FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 5 picks

The Poopster will try to regain some momentum in Week 5.

After a brief surge, the Poopster's momentum slowed last week with a pedestrian 5-3 mark. The orange guy knows he has to do a better job, or else his owner will start limiting the Fancy Feast. Here's his take on Week 5 of the Mercury-area football scene:

Friday's games

Spring-Ford (2-1, 2-2) at Pottsgrove (2-1, 2-2)
The Poopster salutes the veterans who will be honored prior to the game as part of Military Appreciation Night at Pennypacker Field, and believes the Rams will have a slight edge in the trench warfare. ... Spring-Ford 20-14.

Pottstown (1-1, 2-2) at Perkiomen Valley (3-0, 3-1)
While the Trojans' defense of late has gotten the Poopster's attention, he thinks it will be too tall an order for them to take down David Williams, Sean Sedgewick and the Vikings, who appear to be clicking on all cylinders. ... Perkiomen Valley 34-13.

Methacton (2-1, 2-2) at Upper Perkiomen (1-2, 1-3)
Both the Warriors (who snapped Pottsgrove's 25-game league winning streak) and Indians (who halted a nine-game losing streak) are coming off victories of note. The Poopster likes what he's seen lately from the green machine on both sides of the ball. ... Methacton 41-20.

Owen J. Roberts (1-1, 1-3) at Boyertown (1-2, 1-3)
The Wildcats are on their fourth quarterback of the season and the Poopster senses that Juice Siejk, Dalton Hughes and the Bears are sitting on a big performance. ... Boyertown 27-17.

Daniel Boone (0-1, 2-2) at Muhlenberg (1-0, 1-3)
The Poopster heard there was a lot of yellow laundry on the field at Brazinsky Stadium last week, which torpedoed any hope of the Blazers taking down unbeaten Conrad Weiser. As long as the whistles don't get too out of hand again, he's giving the nod to Jon Passifione, Darius Hinton and Boone. ... Daniel Boone 24-20.

Saturday's games

Phoenixville (0-3, 0-4) at Pope John Paul II (1-2, 1-3)
The Poopster has no clue about this one. While he wouldn't mind seeing the injury-riddled Phantoms notch a win for first-year coach Evan Breisblatt, he's leaning ever-so-slightly toward Matt Duff, Matt Mesaros and the Golden Panthers. ... Pope John Paul II 21-19.

Nativity (2-2) at Perkiomen School (2-1)
Though the Green Wave (which beat Bucktail 46-30 Tuesday) will be playing its second game in five days, the Poopster is going to grudgingly go with the guys from the coal region in a tight one against David Juechter, Josh Cruz and the Panthers. ...  Nativity 23-22.

Hill School (0-2) at Springside Chestnut Hill (4-0)
Sound the air raid sirens for this one, says the Poopster, who feels that vaunted QB Paul Dooley and the Hillers will have too much weaponry for the Rams in another shootout. ... Springside Chestnut Hill 36-27.

Last week's record: 5-3 (62.5 percent)
Overall record: 23-11 (67.6 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 4 picks

The Poopster is starting to round into form.

After a rough couple of opening weeks forecasting the Mercury-area football action, the Poopster is starting to round back into form. The orange guy went 7-1 last week, but did fail to envision Perkiomen Valley's 20-7 win over Spring-Ford in the marquee game. Here are his thoughts about Week 4:

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Boyertown (1-1, 1-2) at Spring-Ford (1-1, 1-2)
Rams quarterbacks Brandon Leacraft and Stone Scarcelle found themselves under siege last week against sack-happy PV, but the Poopster sees the high-octane S-F offense getting back on track this week. ... Spring-Ford 38-7.

Perkiomen Valley (2-0, 2-1) at Owen J. Roberts (1-0, 1-2)
It will be a proud night in Bucktown, as OJR dedicates Henry J. Bernat Field at Wildcat Stadium in honoring one of the area's most renowned coaches. But the Poopster is afraid the new scoreboard will reflect a lot of points for Tim Mallon, Taiyir Wilson and the Vikings. ... Perkiomen Valley 42-13.

Pope John Paul II (1-1, 1-2) at Upper Perkiomen (0-2, 0-3)
Though the Poopster believes this the best chance for first-year coach Tom Hontz and the Indians to snap a nine-game losing streak dating back to last year and win at home for the first time in nearly three seasons, he is going to ride the PJP train for one more stop and come down on the side of the Johnnies in a tight one. ... Pope John Paul II 27-25.

Conrad Weiser (3-0) at Daniel Boone (2-1)
The Poopster thinks Nick Hughes, Jonathan Charles and the Blazers have a real shot to notch a watershed win for third-year coach Bill Parks in their Berks League Section 1 opener, but just can't pull the trigger and will go with the Scouts and coach Alan Moyer - his owner's old Lebanon Valley League baseball teammate. ... Conrad Weiser 34-24.

Perkiomen School (1-1) at George School (0-2)
The Panthers have won the past 13 meetings in this series, and the Poopster has a feeling that trend will continue, though it won't be a blowout. ... Perkiomen School 26-13.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Pottsgrove (2-0, 2-1) at Methacton (1-1, 1-2)
The Poopster is well aware of how tough the Warriors have played the Falcons in recent years. That said, he's going to give the nod to coach Rick Pennypacker's crew against Methacton and dangerous offensive threat Louis Cotteta. ... Pottsgrove 28-21.

Phoenixville (0-2, 0-3) at Pottstown (0-1, 1-2)
The Phantoms showed marked improvement last week, when they came within a failed two-point conversion of beating Owen J. Roberts. The Poopster senses a knock-down, drag-out brawl with Zach Gallow, Matt Palubinsky and Phoenixville escaping with a W, perhaps on a Jose Rodriguez field goal ... Phoenixville 17-14.

Episcopal Academy (2-1) at Hill School (0-1)
In a game with much offensive weaponry on display, the Poopster says take the over and will lean towards the Churchmen. .... Episcopal Academy 37-28.

Last week's record: 7-1 (87.5 percent)
Overall record: 18-8 (69.2 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 3 picks

The Poopster is looking forward to the Week 3 Mercury-area football action.

Though the Poopster showed an improved effort in going 5-2 last week, the orange guy still has a lot of work to do, much like several area football squads. Here's his take on Week 3 of the Mercury-area football action:

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Spring-Ford (1-0, 1-1) at Perkiomen Valley (1-0, 1-1)
This battle of neighboring rivals features two of the most creative offensive minds in the PAC-10 in Rams head coach Chad Brubaker and his Vikings counterpart Scott Reed. The Poopster feels the boys from Rofo have a few too many weapons for PV. ... Spring-Ford 33-21.

Methacton (0-1, 0-2) at Boyertown (1-0, 1-1)
The Poopster envisions a grind-it-out affair with the Conner Derrickson, Louis Cotteta and the Warriors springing a few big plays against the bigger Bears. .... Methacton 23-14.

Upper Perkiomen (0-1, 0-2) at Pottsgrove (1-0, 1-1)
The Falcons righted the ship in a big way in last week's league-opening 54-0 rout of Pope John Paul II, and the Poopster sees a similar score in store in this one. ... Pottsgrove 56-6.

Owen J. Roberts (0-0, 0-2) at Phoenixville (0-1, 0-2)
Somebody is going to get into the win column at the end of this one, and the Poopster has a feeling it will be the Wildcats behind their power running game. ... Owen J. Roberts 21-13.

Perkiomen School (1-0) at Tower Hill (Del.) Academy (1-0)
The Panthers didn't even get in a quarter and a half of work in their season-opening 28-0 win over Carson Long last week, something the Poopster senses could hurt them. ... Tower Hill 28-18.

Daniel Boone (1-1) at Twin Valley (0-2)
It's a sad state of affairs at the Poopster's owner's alma mater, with the Raiders having lost 23 straight. The Poopster is pretty confident that streak won't end tonight against the Blazers, who looked solid on both sides of the ball in last week's 32-3 win over Owen J. Roberts. ... Daniel Boone 43-13.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Pottstown (0-0, 1-1) at Pope John Paul II (0-1, 0-2)
In a matchup that has the Poopster downright befuddled, he's going to flip the coin and predict the Golden Panthers will snap a nine-game losing streak dating back to last year. ... Pope John Paul II 21-20.

Germantown Academy (0-1-1) at Hill School (0-0)
The Poopster is eager to see how the Rams take to new coach Dave Rackovan's no-huddle attack, but is still going to give a slight edge to the Patriots, who are game-tested. ... Germantown Academy 32-26.

Last week's record: 5-2 (71.4 percent)
Overall record: 11-7 (61.1 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 2 picks

The Poopster is looking to rebound from a rough Week 1.

The Poopster loves his PAC-10 football almost as much as the cans of Fancy Feast his owner feeds him, but after a pedestrian 6-5 picking effort in Week 1, even the orange guy realizes most of his favorite squads are in rebuilding (instead of reloading) modes this fall. Here's his take on the all the Week 2 Mercury-area high school gridiron action:

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Phoenixville (0-1) at Spring-Ford (0-1)
After the Phantoms allowed 54 points in a shutout loss Great Valley last week, the Poopster shudders to think what could happen in this one as the Rams look to bounce back from a Week 1 loss at State College. ... Spring-Ford 42-13.

Boyertown (0-1) at Upper Perkiomen (0-1)
Neither the Bears nor Indians scored in last week's openers, but the Poopster says Justin Siejk and the rest of first-year coach George Parkinson's crew will get off the schneid. ... Boyertown 27-15.

Pope John Paul II (0-1) at Pottsgrove (0-1)
The Falcons have won each of the last two meetings by identical 53-14 scores. Though the 'Grove suffered its worst defeat in 12 years in last week's 41-7 loss to Ben Franklin, the Poopster feels pretty confident coach Rick Pennypacker will rally the troops for the PAC-10 campaign. ... Pottsgrove 35-14.

Owen J. Roberts (0-1) at Daniel Boone (0-1)
This one is a head-scratcher for the Poopster. Even though Boone dealt OJR a 28-point beating last year, he's going to go against his owner and go with his brethren 'Cats. ... Owen J. Roberts 19-17.

Carson Long (0-0) at Perkiomen School (0-0)
The Poopster envisions Panthers running back Tom Aaron and friends putting up some good offensive numbers against a Warriors team that has won just once in the past five years. ... Perkiomen School 33-12.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Perkiomen Valley (0-1) at Methacton (0-1)
While the Poopster prepares for another Saturday afternoon of fasting with his owner gone for the day, he sees a lot of points being put up in this one and the Vikings making the majority of the big plays. ... Perkiomen Valley 42-32.

Chichester (0-1) at Pottstown (0-1)
The Poopster has a bad feeling that Colin McAllister and the Eagles' defensive line will make it tough sledding for Gary Wise, Brandon Tinson, Bryant Wise and the Trojans. ... Chichester 26-14.

Last week: 6-5 (54.5 percent).