GI's Week Five Picks

WEEK FIVE

In some respects, it has felt like one of the longest of Septembers in 2011.  October is now here and so is meaningfull league play to go with it!  Everything counts now and this month willl be the one where a lot of playoff fates are determined.  We begin with a bang with the 11th annual Border Battle on The Island as the surging Ballenas Whalers pay a visit to arch-rival John Barsby.  Beyond this classic is going to be a slate of hard fought games each with big implications down the road.  Lets get it on!

A special note to this blog's readers:  This thing only gets better with your help.  GI needs photo's, game recaps, and you-tube video hi-lites.  E-mail me when you get yours up and it will get included.  The Border Battle is getting a lot of attention this week and we can do this for all the big games with your help.  Send in what you've got as it surely helps!!  Lets make the big time where we are!!

Week 4 Wrap-Up

Mission, Barsby, Seaquam, Bateman, Ballenas and Dutchess Park had big wins this past weekend and Vernon formally ended their little brother status with a historic victory over the much loathed Maroons of Fulton.  In Tier 2 Nanaimo District KO's their opponent scoring 42 pts and ending the game early in the second quarter while Timberline gave the scoreboard a stress test to remember vs the visiting Frank Hurt Hornets.  These two are on a collission course for the title game unless someone can get in their way.

AA Varsity Week Five Top Five

The Whalers Have Been Ripping It Up In 2011!

1.  Mission Roadrunners
2.  John Barsby Bulldogs
3.  Seaquam SeaHawks
4.  Handsworth Royals
5.  Ballenas Whalers

Tier 2 Varsity Week Five Top Five

Mean Green Lays The Smack-Down Friday Afternoon!

1.  Nanaimo District Islanders
2.  Timberline Wolves
3.  Howe Sound Sounders
4.  EJ Milne Wolverines
5.  Belmont Bulldogs

Timberline Juggernaut Kicks In To High Gear Saturday!

GI's Week Five Picks

Tuesday, 4 October

Dutchess Park @ PGSS:  Coming off of last this past weekend's upset of Nechako Valley the Condors now have the inside track to the top seed coming out of El Norte.  PGSS presents a hec of a big speed bump along the way but this crew is obviously on fire.  The Condors are playing solid defense and are opportunistic on the offensive side of the ball.  The gold and black will be a little too much for the big school up the road.

GI's Pick: Condors by 10

Friday, 7 October

Ballenas @ John Barsby:  The eleventh annual Border Battle will kick-off "In The Cage" at John Barsby Friday afternoon at 1:46 PM.  These arch rivals are playing great football right now with Ballenas being a failed 2pt. conversion vs AAA Centennial away from a perfect pre-season record.  The dynamic Whaler offense will run up against a Barsby defensive crew that has allowed eight points in four games.  This will be a true test for both units!  Defensively the Whalers have their hands full with the Dawg onslaught, but the Blue and Grey have a history of defending the Barsby Double Wing exceptionally well.  The kicking game is going to be absolutely huge and the Whalers can kick-off short or long with pin-point accuracy.  This game will be a classic that also will have immediate playoff ramifications.  Take nothing for granted here!!

GI's Pick:  Barsby by 6

Past Border Battle's

Whalers Win This One



Barsby Wins This One


Whalers Week 3 2011


Whalers Week 4

Barsby Week 2 2011



Border Battle 2011  It's Going To Be Epic!

Mark Isfeld (Tier 2) @ Edward Milne(Tier 2):  Both of these teams travelled to Nanaimo to play NDSS and Barsby respectively.  Milne survived intact, Isfeld did not.  Observing both games, it is clear that Milne has it together on both sides of the ball and has better athletes.  Nuff said.

GI's Pick: Milne by 34

Argyle (Tier 2) @ Nanaimo District (Tier 2):  Well Argyle, you are surely going to find out just how tough you guys are when you come a calling to the Mean Green this Friday.  Strap on your headgear because this one is going to be physical.  The Islanders are the complete package with perhaps the best kicking-game at any varsity level in BC.  This game will be played on a short field and the Islander offensive juggernaut will be chewing its way through the opposing defense early and often.  New team blues Argyle, new team blues.

GI's Pick: Islanders by 40

Frank Hurt (Tier 2) @ Moscrop(Tier 2):  Frank Hurt got totally shelled by Air-Wolf this past weekend and now travells a much shorter distance to play another pass oriented offense.  This game will be far closer than the Timberline affair and will be a real gut-check for the Hornets in terms of their ability to regroup and have a focused week of practice.  If not, they are on their last legs.  It's character time boys.

GI's Pick:  Moscrop by 17

G.P. Vanier (Tier 2)  @ Belmont(Tier 2):  This will be a close game and playoff seeding is definitely on the line here.  Belmont will enter the game having had a full two weeks to lick its wounds and refocus on the league play at hand.  Vanier has a huge itch to get a W for the program and some team confidence to go along with it.    Belmont can throw the ball quite well and the Towhees can pound it when they get in the groove.  This game is a tough one to call as it is tough to say if the Belmont crew will have its full roster at hand playing up to a good share of its potential.  I have to go with Belmont as I think they adjust better to what their opponent gives them on either side of the ball than does their foes.

GI's Pick:  Belmont by 6

Holy Cross @ Langley:  HC weathered the gauntlet of tough match-ups weeks 1-3 and was rewarded with a hard-fought victory against a tough Abbottsford squad.  This game will again emerge as a W for the Crusaders and by a much bigger point spread than last week.  This crew is getting better with each game played and will hang some big points up on the board as their offense gets in synch.  Langley is in tough in this one.

GI's Pick: Holy Cross by 24

Abbottsford Collegiate @ Rick Hansen: This will be a very good game to watch as these divisional rivals contest the inside track for one of the lower playoff seeds in the valley.  Both squads are coming off of losses this past weekend with Hansen by far playing the tougher opponent.  Look for the run game to be the decisive factor in this contest.  Abbey spreads it out and throws very well, Hansen is a lot more balanced and dynamic on offense.  I really like the physicality of the Panthers so this could boil down to who has legs in the late quarters.

GI's Pick: Hansen by 1

Handsworth @ Windsor:  Never mind the rosters, hec, the chess match between two of the all time AA coaching greats is going to be fun to watch.  All things equal, this game would be way too close to call, especially with each team coming off of two weeks preparation for the other.  All things this year are not equal however as Windsor rolls on the field with a blended JV/Varsity Crew and Handsworth a seasoned group of Varsity players.  Though he is very, very good, there just are not enough tricks and tweaks in Coach Schuman's playbook to handle the physical onslaught that Handsworth will bring at The Dukes.  There may be some moral victories for the Green and Gold, but not on the scoreboard

GI's Pick: Handsworth by 26

Kalamalka @ Okanagen Mission:  Big, big game in the Interior!  Kalmalka has the athletes to win this one and will pull away rapidly in the mid-second quarter.  OKM is going to have to slow this game down any way it can, particularly by using some ball control, clock eating offense and a few trick plays to get on the board.  The kicking game will be big and turnovers even bigger.

GI's Pick: Kalamalka y 20

Vernon @ NorKam:  Vernon's big boys are on the road to play the Saints at home.  The Panthers are surely on an up year and they won't break stride en route to taking another step closer to the playoffs.

GI's Pick: Vernon by 23

Nechako Valley @ Correlieu:  The Vikings may have been reading their own press clippings last weekend or Dutchess Park is really that good.  In either case, it is Correlieu's bad luck that they are Vanderhoof's rebound game on the 2011 schedule.  It won't be a nice day in Quesnel.

GI's Pick:  Nechako Valley by 34

Kelley Road @ College Heights: Two teams that bookend the city of Prince George Geographically.  Two teams headed in different directions.   Kelley Road is getting itself on a playoff trajectory.  College Heights is working its way through a tough, but developmentally important year.

GI's Pick:  Roadrunners by 18

Clarence Fulton @ Valleyview: This is going to be a very closely matched slugfest up in Kamloops.  I thing the perimeter running game will be the story here.  Fulton has one and Valleyview doesn't.  Can the Vikings keep their edge and turn this game into a slobber-knocker between the tackles?  Who's defense is going to get lazy and stunned by PAP?  Kicking game will be huge.  A consistent short field for one team's offense will be hard for its opponent to surmount.

GI's Pick: Fulton by 10

Mission @ Pitt Meadows: Two spread offenses, two pistol alignments, two vastly different rosters in terms of depth, size and speed.  Mt. Douglas was a tough game to play (kudos for playing it!), this game is going to be a lot worse for Pitt.

GI's Pick:  Mission by 48

Saturday, 8 October

South Kamloops @ Mt. Baker:  SKS is feeling its oats.  Baker is at the bottom of a long uphill slope towards being competitive.  SKS will run to daylight all day long.

GI's Pick: Titans by 40

Sexmith (Alberta) @ Dutchess Park: Sexmith is a very accomplished Alberta Football Program and the Condors are in what I would term as early football adolescence.  This will be a great growing game for Dutchess Park and it is very good to see the nexus of BC and Alberta programs on the field.  This said, the Sabres are going to dice up some bird in a game that ironically, is on Thanksgiving weekend.

GI's Pick: Sabres by 36

South Delta @ Seaquam:  I like this game.  Similar rosters in terms of size and speed.  South Delta throws the ball very, very well and Seaquam likes to ground and pound.  If there is wind and rain, it could be a long afternoon for SD.  Fair conditions and we have a game on our hands.  Overall, Seaquam is really playing good ball these days and they will surely bring their best to this home game.

GI's Pick: Seaquam by 16

Howe Sound (Tier 2)  @ Eric Hamber (Tier 2):  Howe Sound has really been slugging it out with folks these past four weeks and I believe them to be my pick as the number two playoff seed coming off the mainland when the playoff dance begins in earnest.  Hamber is learning the game.  It is going to be a tough afternoon for them.

GI's Pick: Howe Sound by 40

Gulf Islands(Tier 2)  @ Timberline (Tier 2):  Gulf Islands has yet to play a game in 2011.  Timberline has played four and is scoring points by the bushell.  Gulf Islands is a perfect study in why we should have eight or nine man football in BC.  They would be a powerhouse in that game.  Not this one.

GI's Pick: Timberline wraps the scoreboard and there is still 40 pts to zero on it.

Air Wolf ...These Guys Warm-Up By Throwing a Bucket of House Flies on the Field and Catching Them All!