Chicks Picks – Week Four – 2012

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, September 20, 2012 | 12:28 PM

Welcome to Week 4 of the high school football season.  After hearing of the West Shamokin win over Riverview Friday night that ended a WPIAL record 45-game losing streak, Chick’s Picks knew this was cause for celebration.  She contacted her people in Rural Valley, PA, offering to throw a party for the victorious Wolves in honor of their win.  The plans were in place, so Chick’s Picks hopped in her car and headed north to kick off the festivities.

When she arrived at Wolf Drive, however, Chick’s Picks was surprised to find not a single partygoer.  She wandered around the grounds, looking for any sign of life, only to find The Wolf, gathering some supplies from the storage shed.  Chick’s Picks approached the West Shamokin mascot—a rather intimidating fellow—and asked what had happened to the party.  The Wolf informed Chick’s Picks that the team had gotten word that she had, in fact, picked Riverview to defeat the Wolves.  So, they had decided instead to celebrate with The Birdie—the self-proclaimed legendary high school football prognosticator from the Valley News Dispatch.

Insulted that she had been passed over for a newbie prognosticator, Chick’s Picks packed up her party supplies and went home to tally up this week’s winning percentage.  After a 49-16 (75%) performance, Chick’s Picks’ season record stands at 152-47 (76%).

Agree with her picks?  Disagree?  Chick’s Picks wants to hear from you!  Be sure to follow her on Twitter @ChicksPicksMSA.  Don’t forget to tweet your scores to us @MSASports or use #MSAScores!

Here are this week’s big games:

CLASS AAAA
McKeesport (1-2) at #9 Penn-Trafford (2-1)

The Warriors broke into the Top 10 this week after knocking off Altoona last week, 21-14.  The Tigers picked up their first win of the season, 26-7, over Norwin.  This week’s Foothills Conference matchup pits Penn-Trafford QB Dorian Stevens against McKeesport QB Eddie Stockett.  Stevens and Stockett share similar styles, with both able to get it done through the air and on the ground.  Stevens has 198 passing yards and 184 rushing yards.  Stockett, an Akron recruit, has 296 passing yards, and 211 yards on the ground.  These two also lead their respective teams in rushing.  The Tigers got off to a rough start this season, dropping their first two games to Hempfield and Woodland Hills.  When these two met last season, Penn-Trafford got away with a 17-13 win.  Chick’s Picks thinks that Stockett will get his Tigers back on track this time around.
McKeesport over Penn-Trafford

CLASS AAA
#3 Thomas Jefferson (3-0) at #10 Trinity (2-1)

The Hillers routed Albert Gallatin last week, 54-0, to earn a spot in the MSA Sports Top 10.  Their reward?  A visit from the #3 Jaguars, who blanked Hollidaysburg, 55-0.  Thomas Jefferson is led by QB Joe Carroll, who ranks atop Class AAA with 587 passing yards and 12 touchdowns.  Trinity will rely on RB Patrick Frey to generate offense for the Hillers.  Frey has 335 rushing yards and three touchdowns so far this season.  The Jaguars’ offense is averaging 39 points per game—second in Class AAA only to West Mifflin.  The Hillers’ only loss this season came to Knoch, 40-7 in Week 2.  When these two met last season, Thomas Jefferson came away with a 28-7 victory.  Chick’s Picks thinks the perennial power Jaguars will makes sure this Hillers Top 10 stint is short-lived.
Thomas Jefferson over Trinity

CLASS AA
#8 Beaver Falls (3-0) at #4 Beaver (3-0)

Beaver hosts Beaver Falls for an early-season Midwestern Conference showdown Friday night.  Last week, the Tigers throttled Ellwood City, 43-7, while the Bobcats edged Freedom, 21-14.  Beaver Falls QB Dan Stratton ranks among the best in Class AA, with 411 passing yards and five touchdowns.  Beaver’s strength is in its running game, led by Darian Bradley.  His 10 touchdowns tie him for the most in Class AA, alongside Washington’s Shai McKenzie.  The Tigers’ defense has been impressive, allowing only 13 points in their first three games.  When these two met last season, Beaver Falls blanked Beaver, 18-0.  Chick’s Picks loves the old adage that defense wins games, which means the Tigers prevail in this one.
Beaver Falls over Beaver

CLASS A
#1 Clairton (3-0) at #5 Monessen (3-0)

The defending champion Bears travel to Monessen Thursday night to take on the Greyhounds in a Black Hills Conference showdown of epic proportions.  Clairton is coming off a 54-6 rout of California.  The win marked number 600 in school history for the Bears, and also their 50th consecutive victory.  Monessen topped Fort Cherry, 49-20.  The Greyhounds and Bears both boast powerful offenses, averaging 42 points per game.  Monessen is led by QB Chavas Rawlins, a WVU recruit, who is a dual threat with 350 passing yards and 201 rushing yards.  Clairton veteran Tyler Boyd, another D1 recruit, has 228 rushing yards and eight touchdowns already this season.  The Bears were tested in Week 1, escaping Chartiers-Houston with a 22-20 victory.  Chick’s Picks thinks that surviving that scare gave the Bears the boost they need to roll the remainder of the regular season.
Clairton over Monessen

CLASS AAAA:

Foothills Conference
Gateway over Altoona
Hempfield over Kiski
Latrobe over Norwin

Northern Eight Conference
North Hills over Butler
Central Catholic over Fox Chapel
North Allegheny over Pine-Richland

Southeastern Conference
Bethel Park over Canon-McMillan
Mount Lebanon over Baldwin
Upper St. Clair over Penn Hills
Woodland Hills over Plum

Non-Conference
Seneca Valley over Connellsville
Peters Township over Shaler

CLASS AAA:

Big Nine Conference
Belle Vernon over Elizabeth Forward
Ringgold over Uniontown
West Mifflin over Albert Gallatin

Greater Allegheny Conference
Franklin Regional over Greensburg Salem
Mars over Highlands
Knoch over Hollidaysburg
Indiana over Derry

Parkway Conference
Central Valley over Blackhawk
West Allegheny over Hopewell
Montour over New Castle
Moon over Ambridge

Non-Conference
Hampton over Laurel Highlands
Chartiers Valley over Ellwood City

CLASS AA:

Allegheny Conference
East Allegheny over Deer Lakes
Freeport over Valley
Shady Side Academy over Burrell
Kittanning over Summit Academy

Century Conference
Quaker Valley over Keystone Oaks
Seton-LaSalle over Steel Valley
South Park over South Allegheny
South Fayette over Burgettstown

Interstate Conference
Greensburg Central Catholic over Waynesburg
Jeannette over Brownsville
Mount Pleasant over Charleroi
Washington over Yough

Midwestern Conference
Aliquippa over New Brighton
Mohawk over Riverside

Non-Conference
Ford City over Southmoreland
Freedom over McGuffey

CLASS A:

Big Seven Conference
Sto-Rox over Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Rochester over South Side
Union over Western Beaver
Neshannock over Shenango

Black Hills Conference
Bishop Canevin over California
Carlynton over Serra Catholic
Brentwood over Fort Cherry
Chartiers-Houston over Imani Christian

Eastern Conference
Apollo-Ridge over Leechburg
Avonworth over West Shamokin
Northgate over Wilkinsburg
North Catholic over Riverview

Tri-County South Conference
Beth-Center over Bentworth
Frazier over West Greene
Mapletown over Geibel
Jefferson-Morgan over Avella

Non-Conference
Springdale over Laurel
Carmichaels over Vincentian Academy

PITTSBURGH CITY LEAGUE:

University Prep over Brashear
Allderdice over Westinghouse
Perry over Carrick

Tags: Beaver, Beaver Falls, Clairton, McKeesport