Sunday, September 19, 2010

GI's Week Three Picks

Week 3 Baby...Opening Divisional Statements To Be Made!

Divisional play begins this week for many teams.  Based on performances during weeks zero thru two, it is fair to say that there are games already with playoff implications.  The parity in the two LM/Coastal conferences at AA is very notable and Tier 2 is not far off either.  It is fair to say that opening losses could put a couple squads behind the playoff eight ball right out of the gates.  Sunday night game video will be highly scrutinized by coaching staffs around the province! One exhibition game of note will be Mission's Saturday tilt versus AAA STMC. This is a bellweather game for Mission as its strengths and weaknesses will become transparent.  Kudos to Coach Watrin for scheduling this, no sandbagging here!  A prediction....Handsworth-Pitt is going to determine who will be #3 seed in their division.
GI’s AA Top 5

1. Windsor
2. Sands
3. Mission
4. Handsworth
5. John Barsby

GI’s Tier 2 Top 5

1. Robert Bateman
2. Frank Hurt
3. Howe Sound
4. Moscrop
5. Timberline

Week 2 Synopsys

Windsor, Pitt and Mission roll over AAA! Sands nearly pulls off a once in the decade upset over defending AAA champ Centennial and Bateman serves notice that it is the team to beat in Tier 2.  The table is set for upcoming divisional tilts!

GI’s Week 3 Picks

Friday, September 24th

Nanaimo District @ John Barsby: The tenth annual Ray Kocher Classic rivalry game between these two South Nanaimo Schools will be played on Friday afternoon in Barsby's Canem Cage Stadium.  Each year, both teams bring their best to the dance and it is always played with tons of heart and enthusiasm. This game will be no different and will certainly have The Islanders well seasoned for divisional play ahead.  Barsby has been on a roll in all three phases of its game and is scoring points by the bushell. 

GI's Pick: Barsby by 20

Valleyview @ Moscrop: Valleyview has cut no corners in pre-season play.  Moscrop is huge and in year two of its wing-T attack.  This will be a battle with the outcome hinging on the health of the Vikings roster after two rough and tumble tilts to start the year.

GI's Pick: Valleyview in a small upset by 7

Salmon Arm @ NorKam: The Golds are banged up but battle tested.  A tough loss to Mt. Boucherie has em used to a close quarters grappling match but how much gas is left in the tank?  Norkam is ascendent and fresh.

GI's Pick: Norkam by 6

Abbottsford Collegiate @ Langley: OK, the victors of the year's first big upset tangle with conference foe Langley at Langley's house.  This will be a very, very close match-up athletically and schematically.  Abbottsford has serious esprit-de-corps momentum heading into the game and are getting their PAP together.  Langley cannot take this one off.

GI's Pick: The winner of this game will have an outside shot at the #4 playoff seed.  The loser is in trouble.  Abby by 7.

Rick Hansen @ Windsor: Yikes, the Hurricanes will roll into the Dukes court like a gentle breeze and will suffer the fate of most if not all of the Windsor AA opponents this year.  If you have ever watched those nature shows of a praying mantis methodically dismantling its unfortunate prey, you get a picture of what the Duke offense is going to do.  Defensively, the Dukes will be sound underneath their cover three tent.  Hansen will play hard and be well coached, they are just sitting at the table with a poker pro holding a bad hand.

GI's Pick: Windsor by 22

Pitt Meadows @ Handsworth: This is going to be a fun one!  Will the blitz happy and energetic Pitt Meadows crew be able to squeeze off the Handsworth Toss, Counter, Bootleg game.  Look for the Royals to be hitting em fast and hard inside looking to pop big runs as the blitze washes over.  There are going to be big plays offensively for the Royals interspersed with some negative yardage plays as the Marauders hit paydirt with their attacking defense.  I reckon a screen or two will be thrown as well.  Defensively, the Royals will be all over the deep pass and will pick-off more than one while forcing Pitt to run and chuck the short stuff.  Turnovers will be decisive and Pitt cannot afford to let Handsworth get off to a quick start.

GI's Pick: Handsworth by 16

PGSS @ College Heights: College Heights has been on the road battling across the province since zero week.  PG has taken homebound approach.  The Cougars can only have improved week to week thus far with many kinks ironed out of their scheme.
GI's Pick: College Heights by 14

Correlieu @ Kelley Road: Kelley Road has been playing a lot of football these past three weeks.  Correlieu has not.  The northern Roadrunners will send the Quesnel crew kicking rocks and mumbling back down the highway.

GI's Pick: Kelley Road by 24

Gulf Islands @ Timberline: Timberline is 0-2, but has played increasingly tough competition the past two weeks.  The Wolves have to figure out how to stop the run if they expect to minimize a run happy Scorpion Offense.  I think two weeks of experience will stand them in good stead.

GI's Pick: Scorpions have a lot of summer rust.  Timberline by air wins by 14


Saturday, September 25th

South Delta @ Holy Cross (AAA): Holy Cross will be too physical for the Sundeviles en route to a convincing victory in all phases of the game.  A loss to AA newcomer Abbottsford Collegiate has the Sundevils reeling a bit though it did look like there were some key Sundevil starters out of uniform on Friday.

GI's Pick: Holy Cross by 28

W.L. Seaton @ Kalmalka: There is simply very little known about either team.  GI is going to leave it as a phantom game and ask that readers from the Vernon area post some thoughts on the comments section.
GI's Pick: ????

Dutchess Park @ Westsyde: Dutchess Park ought to switch their name from the Condors to the "Road Warriors".  Three weeks of travel will certainly stand this group in good stead and provide a profound sense of identity!  Both schools are similar in size so the athletic match-up will be pretty even.

GI's Pick: Dutchess Park by 7

STMC (AAA) @ Mission: Game of the week here involving an AA squad.  Mission is the real deal and it has all the athletic and coaching pieces to not only compete with this traditional AAA powerhouse, but to win.  Lets face it, other than giant schools like Fox, Centennial and Mouat that combine great coaching/program organization year after year to go along with their draw of athletes and of course the athletes that show up at VC, the top teams in AA can play with and defeat much (maybe not all) of the  overhyped AAA window dressing out there.  Week after week this is evidenced each year in pre-season.

GI's Pick: Mission by 10

Clarence Fulton @ Mount Boucherie (AAA): The Bears have a good football team on their hands, no doubt about it.  Fulton is wise however to play them as this will help them prepare for the regular season at a winning level. 

GI's Pick: Mt. Boucherie by 21

Ballenas @ Sands: Mad respect and a big shout out to the Scorpions for their game vs AAA Centenial.  You guys took em to the mat and almost pulled it off!  Parksville's Whalers are in tough against the Scorpions and are going to have to do everything they can to finnesse their way around the Scorpion defense.  Sands will play its power ball game and the Whalers will likely substitute heavily and try to minimize shoving matches with plenty of fronts, stunts and blitzes.  Trick plays may be evidenced in this game as well.

GI's Pick: Sands is too strong, Scorpions by 28

Hugh Boyd @ Seaquam: A good old fashioned neighborhood dust-up this Saturday.  Seaquam will not be confused by shifts and motion and they have played a tougher pre-season.  At a visceral level, the Seahawks are the tough-guys in the match-up as well.  Bad day ahead for Troy.

GI's Pick: Seaquam by 24

Mark Isfeld @ G.P. Vanier: The Comox Valley Civil War.  Vanier has dominated this series over the years.  Little bro Isfeld has a pretty talented squad and the athletic differential is not as marked as in years past.  2010 is the year for the Ice.

GI's Pick: Isfeld by 3

Belmont @ Edward Milne: Belmont is much better than what last week's score would indicate.  They have also gotten two games against good competition under their belt.  Time to take it out on the crew that resides down the western road.

GI's Pick: Belmont by 20

Robert Bateman @ Howe Sound: Bateman has one of the top 3 running backs at any level of play in BC.  He is learning to play football and his supporting cast is developing around him.  Howe Sound will get run over like poorly armed infantry in front of a batallion of Abrams tanks.  Long day on the coast for the Sounders.

GI's Pick: Bateman by 34

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If sands scores more than 14 points against us this week I would be very suprised. Qatched the game film from last week. They didn't play that good centennial just played that bad.

Anonymous said...

whoever posted that is a fake. Ballenas has not watched the film yet...

Anonymous said...

Pretty Big statement there bud, I hope Sands run all over you