries are different, and all of those stats are thrown off the table when it comes to the Miners and Hawks. With that being said, I think the game is close early on, but eventually the talent of the Miners will be too daunting to overcome and Bingham will stretch the game open in the second half. Much like the Utah/BYU game in 2008 when the Utes ran away from the Cougars. Not to mention the monkeys went bananas with the blue flash card. Bingham 38, Alta 28.

AA: I told anyone who asked before the season started that no team would come within three touchdowns of Bingham all season. I didn’t see anything in Week 1 to change my mind. Bingham’s defense will dominate in this game, and the offense will do a little more than last week. Yes it is a rivalry game, but the Miners just have everyone else outmanned this season. Bingham 31, Alta 6.