Week 3 football picks

It’s been a tough week here at the Deseret News, and what better way to take our minds off the past few days than a little fun with the high school football picks.

Losing isn’t fun, and I think I got a little full of myself last week. I thought I was the all-time dominant destructor of football picks, and I tied for last with John Coon. Props go to Friday Night Rider for beating all three of us. Good job to my favorite Mountain Crest fan out there in cyberspace.

JC: Dealing with adversity is something all the best teams and athletes are forced to go through at some point during the season. Trevor, Andrew and I all got to experience it firsthand this past week for obvious reasons that I’d rather not discuss on this blog. With what happened, it feels nice to just get back on here and have a little fun picking prep football games. And, since this could be our last season competing head to head to head, I now have some added motivation to finish out as the champion once again. But for this week, at least, my main concern is just having fun. Good luck, guys. Let’s all end a tough week on a positive note.

TP: All I have to say is thank you nature. I’m extremely happy with the way the wild chose games last week, going 6-2. However, FNR topped the charts with a 7-1 record — props to the masked vigilante of Utah high school football. Therefore the standings after week two look like this:
John: 11-5
Andrew: 11-5
FNR: 11-5
Trevor: 9-7

Looks like the first week is still haunting me. Where are Bill Murray and the Ghostbusters when you need them? Actually, that probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Instead of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, John would envision himself to wreak havoc on the city. I’ll bounce back though; mark my words. That trophy is mine!

Northridge at Layton
JC: One of the more underrated rivalry games in the state should be even better than usual with both teams improved over last season. This is a series that resided squarely in the Knights’ favor until Jim Batchelor made the Lancers competitive again. Still, this Northridge team is much stronger than what we’ve seen in the previous couple of seasons. Defensively, the Knights are allowing just 14.5 points per game. And, as Jordan proved, a sound offense can move the ball on Layton. If Brock Johnson and Trent Buckley play up to the level they’ve shown the past two weeks, Northridge should have no trouble moving the ball. Northridge 30, Layton 16.

TP: The Lancers are on a collision course tonight with a team that is hotter than a cat on a tin roof in August. Northridge is physical, motivated and determined to bring the program back to its heydays when it won three straight state championships. The Knights are multidimensional in the offensive balance which doesn’t allow teams to stack the box or drop deep in coverage — they actually have to play. As I said last week, I think Layton is a team that is on the rise, but I don’t think they have the manpower to stop this freight train. Northridge 24, Layton 14.

AA: A lesson for our readers. I saw Northridge and Syracuse practice in the summer. My impressions were that the Knights were going to make some noise in Region 1 and the Titans were rebuilding. So what do I do when they play each other? Take Syracuse. The lesson is that I’m an idiot. Anyway, it was obvious Northridge was beating Syracuse in the first five minutes of the game last week. The Knights are physical, and have a dominant run game. Brock Johnson is very good. Austin Gottschalk is very good. This will be one of the best games of the night, and the Knights will prevail. Northridge 31, Layton 24

Kearns at Granger
JC: Mark my words: Granger is a team on the rise. Both teams are 1-1, but I feel like the Lancers look a little stronger than the Cougars after two weeks. Yeah, I know, Kearns blasted Cyprus last week but there are plenty of teams who will get to do that this fall. The Pirates are the 5A equivalent of a “body bag” game. To resurrect a joke from last season — they are the New Mexico State of high school football. Anyway, back to this game, I like how well Jordan Hernandez has blossomed in the spread offense. He is showing potential of being a true dual-threat QB. This will be an exciting and tight game, but my instincts tell me the Lancers get a dramatic win that will set them up for a breakout season. Granger 23, Kearns 20 (OT)

TP: How about these two teams? Both programs are expecting to make huge strides this year, and why not? Kearns dropped the first game to Hunter but responded with a solid win over Cyprus in week two. I really like the game of quarterback J.R. Finai — who is a run first, pass second style signal caller. He’s a great athlete and the Cougars rely on him to perform. He’s joined in the backfield with Keanu Solovi. Right now, the tailback is averaging over nine yards per carry. Granger however, is a team that is capable of scoring points as well. The Lancers hung with West Jordan in week one, and picked up the win against a team from Nevada. On paper, Granger and Kearns are basically sixes. Therefore I’ll go with Granger out of gut instinct. Granger 21, Kearns 20.

AA: Trevor’s gut is wrong, and Kearns will win the Weber State-Utah State rivalry game of high school football. What I mean is the two schools are close to each other, but are they rivals? Who knows. Kearns 24, Granger 23.

Mountain Crest at Woods Cross
JC: I got to say it: Alex Kuresa vs Tyler Parson should be a fun quarterback duel to watch. Which team has the supporting cast to put them over the top? As much as I like the Wildcats, I’m not sure if they are quite at a point where they can beat the elite 4A teams yet. Yeah, the Mustangs struggled against Lone Peak in the second half last week. But the Knights have a legitimately tough defense. I think the Mustangs are much more balanced on both sides of the ball than anything Woods Cross has seen so far. It will be a fun game to watch. This should be a good barometer for Wildcat fans to see just how much this program has progressed under Fred Fernandes. Even though I think the Mustangs still win here, I think Woods Cross is a legit threat to claim the Region 6 title and will keep this close down to the final minutes. Mountain Crest 24, Woods Cross 20.

TP: Well we can all count on FNR picking Woods Cross in this game. I’m beginning to think he’s a coach on the Mountain Crest coaching staff. Most coaches would be superstitious about picking their team to win as well. Then, we can all count on Andrew picking Woods Cross. I don’t know what Andrew likes more — Woods Cross or Jersey Shore. He was telling me the other day that he TiVo’s the entire series. Regardless, they both have an argument. Woods Cross has two studs in Tyler Parson at quarterback and running back Anthony Kendrick. Parson can stretch the field with his arm, and Kendrick is a beast in the backfield. Woods Cross has outscored its first two opponents 69-7. However, those two teams have a combined record of 0-4. Mountain Crest made some weird choices in the loss to Lone Peak. On fourth down, in the red zone, down by 10 — the Mustangs opted to go for the touchdown rather than kick the field goal. Also, if Mountain Crest didn’t give up 388 yards to Lone Peak’s Chase Hansen alone, it could have been a different story. The underlying fact of this game is Mountain Crest has not lost to a 4A opponent other than Timpview since October 7, 2007 to Sky View. That’s 22 straight victories in their classifications, excluding the T-Birds of course. Convinced myself with that one. Streak lives on. Mountain Crest 35, Woods Cross 31.

AA: Well, in that same conversation about Jersey Shore Trevor told me he won’t be able to sleep until after the big BYU-Washington game Saturday. He said playing two quarterbacks is such a cool idea, and that Jake Heaps will really show those Huskies how wrong they were for somehow not keeping him in his home state. He was so excited, John had to give him a hug to get him to calm down. I’m officially sidetracked, but you know I don’t pick against Woods Cross. Wildcats win in an upset. Woods Cross 35, Mountain Crest 34

Delta at Park City
JC: It seems a little crazy that both of these teams are 0-2 at this point. So which team reverses their fortunes in week three? Honestly, I like the Rabbits to take the step forward. The Miners do not seem like they have adapted well to a switch from the triple option to the spread. Granted, they also lost to Juan Diego a year ago in the regular season. But they were much more competitive in that loss than when they fell to the Soaring Eagle last week. Some of the fanbase up in Summit County was critical of Brandon Matich at times. An 0-3 start should serve as a wake-up call of how average this program has become without him. Delta 21, Park City 14.

TP: These two teams have had a rough start to the season. They’ve combined for a 0-4 start and have been outscored 71-150. Ouch. The good news is one of these teams is going to earn its first win of the year. In fact, I guarantee it. I’ll go with Rabbits. Hop, hop away boys. Delta 21, Park City 17.

AA: What they said. Delta 21, Park City 15.5

Hunter at Brighton
JC: At this time a year ago, Brighton set the state on fire opening the season with three straight shutouts. Based on their opener at Davis, the Bengals seem to have taken a step or two back this fall. Bad news for them: Hunter is just as tough as ever. The Wolverines dominated Highland thoroughly last week and Kearns two weeks ago. I have no reason to doubt they can repeat that act again this week. Equasi Tavo has been spectacular so far and is fast headed for 1,000 yard season in the backfield. With Tavo, Hunter controls the ball and the game. Hunter 26, Brighton 6

TP: I’ve been saying this all year – the Wolverines are the real deal. They’re so old school it’s unreal. With every team switching to the spread and trying to look like the New Orleans Saints — Hunter is more than content with pounding the football. It’s the method that won the 2003 state title for Hunter – that and Matt Asiata, Rey Feinga and Tauni Vakapuna. I love the job that Dustin Pearce has done, I can’t say enough about it. However, this game will be very interesting. It’s hard to go into the self proclaimed “Jungle” and earn a win. The sound of Guns and Roses alone starts to echo in your skull. It think this game goes down to the wire. Hunter 28, Brighton 27.

AA: I don’t recall Trevor ever saying Hunter is for real. But hey, there’s plenty of room on the Wolverine bandwagon. Hunter 35, Brighton 21.

Box Elder at Bear River
JC: Did you know that the Bees have won eight of the last ten meetings in the state’s longest uninterrupted football rivalry? I did and that’s what makes me favor Box Elder — even on the road. Britton Gunter has been solid thus far in the season. The Bees QB has completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 251 yards and 3 TDs. On the ground he has rushed for 119 yards and 3 more TDs, while averaging 9.15 yards per carry. Of course, Payton Wells had a solid week for the Bears against Dixie when he gained 119 yards and scored a TD on 20 carries. Still, I just feel like Box Elder has Bear River’s number. Records do still mean something in a rivalry when your team has taken eight of the last ten games. Box Elder 28, Bear River 19

TP: This is a tricky game. At the start of the season I thought Bear River was going to be all that and a bag of chips. However, they got knocked out in the first round to Logan. Luckily, they responded the following week with the drubbing of Dixie. However, how good are the Flyers? Box Elder almost beat Weber but fell on a last second field goal, then mauled Copper Hills the ensuing week. I like the Bees in this game, plus I had a craving for Honey Comb cereal this morning. It’s a sign. Box Elder 24, Bear River 21.

AA: This will be a hard-hitting rivalry game, but I like the Bees a little more. I figured Box Elder would be one of the most improved teams in 4A this season, and it’s nice to be right about something. Or should I be the Trevor of high school football and say I’ve been saying this all year – Box Elder is for real. Box Elder 27, Bear River 16.

Alta at Timpview
JC: Okay, I did not expect Alta to be 2-0 at this point. But I am surprised to see the Hawks winless. 0-2? Really? With the talent on that roster, this should not be a winless team. 0-3 is a realistic possibility with Timpview looking like it usually does this time of year. Of course, the T-Birds rolled over a Pleasant Grove team that is flat-out bad compared to last season and a Idaho team that may or may not be good. I have a tougher time visualizing Timpview taking it to Alta — even with the Hawks 0-2 at this point. Trevor knows this better than me, but I seem to recall that the last time Alta started 0-2, the Hawks reached the state title game that year. I’m not ready to give up on the Hawks yet. Alta 27, Timpview 24.

TP: The boys from Sandy are struggling right now, that apparent. It’s not a matter of not having the talent, it’s about putting a complete game together. They had Cottonwood, and made mental mistakes down the stretch. Same goes with Bingham – not kicking extra points and turnovers turned a good game into a laugher. The Hawks are as talented as any team in the state — they just have to start to gel. The same thing happened in 2006. The Hawks lost their first two games. However, they wouldn’t lose again until the state championship. Don’t count Alta out just yet. With this being said, Timpview is a different animal at home. It’s a fact. Everyone has read multiple teams say that Timpview has a swagger. It goes into every game expecting a win. The crowd will be rockin’ in Utah County tonight, the T-Birds want revenge and I think they get it. Timpview 21, Alta 17.

AA: This game will be a lot different than last year when the T-Birds were trying to find their way early in the season. Alta handled Timpview fairly easily, and you know that didn’t go over well in Provo. The Hawks fall to 0-3. Timpview 24, Alta 20.

East at West
JC: You know, it just feels right to have this rivalry game back on the schedule. The one-year hiatus was bad for players, coaches and fans alike and I hope both schools never let anything get in the way of playing each other ever again. That said, can West break an eight game losing streak against East? If they were facing the ’09 Leopards squad, I would pick the Panthers to win without a doubt. With the ’10 Leopards, I’m not so confident. Tanner Curtis has been a breakout star in the triple option and until someone proves they can stop him and the rest of the Leopards, I’m sticking with my surprise 4A team to keep their perfect record intact. East 31, West 20

TP: Well I already picked against my alma mater. Can Andrew do the same? I know that he’s reminiscing about high school right now. Yhe time he caught a screen pass and took it to the barn is replaying in his head like a broken record. The problem is, East is better. West had to come from behind in a miracle to beat Juan Diego, than beat a weak Tooele team. Meanwhile, East is leaving bodies sprayed across the field as in routs. The Leopards have been more than impressive this season and Tanner Curtis is a real talent. I’m glad this rivalry has been reinstated, but it has the possibility of being one sided, and you know Brandon Matich won’t take his foot off the gas in this game. East 28, West 14.

AA: The only time I ever took a screen pass to the barn was in Tecmo Bowl. And I was pretty awesome. It didn’t matter if I was Bo Jackson or Roger Craig, if I got the ball in the flat I was headed to the, um, barn. Those were my glory days. But anyway, yes it is nice to see this game being played again. I’ll never forget the West-East games from high school – the four-overtime loss to the Leopards that broke their 77-game losing streak or whatever it was. Shane Herrera dropping a pass in the endzone to end the game. It was tipped! No it wasn’t! Brook Madsen rushing for 612 yards at East and then ripping off his well-used East football shirt in the bus after the game. Good times. Which team will experience good times tonight? It’s hard to say. East has been a little more impressive this season and Tanner Curtis is a real talent. I had to escape death threats when I was at East on Wednesday following a lame little stunt by Matich. And then I kept hearing this song all week – “I rep that West, I rep that West.” Is it a sign? If I’m right, I’ll take it as one. West 28, East 27.

JC:
My bonus pick:
Murray at Taylorsville
JC: I am smart enough to know the No. 1 rule on this blog. Never ever pick against the Spartans. Never. Ever. You will live to regret such foolish decisions. Murray 35, Taylorsville 7

AA: That’s right.