FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 13 picks

The Poopster envisions a cold night Friday.

Daniel Boone is the only Mercury-area football team left in the postseason, with the Blazers visiting Cocalico in a rematch of their season opener. This time, a trip to the District 3-AAA final is on the line. Here's the orange guy's take on the weekend action.

Friday's games

District 3-AAA semifinal
Daniel Boone (8-4) at Cocalico (9-3)
The Poopster expects some serious ground-and-pound action at Denver, and hopes his owner doesn't freeze on the sideline. The orange guy was sorry to hear about one of his favorite players, Paul Galanti, going down with a knee injury, which could blunt Boone's hopes of turning the tables on the Eagles (who took the Week 1 encounter 32-14). Though he is pulling for the black and blue, he'll reluctantly go with the home side. ... Cocalico 21-20.

Other games

District 1-AAAA semifinals
Downingtown East (9-3) at Coatesville (12-0): Red Raiders tame the Cougars ... Coatesville 34-23.
Upper Dublin (11-1) at Pennsbury (11-1): Falcons end Cardinals' joyride ... Pennsbury 42-20.

District 1-AAA final
Great Valley (11-1) vs. Springfield-Delco (12-0), at P-W: Patriots take Dan Ellis bowl ... GV 21-14.

Saturday's  game

District 3-AAA semifinal
Red Land (9-3) at Bishop McDevitt (12-0): Top seed McDevitt stays on crusade .... BMD 35-21.

Last week's record: 5-2 (71.4 percent)
Overall record: 76-26 (74.5 pecent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 12 picks

The Poopster is calling for a couple of upset specials Friday.

The Poopster knows that anything can happen in the postseason, and though the two remaining area teams (Pottsgrove and Daniel Boone) will be underdogs in their respective district playoff games, the orange guy thinks they can both surprise.

Friday's games

District 1-AAA semifinal
Pottsgrove (8-3) at Springfield-Delco (11-0)
The Poopster realizes it could be very tough sledding for Torin Verdone, Devon Fink, Mike Fowler and the Falcons against a rugged Cougars defense. It may be wishful thinking, but he's going with the 'Grove. ... Pottsgrove 21-19.

District 3-AAA quarterfinal
Daniel Boone (7-4) at Milton Hershey (9-2)
The No. 14 seed Blazers might be hard-pressed to match the speed of the Spartans, but the Poopster says damn the torpedoes and that if Nick Hughes, Darius Hinton and the troops can beat the No. 3 seeds (like they did last week), they can beat the 11 seeds too. ... Daniel Boone 28-27.

Other games
District 1-AAAA quarterfinals
Henderson (8-3) at Coatesville (11-0): Red Raiders in a barn-burner ... Coatesville 34-28.
Downingtown East (8-3) at Quakertown (10-1): Big game from Angeline ... Dtown East 35-20.
Garnet Valley (9-2) at Pennsbury (10-1): Snorweah keeps on trucking ... Pennsbury 42-21.
Upper Dublin (10-1) at Rustin (10-1): Golden Knights get by in a tight one ... Rustin 27-26.

District 1-AA semifinal
Bishop Shanahan (8-3) at Great Valley (10-1): Take the over ... Great Valley 48-35.

Last week's record: 11-5 (68.8 percent)
Overall record: 71-24 (74.7 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 11 picks

The Poopster is looking forward to all the postseason high school football action.

The Poopster senses there will be a chill in the air this weekend, though the orange guy will be nestled comfortably at home while his owner is out patrolling the sidelines. Here's how he sees the area action panning out, with some bonus district picks:

Friday's games

District 1-AAAA first round
Perkiomen Valley (9-1) at Downingtown East (7-3)
Unlike his cynical owner, who is always leery of teams getting homered this time of the year, the Poopster has faith the Vikings will be successful road warriors when they make the trek to Kottmeyer Stadium in a matchup of different styles. .... Perkiomen Valley 28-23.

District 1-AAA quarterfinal
Academy Park (8-2) at Pottsgrove (7-3)
The Knights dealt the Falcons a crushing 27-26 semifinal defeat last year en route to the district title, but the Poopster thinks Patrick Finn, Mike Fowler and the 'Grove can turn the tables this time around. ... Pottsgrove 21-20.

District 3-AAA first round
Daniel Boone (6-4) at Lampeter-Strasburg (8-2)
The Blazers got a heavy dose of a dual threat QB in Exeter's Chase Yocum last week, and the Poopster is afraid that will be the case again against Pioneers' signal-caller Collin Shank. ... Lampeter-Strasburg 35-27.

Northampton (1-9) at Owen J. Roberts (2-8)
The Konkrete Kids, coached by former Boyertown head man Mark Scisly, are trying to halt an eight-game losing streak. OJR held off Pope John Paul II last week to snap a six-game skid, but the Poopster is going to reluctantly go with the guys from the rugged East Penn Conference. .... Northampton 20-17.

Saturday's games
Methacton (7-3) at Norristown (4-6)
The Poopster hopes Warriors QB Conner Derrickson runs wild so he can surpass the 2,000-yard career rushing mark, and is confident the guys in green can notch their first eight-win campaign since 2000. ... Methacton 27-18.

Lawrenceville (3-1, 4-4) at Hill School (0-4, 0-7)
Big Red WR Grant Smith caught a boatload of passes for the Hill last year, and the Poopster envisions him making a few big plays in his return to Dell Field. ... Lawrenceville 35-19.

Other games
District 1-AAAA openers
Haverford (7-3) at Coatesville (10-0): Not a typical 1 vs. 16 matchup ... Coatesville 20-14.
North Penn (7-3) at Henderson (7-3): Knights on typical late-season march. ... North Penn 27-21.
Pennridge (7-3) at Quakertown (9-1): Rams gore the Panthers .... Pennridge 14-13.
Downingtown West (6-4) at Pennsbury (9-1): Falcons in a shootout .... Pennsbury 42-28.
C.B. South (7-3) at Garnet Valley (8-2): Jags get the nod ... Garnet Valley 28-27.
Conestoga (7-3) at Rustin (9-1):  Loper and Co. take the battle of league rivals ... Rustin 27-14.
C.R. North (6-4) at Upper Dublin (9-1): Big night for Brandon McIlwain .... CRN 30-23.

District 1-AAA quarterfinals
Springfield-Delco 35, Interboro 14
Great Valley 48, Octorara 13
Bishop Shanahan 27, Upper Moreland 21

Last week's record: 6-2 (75.0 percent)
Overall record: 60-19 (75.9 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 10 picks

The Poopster is ready to close out the regular season and look ahead to the playoffs.

It's Week 10 of the Mercury-area scholastic football scene and the Poopster is hoping for a strong finish to the regular season while anticipating the upcoming District 1 playoff action. Here's his take on this weekend's games.

Thursday's games

Upper Perkiomen (4-4, 4-5) at Perkiomen Valley (8-0, 8-1)
Liam Grande, Mike Holland and the Vikings earned the program's first outright PAC-10 title by taking down two-time defending champ Pottsgrove last week, and the Poopster likes them to close out their first unbeaten league campaign against the much-improved Indians. .... Perkiomen Valley 38-14.

Friday's games

Pottsgrove (6-2, 6-3) at Boyertown (5-3, 5-4)
The Falcons need to regroup from last week's 49-21 loss to Perkiomen Valley, while the Bears are hoping to bag a signature win. The Poopster is going to go with speed over size and give the nod to Torin Verdone, Deyon Doctor and the Falcons. ... Pottsgrove 35-20.

Pope John Paul II (1-7, 1-8) at Owen J. Roberts (1-6, 1-8)
Both the Golden Panthers and Wildcats enter on six-game losing streaks. PJP is coming off its most productive offensive effort, but the orange guy feels the OJR ground game will eventually take its toll. ... Owen J. Roberts 23-21.

Exeter (4-1, 7-2) at Daniel Boone (3-2, 6-3)
The Pig Iron Trophy is on the line in this traditional battle. Though Paul Galanti and the Blazers are going to no doubt be jacked up to bring the hardware back to Birdsboro, the Poopster has to grudgingly side with Chase Yocum, Michal Menet and the Eagles. ... Exeter 28-27.

Perkiomen School (5-2) at St. Andrew's, Del. (0-5)
The Panthers haven't played in virtually three weeks, but the Poopster thinks they will shake off the rust just fine against the winless Cardinals. ... Perkiomen School 43-12.

Saturday's games

Spring-Ford (6-2, 6-3) at Pottstown (1-6, 2-7)
The Poopster envisions the Rams continuing to put up some big numbers and closing out the season with a five-game winning streak. ... Spring-Ford 42-19.

Methacton (6-2, 6-3) at Phoenixville (1-7, 1-8)
The Warriors are on their typical late-season roll, and the Poopster doesn't see the Phantoms being able to slow down Dontae Thomas, Nick Nwankwo and Co. ... Methacton 55-14.

Hill School (0-3, 0-6) at Mercersburg Academy (0-3, 0-6)
Someone is going to pick up their first victory in this battle of struggling MAPL squads, and the Poopster says it will be Devon Kennedy, Kirk Cherneskie and the Rams ... Hill School 34-20.

Last week's record: 7-0 (100 percent)
Overall record: 54-17 (76.1 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 9 picks

The Poopster is going with his orange brethren in the big one Friday.

It's Week 9 of the high school football season, and the Poopster can feel the chill in the air as playoff time approaches. Here's his take on this weekend's Mercury-area action:

Friday's games

Perkiomen Valley (7-0, 7-1) at Pottsgrove (6-1, 6-2)
The PAC-10 title will be on the line at Pennypacker Field, and the Poopster sees an epic encounter shaping up between Seth Jonassen, Liam Grande and the Vikings and Patrick Finn, Mike Fowler and the two-time defending champ Falcons. After much contemplation, the orange guy is going to go with the guys in orange. ... Perkiomen Valley 21-20.

Owen J. Roberts (1-5, 1-7) at Spring-Ford (5-2, 5-3)
In a battle of teams headed in opposite directions, the Poopster sees Stone Scarcelle, Danny Matthews and the Rams lighting up the scoreboard. ... Spring-Ford 59-13.

Phoenixville (1-6, 1-7) at Upper Perkiomen (3-4, 3-5)
The Indians have made believers out of the Poopster, who feels Zeke Hallman, Mahlon Schaffer and the rest of the Tribe will continue on the warpath against the Phantoms. ... Upper Perkiomen 26-24.

Hazleton (1-7) at Daniel Boone (5-3)
The Blazers are locked into the scent of the District 3-AAA playoffs like the Poopster when his owner opens up a can of tuna. He's pretty confident Nick Hughes, Jon Passifione and Boone will clinch a winning season. ... Daniel Boone 35-14.

Saturday's games

Pottstown (1-5, 2-6) at Methacton (5-2, 5-3)
While the Poopster awaits another delayed weekend meal, he expects Dylan Feaster, Louis Cotteta and the Warriors to assure themselves of an unprecedented fourth straight winning season. ... Methacton 33-12.

Boyertown (4-3, 4-4) at Pope John Paul II (1-6, 1-7)
The Bears offense has struggled to put points on the board of late, but the Poopster doesn't see that being the case against the injury-riddled Golden Panthers. ... Boyertown 34-14.

Hill School (0-2, 0-5) at Blair Academy (1-1, 3-2)
Though the Poopster would love to see Richie Tabarrini, Jack Overholt and the Rams get into the victory column, he's going to grudgingly side with the host Bucs. ... Blair 26-25.

Last year's record: 6-1 (85.7 percent)
Overall record: 47-17 (73.4 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 8 picks

The Poopster is hoping to surge down the stretch.

It's Week 8 of the Mercury-area football season, and like a lot of squads, the Poopster is hoping to finish with a flourish. Here's his take on the weekend action:

Friday's games
Boyertown (4-2, 4-3) at Perkiomen Valley (6-0, 6-1)
While the Bears enter on a solid three-game win streak, the Poopster isn't about to go against Seth Jonassen, Liam Grande and the Vikings. ... Perkiomen Valley 35-19.

Methacton (4-2, 4-3) at Owen J. Roberts (1-4, 1-6)
The Poopster envisions a lot of big plays from Dontae Thomas, Louis Cotteta and the Warriors against the injury-plagued Wildcats. ... Methacton 43-14.

Pottsgrove (5-1, 5-2) at Phoenixville (1-5, 1-6)
Though the Phantoms gamely hung tough in an OT loss to Boyertown last week, the Poopster finds it hard to believe they can do the same against Mike Fowler, Torin Verdone and the Falcons. ... Pottsgrove 48-13.

Daniel Boone (2-2, 4-3) at Pottsville (0-4, 0-7)
The Blazers haven't been quite up to snuff in their battles against the elite Berks League Section 1, but the Poopster doesn't see Jonathan Charles, A.J. Spagnoletti and Co. having any such issues with the struggling Crimson Tide. ... Daniel Boone 42-12.

Saturday's games
Upper Perkiomen (2-4, 2-5) at Pottstown (1-4, 2-5)
In a battle of teams the Poopster has struggled to figure out, he's going to give a slight nod the defense of Brandon Tinson, Jimmi Zazzi and the Trojans against Mike Felix and the improving Tribe. ... Pottstown 19-13.

Pope John Paul II (1-5, 1-6) at Spring-Ford (4-2, 4-3)
The Poopster senses a rather one-sided affair in the battle of Rofo, with Brandon Leacraft, Brandon Barone and the Rams simply having too much ammunition for the Golden Panthers. ... Spring-Ford 56-7.

Hun School (1-0, 3-1) at Hill School (0-1, 0-4)
Virginia-bound Raiders running back Chris Sharp presents a formidable challenge for Bryce Allen, Tom Sivick and the Rams in what the Poopster believes will be another high-scoring affair. ... Hun School 42-27.

Last week's record: 6-2 (75.0 percent)
Overall record: 41-16 (71.9 percent)

FOOTBALL: The Poopster's Week 7 picks

The Poopster will try to keep the momentum going after a perfect week.

After a nondescript first six weeks, the Poopster finally got down to business last week, running the table on what was a pretty formful batch of games. He'll try to keep it going in Week 7:

Friday's games
Pottstown (1-3, 2-4) at Pottsgrove (4-1, 4-2)
It could be a rainy night in the neighborhood, which the Poopster thinks might give the Trojans a puncher's chance at an upset. But he's going to go with Patrick Finn, Mike Gantert and the Falcons on Homecoming night. ... Pottsgrove 28-13.

Phoenixville (1-4, 1-5) at Boyertown (3-2, 3-3)
The Poopster sees a lot of power running in this one from Mike Murphy, Mitch Warriner and the Bears, who are going for their third straight win. ... Boyertown 42-22.

Owen J. Roberts (1-3, 1-5) at Upper Perkiomen (1-4, 1-5)
The Indians are healing up and could be a handful for the Wildcats; the Poopster says it's now or never for the OJR offense to get on track. ... Owen J. Roberts 22-20.

Daniel Boone (2-1, 4-2) at Governor Mifflin (2-0, 5-1)
The Mustangs have ruled the Berks League Section 1 roost for a while now and have won 27 straight league games. The Poopster senses Paul Galanti and the Blazers can throw a scare into Akron-bound Jan Johnson and Co., but taking them down on the road is a tall order. ... Governor Mifflin 33-21.

Hill School (0-3) at Peddie (2-1)
The Rams have shown a lot of positives at the offensive end thus far, but the Poopster is concerned the Falcons' ground game might be a little too much to handle in this one. ... Peddie 36-28.

Saturday's games
Perkiomen Valley (5-0, 5-1) at Pope John Paul II (1-4, 1-5)
On a day when a lot of the students in the area will be taking SATs, the Poopster likes Ryan O'Donnell, Mike Holland and the Vikings to ace this league test. ... Perkiomen Valley 42-13.

Spring-Ford (3-2, 3-3) at Methacton (4-1, 4-2)
Though the Poopster is an orange guy, he's going to go green in this one and lean towards Conner Derrickson, Dylan Feaster and the Warriors against the dangerous Rams. ... Methacton 33-27.

Perkiomen School (4-1) at Academy of the New Church (5-0)
The Poopster envisions a lot of ground-and-pound in this one, and is going to give the nod to the Lions, who are averaging more than 47 points per game. ... Academy of the New Church 34-26.

Last week's record: 7-0 (100 percent)
Overall record: 35-14 (71.4 percent)