Week 9 football picks

Congratulations to Mr. John Coon for an outstanding performance last week. He went 10-1 in these weekly picks and is now the man to beat the rest of the season. He is the Bingham of high school football picks.

JC: My victory last weekend set new standards in excellence on this blog. Andrew was so impressed by my prognosticating skills, he publicly suggested the Green Bay Packers add me to their 53-man roster and suit me up as their starting running back. Yeah, it is a ploy to get rid of me and stop the losses from mounting, but I do agree it would be a worthy avenue for my sports-related talents. Still, until my agent irons out the contract details, it appears I’ll be back here to claim victory again this week. I haven’t gone “Hollywood” on everyone though. I am still accessible to fans and well-wishers and I am willing to sign t-shirts, jerseys, hats and other apparel if the price is right. Except when it comes to Trevor. I don’t need him selling my autograph on eBay any longer until he agrees to start cutting me in on the profits. Cough up the dough, man.

TP: Woah. Can someone please get a cold rag? Andrew do you have that fire extinguisher you used for that photo shoot last year? For those who don’t know AA posed as a fireman pin up. He was Mr. June. Anyway, we need something to cool down John Coon. I haven’t seen him so jubilant in years. He stormed into the office with a grin that looked like he just won the lottery and sprinted towards me like Usain Bolt. “Did you see I went 7-1 last week??” he exclaimed. Yes, John — I certainly did. I’m also looking forward to seeing you come in third place this week. It’s a bit of a pattern on this blog; those who take first…soon fall to last place. It’s like the role reversal of the NFC South. Instead of going to zero to hero, we go sink faster than the Titanic when we finally reach the peak. Anyway, before we start picking I was really looking forward to seeing the outcome of the Mountain Crest/Springville game. Why did both teams mutually agree to forego the game? I just don’t understand the mentality. Oh well.

Bingham at Riverton
JC: No one can deny the Silverwolves have enjoyed a nice season so far. Riverton has already amassed its most wins in school history this season. The Silverwolves are averaging 39.4 points per game and have six different runners with at least 200 yards this season — led by Tua Laei with 692 yards and 12 TDs on 72 carries. Having said that, I still don’t think this team is in the same league as Bingham. The Miners struggled for a half against West Jordan last week and still put 50 on the Jaguars. And Bingham has an awesome defense that is allowing just 8.57 points per game. Riverton has a history of losing big against Bingham teams with less Division I talent than this one. Why would things be any different this time around? Bingham 45, Riverton 14

TP: I went down to catch the second half of the Bingham/West Jordan game last week. What I saw was a team clearly on a different level than anyone else in the state. I know this is probably the biggest game of the year, and Riverton is a different team — they just don’t have the horsepower to keep up with Big Blue. Bingham 35, Riverton 10.

AA: I’m conflicted on this game. Earlier this season I wrote on this blog that no team would come within three touchdowns of the Miners in 2010. But I also feel that this game is going to be a lot closer than people think. So I’m going to compromise with my own thoughts. Bingham 28, Riverton 17.

Fremont at Davis
JC: The Darts come into this game having won three straight over the Silver Wolves. Fremont is not only looking to snap the skid, but claim its first league title since 2006. This is going to be a low-scoring battle. Davis ranks second among 5A teams in scoring defense, yielding 9.71 points per game. The Silver Wolves allow just 14.50 per contest, which puts them in the top 10. One interesting fact is that when Fremont last beat Davis in 2006, they faced an undefeated Darts team and used that victory to help clinch a Region 1 title. The similarities here are just a little bit eerie. I almost expect to see Rod Serling pop out of the bushes somewhere in Kaysville and inform us all we’ve entered the Twilight Zone. As long as I don’t see any gremlins hanging around on the wing of my plane, I’m fine with that. Fremont 20, Davis 17

TP: I’m actually excited for a Region 1 game. Can you believe it? Shoot flair in the sky or something. I’ve been impressed with the resiliency of Fremont. Never count this group of kids out of the game. Every time I’ve picked against the Silver Wolves, I’ve come up on the losing end. I know the pick here is Davis. The Darts are at home, and are the defending region champs. It’s their game to lose. It’s going to be a close game, which makes me lean towards Fremont. They’ve proven countless times they can win in the closing moments. I’ll take them in the upset. Fremont 17, Davis 16.

AA: This will be the best game of the night. It’s going to be close throughout and it’s headed to overtime. I think Gavin Fowler makes a play and wins it for the Darts. Davis 23, Fremont 20 (OT).

Lone Peak at Pleasant Grove
JC: The Knights had a nice second half comeback against Jordan last week. Chase Hansen was efficient through the air, going for 165 yards and a TD on 13 of 17 passing. He and Talon Shumway also combined for 142 rushing yards. Not eye-popping numbers by any means, but it was enough to get the job done. This is an easy pick because the Vikings haven’t beat an opponent with a winning record at this point in the season. No reason for it to change now. Lone Peak 35, Pleasant Grove 14

TP: I really like this Lone Peak team. They have the ability to run or pass — making it impossible for opposing teams to commit on one area to stop them. I think the Knights have been using the loss to Hunter in four overtimes last season in the playoffs as a motivation to drive them this year. That type of heartbreak can cause teams to do amazing things. This is a very, very dangerous team. Lone Peak 31, Pleasant Grove 10.

AA: So I covered a game at Lone Peak last week. The combination of it being homecoming, Jordan playing and throwing on every down, and the game being televised, the game lasted about four days. Yep, days. Good thing they sell some unbelievable maple bars at the Lone Peak games. I’m serious, these things may have been the tastiest treats I’ve ever had in my life. I almost went Beavis on them and just ate and ate and ate until I pulled my shirt over my head and said nonsensical things. If you ever attend a game at Lone Peak I highly recommend the maple bars for a buck. They make them right there. Oh yeah, the game. The Knights pick up a sweet win and earn the outright Region 4 championship. Lone Peak 35, Pleasant Grove 18.

Highland at Woods Cross
JC: I came away thoroughly impressed by junior QB Anthony Smithson after seeing him dominate against Bountiful last week. He threw for 249 yards and a pair of TDs on 8-of-14 passing. Smithson was also electric on defense with two interceptions — with the first going back for another TD. Woods Cross has been disappointing. The Wildcats have a great offense. But their defense has not been able to stop anyone. I also can’t forget the meltdown against the Rams a year ago where Woods Cross surrendered 43 unanswered points in a 49-30 come-from-ahead loss. Highland 28, Woods Cross 24

TP: Who’s more inconsistent, Highland or Bountiful? I don’t get either team. Why can’t Highland put together multiple, well-executed games in a row? It beats me. The Rams have a lot more talent than most of the teams they play. Discipline and focus have to be the main focus for the rest of the season. I like Woods Cross, they’re a solid team and Darchon Taggart is a real talent. He’ll probably move to cornerback in college is my guess, but he’s a matchup nightmare. However, with that being said, I like Highland in this game. They’ll keep the heat on in the Region 6 title race. Highland 21, Woods Cross 17.

AA: Highland has the better record and is coming off a big win and is the smart pick in this game. But the way this region has gone, I just see an upset happening here. Woods Cross is fighting for its playoff life and will stay alive for another week. Woods Cross 28, Highland 24.

Skyline at Hunter
JC: It might be tempting to pick the Eagles to win after seeing Hunter smashed by Cottonwood last week. I’ll skip that temptation. True, Skyline gave the Colts a closer game. But that had more to do with penalties and turnovers by Cottonwood more than anything the Eagles did. Aside from last week, Hunter has fielded a stout defense and gave up just 8.9 points per game through its first seven games. I can’t help thinking the Wolverines are hungering to add the Eagles to the endangered species list. Hunter 19, Skyline 10

TP: What’s the over and under on pass attempts on this game? Whoever is heading over to watch, you’ll be out of there probably in an hour and half. Keep that clock running boys. This really is a tossup game in my opinion. So I’ll go with the home team. Hunter 28, Skyline 24.

AA: Tough game to call. I had Hunter beating Cottonwood last week and was way off. I think these teams are fairly evenly matched, and both will need to avoid Region 2′s fourth seed. That team has to play Region 1′s fifth-place team before moving on to play Bingham if the Miners win tonight. Brutal. So I think I’ll go with the Wolverines. Hunter 21, Skyline 20.

Box Elder at Morgan
JC: If I know Trevor, he is hitting Morgan County tonight to stock up on his weekly supply of hot dog sandwiches. I even heard he’s trying to get on Hell’s Kitchen so he can introduce his own version of his new favorite dish to chef Gordon Ramsey. Hate to tell you this Trevor, but the producers aren’t going to return your phone calls no matter how many voice messages you leave. The dream is dead. As for the game, Box Elder is looking solid after an impressive win over Logan last week. The Bees have allowed just 20 points in their last two games after getting blown out by Mountain Crest. Morgan is alternating wins and losses and had a win last week. You know what that means … Box Elder 21, Morgan 13

TP: Anytime you’re traveling into a historic venue like Morgan, it can be a bit mind boggling at first. However, I have another story for you in my experiences with one of these teams. I already mentioned the hot dog fiasco at Morgan. Now, for Box Elder. When I was playing for Alta we went to a power lift meet at Box Elder. When I went into the bathroom everyone was laughing for some odd reason. I soon found out, with every flush of the urinal — it would spray like Free Willy and drench the floor with water. I was blown away by this, and to my amazement I think the upkeep of the Box Elder restrooms frustrated the Bees as well, because they won the meet that day. I picked Morgan based on a hotdog sandwich story. Might as well pick the Bees on a broken urinal story. Box Elder 24, Morgan 21.

AA: Well, I’m just not sure what to say after that. Hopefully my pick doesn’t stink. Box Elder 38, Morgan 16.

Cedar at Desert Hills
JC: Cedar has never lost to Desert Hills. The Redmen have won both previous meetings by an average score of 31.5 to 7.5. Carson Ludlow is a solid running threat with 869 yards and 8 TDs to his credit so far this season. He is averaging a blistering 7.9 yards per carry. Matt Grover completes the 1-2 backfield punch with 750 yards and 11 TDs on 136 yards per carry. The problem with Desert Hills is that the Thunder were drilled by Hurricane last week and I think Cedar – while not as good as the Tigers – is certainly good enough to win big here. Cedar 31, Desert Hills 8

TP: Andrew said that he thinks Cedar can compete for a 3A title earlier in the year. I trust his judgment and knowledge. Cedar 31, Desert Hills 28.

AA: Wow, I think that’s the first nice thing Trevor has ever said about me. Trust me on this one, the Redmen can play. They have a bigger showdown against Hurricane next week. Cedar 35, Desert Hills 13

Millard at Enterprise
JC: Slade Moyle is an absolute beast. He has racked up 2,272 yards and 25 TDs while completing 64 percent of his passes this season. Those are impressive numbers on any level and a big reason why the Wolves have run off seven straight wins since a setback to Duchesne in their season opener. Millard should prove a worthy foe with a star playmaker of its own. Jesse Rhodes has piled up 1,028 yards and 14 TDs on just 133 carries for the Eagles. Little surprise that Millard has run off six straight wins to rebound from an 0-2 start. So who gets the edge here? My guess in Enterprise. That offense has scored 42 points or more in seven games this season. No defense has been able to slow down the Wolves in the past seven weeks. Enterprise 40, Millard 35

TP: Gotta love me some 2A football. I was talking to John and he was telling me how he thinks San Juan could be Bingham and how his 2A schools don’t get any respect. I love small football too, John. However, I must say that Slade Moyle is the real deal for Enterprise. He’ll run wild tonight. Enterprise 21, Millard 14.

AA: Alright, here’s the deal. Some teams are just accustomed to beating other people. It’s like me and these other two guys picking games. I know I can beat them. I have mind control over them. It’s what I would do every week if I applied myself a little better. Millard has won 39 region championships and is 5-0 against Enterprise. The Eagles will find a way to win this game. Millard 24, Enterprise 23.