The Birdie volunteers to campaign for A-K Valley bubble teams

By: The Birdie
Thursday, October 22, 2020 | 5:53 PM

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Last Week: 8-1 (89%)

Overall Record: 49-9 (84%)

It’s WPIAL football bracketology time as teams head into their final week of the regular season, and the Birdie was on the case first thing Monday morning.

With games being canceled because of covid-19 in recent weeks, the WPIAL football steering committee decided it would need to select certain playoff teams. Seeing that he is the A-K Valley’s best prognosticator, the Birdie thought he was a shoo-in to be placed on the steering committee.

“I mean, if those guys were smart, they’d definitely bring me in,” the Birdie said. “They gotta have the best on the board to get it right, and I’ll take that thing to a whole new level.”

The WPIAL football steering committee will have a few tough choices, too. After the Apollo-Ridge vs. Serra Catholic game got canceled last week, the Vikings and the Eagles both could stay undefeated.

So who would win the Allegheny Conference?

According to the WPIAL, no one, and the Birdie isn’t too happy about it.

“How do you not crown a conference champion?” the Birdie asked a stringer who was the victim of his weekly rant. “That just doesn’t make sense. There has to be some type of tiebreaker or a way to crown a champion. Just another reason I should be on the committee. I can be the one to make those tough decisions.

“Best press box food wins.”

A lot of A-K Valley teams seem to be on the bubble, meaning they would need a wild-card selection to get into the playoffs.

“The A-K Valley teams need an advocate. There’s some good football being played up here this season,” the Birdie said. “I mean, look at Springdale. They were a few plays away from taking down Jeannette and punching their ticket to the playoffs. Now they need to hope everyone knows how good they are.”

After missing two games due to a coronavirus exposure, Freeport could be in the same situation. If the Yellowjackets lose to North Catholic on Friday and East Allegheny wins, the two teams could be tied for second.

“Let me tell you what, I didn’t do them justice earlier in the season, but you can put me on the Freeport bandwagon right now,” the Birdie said.

Brackets will be revealed at 7 p.m. Saturday on TribLive HSSN, and you know the Birdie will be watching intently.

“As soon as I see something I don’t like I’m calling Don, mid-show I don’t care,” he said. “We’re tight. He’ll pick up.”

With that being said, the Birdie made his Week 7 picks.

• Freeport (3-1, 3-0) at North Catholic (6-0, 5-0): Could the Yellowjackets push the Trojans in their regular season finale? The Trojans will be their toughest test yet and will come out on top despite a big game from sophomore quarterback Ben Lane. North Catholic in a close one. Trojans, 28-24

• North Hills (2-2, 2-4) at Fox Chapel (2-2, 2-4): The Foxes are ready to roll to a third victory after losing to Penn Hills last Friday. Look for Fox Chapel to go big to end the season on the right foot. Fox Chapel, 28-21

• Pine-Richland (5-0, 4-0) at Kiski Area (2-3, 1-3): The Rams have been blowing teams out all season long, and it continues Friday. Pine-Richland, 35-7

• Armstrong (3-3, 3-3) at Plum (6-0, 6-0): Plum is a game away from an undefeated regular season, but the WPIAL’s leading passer stands in the way. If the Mustangs can limit Cadin Olsen through the air, they’ll take it easily. Plum, 35-21

• Greensburg Salem (1-5, 1-5) at Highlands (3-3, 3-3): The Golden Rams are riding high after a last-second victory over Armstrong, and they are trying to get into the playoffs. There won’t be a letdown in Natrona Heights this week. Highlands, 28-14

• Knoch (0-6, 0-6) at Hampton (4-2, 4-2): Hampton will finish off its season with another victory and hand the Knights a defeated season. Hampton, 28-10

• Burrell (2-4, 2-3) at Central Valley (6-0, 4-0): Central Valley is on course to do great things, and the train won’t stop against Burrell. Central Valley, 55-21

• Valley (2-3, 1-3) at East Allegheny (4-1, 2-1): East Allegheny is a top team in Class 3A, and it will show why against the Vikings on Friday. East Allegheny, 35-7

• Apollo-Ridge (4-0, 2-0) at Steel Valley (1-4, 2-0): Back from an unexpected week off, the Vikings are ready to finish off their regular season with another win. Apollo-Ridge, 42-14

• Bishop Canevin (3-3, 2-3) at Riverview (0-6, 0-6): The Raiders are looking to avoid a defeated season, but Bishop Canevin will just be too strong in this one. Bishop Canevin, 28-14

• Leechburg (3-3, 3-3) at Imani Christian (1-5, 1-5): The Blue Devils are looking for their first winning season since 1991, and Imani Christian won’t stand in their way. Leechburg 42-21

• Springdale (5-1, 5-1) at Clairton (5-0, 5-0): Another big matchup for the Dynamos. They again could prove they belong with the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but Clairton is one of the top teams in the state. Clairton, 35-21

• South Allegheny (3-3, 3-3) at Deer Lakes (0-6, 0-6): It was no secret the Lancers were going to have to go through a down year. It continues on Friday against Antonio Epps and the Gladiators. South Allegheny, 42-0

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Bishop Canevin, Burrell, Central Valley, Clairton, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Hampton, Highlands, Imani Christian, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, North Catholic, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Plum, Riverview, South Allegheny, Springdale, Steel Valley, Valley