It's that time of year again...HS pick 'em has returned

A year ago, I ended up 97-38, a 71.2 percent correct season.

But Professor won, going 67-18 for a whopping 78.8 percent correct year. Kudos to him.

So, without further ado, here's this week's games to choose.

As always, we're picking winners with the score of the Game of the Week being the tie-breaker. The guesser with the closest score to correct and correct winning team takes the pot.

Per usual, you can email your picks to me at bhandwerger@wwltv.com or put them in the comment section at the bottom of the page.

Picks need to be in by 1 p.m. Friday.

Week 2 (make sure to pick the score of the Game of the Week)
St. James at Destrehan
Salmen at Slidell
Shaw at St. Paul's
Ehret at Independence
Mamou at O.P. Walker
Clark at Belle Chasse
South Plaquemines at Hammond
St. Martin's at Ben Franklin (Saturday)
McDonogh 35 vs. Rummel at Yenni (Saturday)

[Bold schools are Bradley's picks]

Game of the Week
Brother Martin vs. Holy Cross at Tad Gormley, 7:30 p.m.

I rode the Holy Cross bandwagon for much of the 2007 season, watching the Tigers go to the Class 4A quarterfinals. It was hard not to. With Chris Brady and Kal Bonura and head coach Barry Wilson running the show, it was a good cast of characters to deal with and cover.

I'm not saying Holy Cross won't be good to be around this year ... they will be as long as Wilson is there ... but the Tigers are in rebuilding mode at the moment.

Brother Martin, on the other hand, is loaded with talent and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Crusaders challenge Rummel and Jesuit for District 9-5A. Ten starters return from a year ago, including running back Dalton Hilliard and defensive back Patrick Swilling.

And in a certain oddity that might never have happened before, Friday marks homecoming for the Crusaders. First game of the year. First game back since Gustav. Homecoming.

The Crusaders bandwagon might be a comfortable place to be, at least for the first week.

Brother Martin 27, Holy Cross 13

WWL-TV picks
Tom Planchet
Destrehan over St. James
Slidell over Salmen
St. Paul's over Shaw
Ehret over Independence
Walker over Mamou
Belle Chasse over McDonogh
South Plaquemines over Hammond
St. Martin's over Ben Franklin
Rummel over Mc35

Brother Martin 27 Holy Cross 17

Juan Kincaid
Destrehan
Slidell
Shaw
Independence
O.P. Walker
Belle Chasse
South Plaquemines
Ben Franklin
McDonogh 35

Holy Cross 35, Brother Martin 31

WWL-TV Sports Producers
Destrehan
Salmen
Shaw
Independence
OP Walker
Belle Chasse
S. Plaquemines
St. Martin's
Rummel

Brother Martin 22-17