Week 2 pick 'em: WWL Sports Dept. owns the field
Well, it looks like we'll all be chasing Joe Frisard and his legion of minions from the WWL-TV sports department. They got off to a good start, going 9-1 the first week.
Me, well, not so good. First, I goofed on one of the games - Carver didn't play Rabouin. So everyone got a free gift there. Secondly, I went 7-3 including the free pick. That's not good for the high school sports guy.
But I'll say this in my defense - I got off to a slow start a year ago, going 6-4 in the opening week. I finished the season 97-38 for a 71.2 percent efficiency rating. Let's hope, for my sake, I can get on track in the second week of pick 'em.
Here are the results from last week:
Me 7-3 (70 percent)
Tom Planchet 8-2 (80 percent)
Juan Kincaid 8-2 (80 percent)
WWL-TV sports dept. 9-1 (90 percent)
Chad 5-5 (50 percent)
James Barreca 5-4 (55.5 percent)
Marcus Forrest 8-2 (80 percent)
SoccerFreak (6-4 (60 percent)
Here are this week's games. Remember to pick all 10 and make sure you pick the score of the Game of the Week. My break down of the Game of the Week will come on Thursday.
Week of Sept. 26 games
Mandeville at St. Paul's
Higgins at Destrehan
O.P. Walker at Hahnville
Ehret vs. Shaw at Memtsas
Ben Franklin at Ecole
Newman vs. Northlake Christian at William Pitcher
Blount (Ala.) vs. Curtis at Bertolino
McDonogh 35 vs. St. Augustine at Gormley (Saturday)
Carver vs. Cohen at Pan Am (Saturday)
Game of the week (pick the score)
Bastrop at East St. John (Analysis below table)
| Bradley Handwerger (7-3) | Tom Planchet (8-2) | ||
| Mandeville @ St. Paul's |
St. Paul's | St. Paul's | |
| Higgins @ Destrehan | Destrehan | Destrehan | |
| O.P. Walker @ Hahnville | O.P. Walker | O.P. Walker | |
| Ehret vs. Shaw @ Memtsas | Ehret | Ehret | |
| Ben Franklin @ Ecole Classique | Ecole Classique | Ecole Classique | |
| Newman @ Northlake Christian | Newman | Northlake Christian | |
| Blount (Ala.) vs. Curtis @ Bertolino | Curtis | Curtis | |
| McDo. 35 vs. St. Aug @ Gormley (Sat.) | McDonogh 35 | McDonogh 35 | |
| Carver vs. Cohen @ Pan Am (Sat.) | Cohen | Carver | |
| Bastrop @ East St. John |
Bastrop 38-17 |
Bastrop 40-20 |
| Juan Kincaid, WWL-TV sports rporter (8-2) | WWL-TV sports department (9-1) | ||
| Mandeville @ St. Paul's | St. Paul's | St. Paul's | |
| Higgins @ Destrehan | Destrehan | Destrehan | |
| O.P. Walker @ Hahnville | O.P. Walker | O.P. Walker | |
| Ehret vs. Shaw @ Memtsas | Ehret | Ehret | |
| Ben Franklin @ Ecole Classique | Ben Franklin | Ben Franklin | |
| Newman @ Northlake Christian | Newman | Newman | |
| Blount (Ala.) vs. Curtis @ Bertolino | Curtis | Curtis | |
| McDo. 35 vs. St. Aug @ Gormley (Sat.) | St. Augustin | McDonogh 35 | |
| Carver vs. Cohen @ Pan Am (Sat.) | Carver | Carver | |
| Bastrop @ East St. John |
Bastrop 34-32 | Bastrop 30-15 |
Game of the Week: 4A No. 1 Bastrop at 5A No. 9 East St. John.
Bastrop is loaded with big-time college talent. East St. John is loaded with talent.
What's the difference? Bastrop quarterback Reuben Randle. He's every bit as athletic as Randall Mackey was, and Mackey led the Rams to back-to-back state championships.
The key to this game, in my mind, is going to be how East St. John's defense handles an athletic and multiple offense. A week ago, when the Tigers lost to 5A No. 1 Acadiana, ESJ was tasked with stopping the veer option. The offense that Bastrop runs is completely different.
To me, this one likely will be close through halftime. But this is where Bastrop's extra game comes into play. ESJ has played only one game after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike tore through the upper Gulf Coast. Bastop is on its third game and has won both decisively.
For ESJ to win, not only will the defense have to shut down Bastrop's explosive offense, it will have to rely on RB Alex Singleton having a standout game. The Tulsa commit is a big-game player.
But I just don't see him having a big enough game. I also don't see the ESJ defense being able to sustain against the Rams. Bastrop wins, 38-17
Posted by Bradley Handwerger 
at 12:18 PM | Permalink
| Comments (3)
My picks to win:
St. Paul's
Destrehan
Hahnville
Ehret
Ben Franklin
Newman
Curtis
St. Augustine
Carver
Bastrop (28-27)
Last week: 5-5 (last place -- ow)
st paul
destr
opw
ehret
bf
newman
jc
35
cohen
bastrop 34-12
Mandeville OVER St. Paul's
Higgins LOSES TO Destrehan
O.P. Walker OVER Hahnville
Ehret OVER Shaw @ Memtsas
Ben Franklin LOSES TO Ecole Classique
Newman OVER Northlake Christian
Blount (Ala.) LOSES TO Curtis @ Bertolino
McDo. 35 OVER St. Aug @ Gormley (Sat.)
Carver OVER Cohen @ Pan Am (Sat.)
Bastrop 33 ESJ 4
Bastrop gets up by 33 points in the first 6 minutes of play. They show mercy because of all of the hurricanes ESJ has had to deal with. Bastrop's QB kneels each play, for each possession for the rest of the game. ESJ scores two safeties b/c of the strategy.
The game goes down in Prep Lore as the "Walking on Dead Wildcats" game.