FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD (Updated All Weekend)

Hayek, Keegan and Agrifolio too much for MoHills

West Essex 27 - Morris Hills 6

What can you say? It was too hard for Morris Hills to come back from a 20-0 deficit in the first quarter. Dan Keegan was the early spark plug, dashing for a 48 yard gain on the second play of the game. He finnished with 78 yards on the ground. Hayek carried the ball for 90 yards and two TD's (big suprise!). Agrifolio, who I think is the best all around athlete on the team, added two more TD's.

The big suprise here is where was Morris Hills? I picked Wessex to win it, but only in a nail biter. MoHills was never in this one.

Hey, you know what? Two teams play and somebody has to win. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the better team. Morris Hills had just a great season. All of their boys They have nothing to be ashamed of. You got to love their cast of characters (Justin D., Mirabella, Kellner, Dudek, etc). Great season guys! Hey 10-2 is something to hang your hat on. Only a few teams in the state get to play in Giants Stadium and you were one of them.

But what can you say about my boys? The West Essex Knights. Big bad Anthony Hayek and all. You guys just had a great season! You truely were the New England Patriots of the Iron Hills Conference this year. You didn't let up more than one TD in any game and had 12 shut outs or something like that. Let me tell you, going 12-0 is no easy feat.

And you have to give major props to Coach Drozjock for an oustanding career so far. He has 4 State Titles out of the last 6 tries. What are they feeding those kids in Caldwell? (don't answer that)

Big congrats to both teams on having such great seasons. And way to go West Essex and congradulations on a fabulous season!!!

E.O. 31 - Montclair 13

I don't want to say "I told you so, but I told you so." Harvey had three TD's and this game was never in Montclair's control. Great job E.O. on a great season!

West Side 20 - So. Plainfield 0

West Side learned real quickly that as soon as you start winning championships that you get some un-invited hanger ons as Newark Mayor comes out of the wood work to congradulate the Rough Riders. Anothony Basker threw for one TD and they got two more on the ground from Cox and Quallis. Qualis was actually for 69 yards. Congrats West Side!!!

Hunterdon Central 23 - Piscataway 13

Hey I am actually glad Hunterdon beat Piscataway. Only because Fakehead's wife's old boyfriend went there. Congrats Hunterdon!

Don Bosco 42 - St. Peter's Prep 14

Will Hill stretches for a TD after a 7 yard run. He also threw a 70 yarder to Oliver on a 80 yard pass. But Don Bosco was too much as Jones ran for two TD's (19 and 41 yarders), Romain added another on a 1 yard punch and Proscia added two more as well (one 20 yard reception and another on a 29 yard interception return). I thought Will Hill and company could hang in there a little better but Bosco is just too good. They won their second straight title and also won their 24 game in a row. Great season to both teams and good luck to Hill at Florida. Congrats to Bosco!!!

Wayne Hills 27 - Wayne Valley 7

Dan DeCicco and Carlton Marcin combind for 157 yards on the ground to win the State Title and also win their 40th game in a row. These seniors never lost a varsity football game in the four years they have been at the school. Both teams had just great seasons and I tip my hat off to both squads. Congrats to Wayne Hills!!!

Paterson Catholic 28 - Morristown Beard 7

Colin Larmond and Mike Betz were out played by the mighty Paterson Catholic. Too much talent on the other side of the ball. Larmond now can focus on working out for B.C. Paterson Catholic's Wayne Mack and company just did what they did all season. Congrats Pat Cat!

ALL PHOT CREDITS GO TO WWW.NJ.COM.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTIONS (All North Jersey and some South Jersey)

Well, it is that time of the week again. Time to check out who Unruly Jets Fan thinks is going to win this week's football games. So far in the playoffs, I am 10 for 13 games. So basically if bet $100.00 on each game I predicted you would have $700 dollars in your pocket right now, minus bookie fee's. Not that I condone gambling in any way. In fact, I think betting on football is the devil's workshop. Betting on H.S. football games buys you a one way ticket to hell. So don't do it. Ever. But if you cannot resist the urge, you've come to the site that gives the best advice.

OK, back to reality here. I am really excited! This is the last week of high school football and there are some terrific match-ups across the state of New Jersey. This is what dreams are made of here. This is like March Madness for high school football.

I have gone out of the bounds of the Iron Hills Conference and basically am giving my predictions for all of the State Championship games for all of North Jersey.

And I have a VERY special treat for this post. I have included commentary from every body's favorite, Fakehead. Believe me, this post has some vintage Fakehead too. Val Halla will also weigh his opinion on these match-ups.

**DISCLOSURE: All commentary and predictions are all in good fun and not intended to offend or discriminate anyone. All of the writers wish all the boys good luck this weekend and hope they all build some great memories. Also, please do not be offended by Fakehead. He was just released from jail.***

GAME OF THE WEEK (North 2, Group 2 State Finals)

Morris Hills (10-1) vs. West Essex (10-1)

The Iron Hills Conference always comes up with a way to put some juice into the State Finals. This weekend the North 2, Group 2 Finals will pin the 10-1 Morris Hills Scarlet Knights vs. the 10-1 Knights of West Essex. (Photo courtesy of the Daily Record)

What makes this match-up so great is that it is really hard to predict a winner. Both teams have very good coaching staffs and are loaded with talent. They actually played each other earlier this year at the fourth game of the season. West Essex basically man-handled MoHills, beating them 28-7. But that was eons ago and a lot has happened since. So we will need to dig deeper into theses to teams to see what we come up with. Lets analyse this game piece by piece:

QUARTERBACK: Anthony Romandetto is West Essex's signal caller. He has thrown for 506 yards and 5 TD’s. He’s also added 318 rushing yards and another 4 rushing TD’s. He is really the glue that holds the offense together. Even though Wessex relies mostly on Anthony Hayek and Andrew Cross to carry their running game, Romandetto has been clutch when he needed to be. I actually saw him pick apart Mendham when the Minutemen had shut down their running game. Without some heads-up plays by Romandetto, I don’t see them winning that game.

But Dan Kellner is a real QB and gets it done with his arm and his feet. He has been playing varsity ball since his freshman year. He has been the starting QB for two years. During his tenure at head man, he has thrown for over 3,000 yards. That is a great feat for an offense that throws a lot. But Kellner threw for all those yards in a Wing-T offense.
ADVANTAGE: Morris Hills

RUNNING BACK: Morris Hills has three running backs Justin Doniloski, Derric Torres and Colin Be. Each one of these guys would be a starting running back at any other school in the conference. Colin Be actually lines up at full back in the Wing-T while Torres and Justin D. are the halfbacks. What is so dangerous about this set up is that all three can rush for 100 yards easily. In fact, any two of them can get a 100 yards on any given Sunday (or Saturday for that matter). Last week both Be and Doniloski rushed for over 100 yards a piece.

But West Essex has arguably the most feared player in the league in Anthony Hayek. Even when you say his name you start to year the music starts when Darth Vader comes on the screen in Star Wars. Last time these two met, Hayek ran for 235 yards and 3 TD’s. Hayek is just that good. But it doesn’t end there for Wessex. They also have Andrew Cross actually has more rushing yards than Hayek this year (mainly because Hayek missed two games). Cross is the lighting to Hayek's thunder.
ADVANTAGE: West Essex

WIDE RECEIVER: Wessex has probably the most explosive receiver in the conference in Mike Agrifolio. He has 21 catches for 309 yards and 2 receiving TD’s. He also added another 380 yards and 6 TD’s on the ground. When MoHills makes their game plan, this is one guy they cannot forget about. He has the break out speed that can change a game in an instant.

Morris Hills has Doug Dudek, also known has "Mr. Everything". Dudek just has a knack for always being at the right place and is always involved in the big plays. He is got the speed and the hands to be a First Team All Conference player (which I guarantee he will be). But he also has the brains and fire which makes him double dangerous. Plus, Kellner also has a big Target in Luke Mirabella who actually has more catches than Dudek. Mirabella is the Mark Bavaro of this team…except he can spell.
ADVANTAGE: Morris Hills

OFFENSIVE LINE: This is a tough one. Behind every high powered, high scoring team, there is an offensive line that gets no credit. You can say that about both these teams. The last time West Essex played Morris Hills, they ran for 434 collective rushing yards. That was all behind the front line of Anthony Bower, Paul Rundo and Dan Silverman..

But Morris Hills' front five is a major part of the success of the Wing-T. Nick Lusardi and John Ellis make up the tackles. Tim Drake, Eddie McClain and Joe Dodd make up the guards and center. Ellis is just a sophomore and has some really great speed. Also Matt Morotta lines up at TE to help out in blocking schemes. He is a really strong kid and is like putting two OT’s on one side. They also do a terrific job with pass blocking.
ADVATAGE: Morris Hills

DEFENSIVE LINE: Sophomore John Ellis lines up at the defensive line position along with Matt Morotta and Drew Ledet at the ends. Ellis can really move for a big man and junior Drew Ledet has made a name for himself this year. In fact, I am telling you right now that the 6’3” Ledet will be THE most feared DE in the league next year. He is tall but put 10 more pounds of muscle on this kid, watch out! But I am not taking away from what he is doing this year. He is nothing less than great. Next year, he will be sick (as the kids say)!

But, West Essex has a tough D-Line. Tom Bianchi and Anthony Bower completely disrupt opponent’s offensive game plans. The linebackers get most of the tackles and accolades, but this front four is the reason they have had 7 shut outs and no team has scored more than 7 points on them.
ADVANTAGE: West Essex

LINEBACKER: Bill Goble doesn’t get his name in the paper every week but he is a big reason why Morris Hills only gave up 79 points all year.

But, Sal Tobia, John Locascio (45 tackles) and Anthony Hayek are nuts and have about 500 tackles between them..
ADVANTAGE: West Essex

DEFENSIVE BACK: As I said, Mike Agrifolio is probably THE most explosive players in the conference. Put in Anthony Romandetto, Jared Rakotci and Dan Keegan and you have a fine defensive back field. In fact, put these guys together and you get 10 interceptions and a couple of fumble recoveries and even a blocked kick.

But Morris Hills gets the edge here with the teams two best athletes playing in the defensive backfield in Dudek and Kellner. You also have Joe Casale, who is also known has “Little Dudek”, who is just sophomore. Taran Singh also adds depth to the d-back position.
ADVANTAGE: Morris Hills

KICKING: If West Essex has a weak spot it is kicking. But when you score 29 points per game and you have had 7 shut outs and never let up more than 7 points, a missed extra point here or there doesn’t mean much.

As for Morris Hills, all I have to say is Cory Mundt, period. If the game is on the line, you want Cory Mundt with his foot on the ball.
ADVANTAGE: Morris Hills

COACHING: This is the 5th time out of the last six years that Coach David Drozjock had taken his West Essex Knights to the North 2, Group 2 Finals. He has three championship rings out of the last 5 tries. He has just a superb resume.

I believe Mike Sabo is an up-and-comer and will be here for a long time. Sabo is actually a former player for Morris Hills and brought them to the playoffs the last time they were there in 1989. Sabo has a lot of gusto and I see him putting Morris Hills on the map as a football powerhouse for years to come. But you cannot deny Drozjock’s Bellechick-esk coaching style. He is just running a heck of a program from top to bottom.
ADVANTAGE: West Essex

WHAT WEST ESSEX NEEDS TO DO: West Essex needs to establish their running game. If they can do that, they will put up their points. They cannot get away from their game plan and rely on Romandetto alone. Hayek, Cross and company need to do what they do best and that is run all over the field. Their defense cannot get lazy. Not that they have been. Like I said, 7 shut outs and not letting up more than 7 points in a game is freaking great. But they cannot get complacent. Morris Hills will take any opening they get. West Essex also cannot let this game get close. Morris Hills’ kicker Mundt is the “X-Factor” here if Wessex lets this game get too close. Lack of kicking was the only thing that handed Wessex their only loss this year. But basically, Wessex just needs to do what they have been doing all year and they will get their 4th ring in six years.

WHAT MORRIS HILLS NEEDS TO DO: MoHills needs to do a few things here. First, they need to relax. Get to Giants Stadium at like 6am, watch all the other State Final games and get all the butterflies out of their stomach. Secondly, they need to make tackles. In their first match up vs. Wessex, lack of tackling was a major problem. Thirdly, they have to stop the running game and force Wessex into throwing situations and let Dudek and Kellner play center field.

Realistically, I don’t see anyone stopping Hayek and Cross. But they can be slowed down. HP did it twice. Morris Hills’ game plan should be slow down those two and play mistake free football. If they can keep it relatively close, I see Morris Hills bringing Rockaway their first State Title in 75 years (or whatever it is) by way of Cory Mundt’s foot.

IN SUMMARY: This is one of the best match-ups I have seen in a long time. What makes this so intriguing is that there are so many factors you have to consider. Hayek is back but is he 100%? Can the young coach out wit Bill Belechick? Who will emerge as the State Champ of 2007? Watch and see
PICK: West Essex 18-15 in O.T.

Fakehead: Holy sh*t, I've seen less analysis about the f*cking Super Bowl. Here is the deal, although I have been rooting against them all year because they are so good, I have to submit and acknowledge that nobody is going to stop the train that is West Essex. While their QB is pretty good and doesn't make many mistakes, it is Hayek that the Mo Hills Crazy Hens have to look out for. (Not sure what their mascot is). Hayek came in for one f*cking play against HP and scored a TD. While I don't think he is 100% yet, his 87% is enough to beat most schools. But the West Essex Flying Monkeys, (what are they again?) have one of the best defenses in the State, whether or not Hayek is on the field. That is going to be tough to overcome for the Hills. Not to mention the fact they only scored one TD against WE the first time they met this year.
The one player I think could make a difference for the Hills? None other than "The Dude" Doug Dudek. He can beat on offense for a score and his defensive prowess makes him a threat to pick one off and run it back. Rumor is the Dude is also a very good bowler, and likes to hang with a crazy guy who wears sunglasses all the time.
Anyway, unfortunately for the Crazy Hens, I think the Flying Monkeys are going to win this one. I'm thinking it's going to be 24-15 in the end, with Mo Hills scoring a late TD to make it seem closer than it really will be. To be honest, I didn't see HP losing to anyone in the playoffs but the eventual state champs anyway.

Val Halla: I don’t care about all the hype. The bottom line is that when two teams of this caliber meet for a second time, the game becomes closer – always. West Essex is tough, but the soft underbelly of the Dragon was pierced by an inferior HP team. MoHills can exploit this gap and press it home if they can play sans mistakes.
PICK: Hills 14-13.

NORTH 1

Group 1 State Finals

Hasbrouk Hts (10-0) vs. New Milford (8-2)

Unruly: New Milfords only losses are from Hasbrouk Hts and Wood-Ridge. Hasbrouk Hts has been perfect so far, I don't see that changing it.
PICK: Hasbrouk Hts 21-10

Fakehead: Guess what? Nobody's perfect! Hasbrouk Heights is going down in my "Upset Special" of the week. The New Milford Wild Dogs have one thing on the mind, REVENGE. These kids are still sore over their loss to Hasbrouk Heights earlier in the year, (15-12 on 9/20) and they have waited for the rematch. Sure, the Heights Running Chickenheads are a tough team, but I think they are expecting to walk over the boys from the country and it's not going to happen. I think New Milford wins 12-7 in a close one. History favors New Milford, who beat the Heights in the 85 and 86 playoffs while Def Leopard was playing in the background.

Val Halla:
PICK: Hasbrouck, 21-14.

Group 2 State Finals

Pascack Valley (7-3) vs. River Dell (12-0)


Unruly: Pascack Valley lost to Ramsey, Northern Valley and Wayne Hills. Wayne Hills I could see, but they lose points for losing to Northern Valley and Ramsey. Plus River Dell has come too far to not finnish this one off. Consider this the ninth inning of a Yankee's World Series and River Dell is Mariano Rivera. They will close this one easily.
PICK: River Dell 25-7

Fakehead: I agree that River Dell is going to roll. They are stocked with offensive weapons (Dan Chiarello, Shane Fowler, Blake Crouch) and I don't see how Pascack Valley can keep up. River Dell 32-6. Maybe I'm just crazy, but where the hell is Pascack Valley? No offense to them, but I've never heard of it and I think the NJ State officials would look into whether or not it is even in NJ. Maybe it's in PA or something.

Val Halla: I don’t see PV putting up much of a fight here. Look out for the Steam Roller. The Pick: River Dell 21-7.

Group 3 State Finals

Wayne Hills (11-0) vs. Wayne Valley (11-0)


Unruly: Even if you are from Wayne, this one is tough to pick. Both teams just had great years making it to the State Finals with perfect records. Who will win? I say Wayne. Just kidding! Valley seems too big and fast. Plus they play to win and nothing else. Head coach Brian O'Conner brought is alma mater Hanover Park their first state title as a player in the early 90's. Plus they have some real players on the team, including a D1 material. With his experience and his teams talent, I see them bringing home the title to the valley.
PICK: Wayne Valley 12-7

Fakehead: "The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Hills Still Have Eyes" was the movie Sideshow Bob was hired to direct if you watched the Simpsons last Sunday. O'Connor must be doing something right at the Valley to have his team in the State Finals with an undefeated record. For those of you who don't know, I would guess that Unruly's No. 1 Job Choice besides authoring this blog and writing for the Mendham Bee is to be a High School Football Coach. The only problem is, a requirement for such a job is that you have to graduate high school (and not have any felony convictions) Keep working on that GED Unruly! ha ha

Seriously though, I think the Hills will win this one in a nail-biter, 7-6.

Val Halla: Unless you are a soccer player or your name is Rip Van Winkle, you know that this one is gonna be a down and out no holds barred, slap your mama backyard knife fight. This is the case study in why people play, watch, and come back to see their HS football teams.
PICK: (toss up?) Hills: 14-12.

Group 4 State Finals

E. Orange (10-1) vs. Montclair (8-2)

Unruly: E. Orange's only loss came to a very good Morristown team. And QB Pendelton and WR Cunningham are just too talented and too much for Montclair. (Photo courtesy of the Daily Record)
PICK: E. Orange 24-14

Fakehead: I used to live in Montclair, so I think that alone warrants my prediction in their favor. But I have to say that East Orange is a very good football team, they beat Motown, who I thought was unstoppable. Of course, I don't know shit. If I had to go with places I'd rather live, it would be Montclair. Hmmmmm...... Montclair 14-7

Val Halla: I have to go with the underdog here. Despite their record, I think Montclair is better coached and more motivated, and will play smarter ball.
PICK: Montclair 21-17.

NORTH 2

Group 1 State Finals

Belvidere (9-1) vs. Cedar Grove (10-1)

Unruly: Cedar Grove just blew their perfect season against Verona in their annual Turkey Bowl. This happened a week after they beat Verona in the State Playoffs. The same thing happened 5 years ago and Cedar Grove ended up losing their State Final game. I see history repeating itself and in a bad way. I see Mr. Belvidere doing some real house cleaning in this game.
PICK: 42-24

Fakehead: Belvy is stacked on offense with QB Ian Schreffler, who threw for almost 2000 yards and 22 TDs. Let's not forget about Mike Mottola, who had over 1500 yards and 22 TDs as well. Cedar Grove is good and had a great season with Risimini and DiMattia (on O and D) but Belvy is going to win this one handily. Let's face it, Verona would have matched up better against Belvy and it's going to show this Sunday.
Belvy 38-17

Val Halla: A pissed off Cedar Grove Rebounds here.
PICK: Cedar Grove 21-10.

Group 3 State Finals

S. Plainfield (7-4) vs. West Side (9-2)

Unruly: Yusef Josef's spirit is alive and well in the West Side football team. Josef, a former West Side player who was shot in 2005 would have been a senior this year. Although he is physically on the team, he lives in the hearts of this team. Between Baskerville's arm, Aunt Kim's Mac & Cheese and Josef's spirit, West Side will be delivering a whooping to S. Plainfield. I am calling a total blow out. (Photo courtesy of the Daily Record) PICK: West Side 55-14

Fakehead: I have to go with West Side, they beat Motown and they have a ton of heart and are playing for something besides glory. Wow, I just sounded serious there for a minute. I want one of those tshirts with Josef's picture on it if they win. West Side 38-7

Val Halla: Sorry, Rules, I have to go with South Plainfield here. I don’t care if Newark lost a player during the season, SP is on a roll. I think SP is gonna play possessed because NO ONE has been picking them all season and they hate the media more than most folks hate Katie Couric.
PICK: South Plainfield, 21-14 OT.

Group 4 State Finals

Piscataway (11-0) vs. Hunterdon Central (10-1)

Unruly: Hunterdon Central only lost to Imaculata who is 11-0 and in the Group 3 Non-Public State Finals. Piscataway, well they are just good. This will be a battle to the end. But, I say the perfect team stays perfect.
PICK: Piscataway 19-14

Fakehead: My wife graduated from Piscataway and she played in the band there, along with her friends and her ex-boyfriend, who is a complete f*cking loser. To that end, I have to root for Piscataway only because my wife went there, not because the lame weird creepy ex-boyfriend went there. F him.
Piscataway 24-14

Val Halla:
PICK: Hunterdon, 20-14

NON-PUBLIC

Group 1 State Finals


Paterson Catholic (9-0) vs. Morristown Beard (6-4)

Unruly: Mo-Beard does have a player who signed a letter of intent to B.C. in wide out Colin Larmond. They may have a few more losses than Paterson Catholic but they play better teams.(Photo courtesie of the Daily Record)

PICK: Morristown Beard 21-20

Fakehead: What kind of f*cking preview is this? I learned more about this f*cking game on the back of my Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal box than I did with Unruly's "preview." I don't think they played on Turkey Day but I don't see Paterson losing to Morristown Beard. In fact, there is no chance, BC-bound player or not. No offense to Beard but I know some people who are actually retarded and graduated from there. Or was that Bailey Ellard? I can't remember. Come to think of it, HP wasn't stocked with geniuses either. Anyway, Paterson 21 - 8

Val Halla: Paterson Catholic stays perfect in yet another state final. Beard is WAY overrated and their QB has been on ice for too long to come out here and win. That being said, The Non-Publics need to be condensed into 3 or 2 groups only, for playoffs at least.
PICK: PC, 21-7.

Group 2 State Finals
Holy Cross vs. Gloucester

Unruly: Not sure about these teams but I am going with Holy Cross because they just seem like a much better team. Plus they are bigger and faster. And they have a guy who runs a 4.3 forty. Plus Gloucester's team never lifted weights in the off season. OK, I just made all that up. But I am still going with Holy Cross.
PICK: Holy Cross 40-2

Fakehead: What is this South Jersey? Who cares. I refuse to make a prediction.

Val Halla: 4.3 forty?? BS. You are putting me on: Deion Sanders ran a 4.29; Santana Moss 4.35. Still, I got Holy Cross over Gloucester ‘cause Gloucester lost their Turkey day game.
PICK: H.C., 28-14

Group 3 State Finals

Holy Spirit (10-0) vs. Imaculata (11-0)


Unruly: Holy Spirit should go to confession for all the score running up they had done all year. Here are some of the "points for" they had this year: 70, 55, 61, 48, 47. They clearly have been running up the score on teams this year. Which, to be honest, I am all for. Why hold back your team? It is fun for the team and builds confidence. Who cares if it upsets the other team. They should be punnished for sucking so bad. By the way, the coach of Holy Cross told me that. But Imaculata isn't perfect either. And they must have gone to the same Catholic grade school which teaches to not only murder your opponents, but stab them after their dead 500 times and then play soccer with their heads. All of Imaculata's games have been complete blowouts too. I don't know what to say, besides so will just pick.
PICK: HOLY SPIRIT 82-76

Fakehead: I prayed to God and asked him to give me advice as to who would win this game. God told me to go F myself and pray for something more important. So, without any input from the Man Upstairs, I am going to have to go with the Immaculata Holy Rollers in this one. Holy Spirit is going to be punished for running up the score all year, I think it says that in the Book of Job or something. "Thou shall not run up thy score against sh*tty opponents." Let's face it, the real reason why I am picking Imac is because teams like the New England Patriots run up the score, and I hate them with a passion. Seriously though, nothing against the kids at Holy Spirit, I'm only kidding, but I see Imac winning 38-30.

Val Halla: Unruly you are Crazy. The Pope doesn’t care about running up scores against other Catholic schools. Besides, Immaculata has a winning team now.
PICK: Holy Spirit, 28-21.

Group 4 State Finals

Don Bosco (11-0) vs. St. Peter's Prep (10-0)

Unruly: This is basically the BCS championship game. Whoever wins this game is the State's number one team. Both these teams are completely stacked and both have real schedules. This game would be hard to pick for most people but I am going with Will Hill and St. Peter's. Will Hill committed to Florida a month ago and wants to just bring his Jersey City team a little love before he goes.
PICK: St. Peter's 20-17

Fakehead: Will Hill is a great player and he is going to a great college football school. That being said, I can't stand Florida ever since I laid eyes on Yanik Noah, or whatever the f*ck that guy's name is. You know, the basketball player who thought he was the sh*t with that f*cking hair? Somebody should have taken him by his hair and thrown him on the ground. That somebody would have to be a tall motherf*cker though. I wanted that guy and the University of Florida to lose every sporting match since I saw Noah play. How the hell did Florida become national champs in two sports in the same year? It boggles my mind. What happened to "The U?" Florida State has been on the decline for years, but Florida? I do like their Mascot though.

So what was I doing again? Oh yeah, a prediction. Well, this is the game of the year, no question. Does St. Peter's College have a football team? If they do they should try to recruit some of the Prep players. I wonder if I am the first person suggesting that, but it seems to me that the Prep team is pretty damn good. Regardless, nothing against Will the Thrill Hill but because I dislike Florida I am going with Don Correllone Bosco in this one, 23-20.

Val Halla: Will Hill. Whatever. I could out play him on my worst day in H.S. Pretty soon he’ll be saying, “just gimme the damn ball”, like our illustrious former Jets talent. Bosco gets payback.
PICK: Bosco, 29-28.

MORE FROM FAKEHEAD: Finally, Unruly neglected to mention Asbury Park (10-1) v. Keansburg (10-1); Rumson (9-2) vs. Carteret (8-3); West Deptford (9-2) vs. Point Pleasant Boro (10-1); and Paulsboro (9-2) vs. Glassboro (11-0). I'll say a few words about these games:

Asbury Park v. Keansburg:

I don't see how Asbury Park loses this one, simply because AP is where Bruce Springsteen used to hang, and that is all that matters to me. The man is a legend. I don't even know where the fuck Keansburg is. Regardless, another reason why AP is going to win is because they dominated Keansburg last time the teams met (this year) 42-26 and Keansburg is going to have problems stopping the Wing-T offense AP deploys. Keansburg just got their top runningback back from an injury (Justin Laguna) and he should help, but it won't be enough.
Asbury Park 34-14

Rumson v. Carteret

Speaking of Bruce Springsteen, I think he lives in Rumson (or Colts Neck, one of the two), so that is all I need to predict Rumson in this game. Not to mention the fact that Rumson knocked off a undefeated Holmdel in the playoffs to get to the championship game. Carteret is no slouch either though, having won 7 of 8 games and losing its 3 games by a combined score of 5 points (and knocking off a heavily favored Rahway). But Rumson is going to carry some "magic" into this game and win it in a close one, 14-8

Paulsboro v. Glassboro

Maybe my fact checker is wrong, but I think Unruly went to Rowan or Glassboro State for a semester or two. Either way, it was a disaster. Seriously though, Paulsboro's only losses this year were by forfeit since they played an ineligible player for those games. According to the Star Ledger, the players "papers were not filled out correctly." That means somebody is dumb or playing dumb at Paulsboro. Regardless, they were punished for their misdeeds and still made it to the championship. It looks like they have something to prove. Look out Unruly's alma mater, you are going down hard, 28-21

West Deptford v. Point Pleasant Boro

WD just lost to fucking Paulsboro by 14 points, and turnovers killed them. While Mikey Carbone is a standout on defense, they better hope Point Pleasant doesn't find a way to put him in the meat truck for this game. (See Goodfellas if you don't understand). Point Pleasant has a decent option attack, but if the past serves as any predictor for the future then PP is in trouble, as WD has beat them in the playoffs 2 of the last three times they have faced each other (all in the last 5 years).

I think it's going to be close and I'll say PP wins it 38-27 just because my son likes the Boardwalk and South Jersey should be part of PA.

GOBBLE, GOBBLE!

Verona just played a game that they will remember for years to come. A week after losing to Cedar Grove in the sectional playoffs, Verona beats them in the annual Thanksgiving Game handing Cedar Grove their first loss of the season.

Verona, gave up a school record two saftey's, scored their only points on a 66 yard interception return for a final score of 7-4...and squashing Cedar Grove's hopes for perfection.

Cedar Grove heads back to the practice feild to prepare the State Finals vs. Mr. Belvidere. While Verona ends their season with a big fat collective smile on their face.

OTHER SHIZZLE:

-Mike Van Zile's proposal to get away from the Power Point system in HS football is up for a re-vote on December 3rd. It looks like there is a good chance that this could get passed. This basically will get rid of the BCS and go to a formal playoff system. Actually, this will make it so teams like Mendham who went 6-2 at the 8 game cut off would have an automatic playoff spot. If this does get passed, it will be amazing that the high school level can get a fairer system set in place faster than the NCAA for the college level.

-The battle for the state's number one team will be next weekend between Don Bosco Prep vs. St. Peter's Prep. Both teams are 11-0. Who will win? Don't know. But I will tell you what, this will be a great game. But my early prediction will be St. Peter's. I just can't see Florida commit, Will Hill be nothing less than spectacular...and I don't see him losing this one.

-Wayne Valley vs. Wayne Hills, both 11-0, will be another awesome State Finals game. I am not shy about picking Wayne Valley solely because Head Coach Brian O'Conner is a former Iron Hills star who played for Hanover Park and a '92 grad. He is also a former State Champ as a player when he helped the Hornets capture their first State Title in '90 vs. Rozelle in a 55-14 romp. O'Conner also had a fine college career at Boston College. He also had a short pro career before being over come by injuries.

-Me and my idiot friends had our annual Turkey Bowl yesterday. The only thing I can move right now are my fingers to write this article. But six of us showed up and we played a bunch of former Delbarton soccer players...who also happened to show up. Our team had its cast of characters. We had Fakehead, me, a 44 year old British guy, his two sons (who were covered in tatoos and nipple rings), and a Jewish guy who is known only by "Rothman". The team we played was made up of 22 and 23 year old Delby grads who were faster and in much better shape than us. We played to 13...touchdowns that is.

The game started and we were on fire. I ended up with 10 throwing TD's. Fakehead was his usual stellar self at WR, making his usual tough grabs. Rupert, the British guy pulled down two TD's and so did his sons. Even the Jew got into the action with a TD. In fact, all of our receivers had good days. We were beating the Delby boys most of the game until they figured out that all they had to do was hand it off to any one of their guys and score virtually at will. Actually they had one guy named Zach who was their powerhouse. The would hand it to him and he would break 50 yard runs every time. We called it the "Zach Attack" play. Zach was too much for us and we ended up losing 13 to 11.

But it was fun just the same...even though I will not be able to walk for the next month.

Stay tuned for our big State Final Prediction Post which will be coming out on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Monday Morning Notes

Well, well, well...what can I say, the playoffs are not for weak of heart. You Generation Y'ers are getting a taste of life here. This is not "everybody gets a trophy" any more. You kids are going to have to sit with the fact that some times life goes the other way. A team like Morristown knows just what I am talking about.

What a season! They hadn't had a loss since Week One. They make it all the way to the second round of the playoffs and Anthony Baskerville and West Side come in and pull the rug right away from them.

But what a week like this teaches you Y'ers is that adversity makes you stronger. Set backs make your mind tougher. Losses give you experience.

What West Side gave Morristown is a gift, not a loss. And given the fact that the core of that MoTown team is coming back next year, they will be reciprocating that gift to some poor sap team next year. It is called the Circle of Life. What is freely given to you, you freely give to the next guy.

As for Morris Hills, they came through when it counted. You really have to tip your hat off to them beating Chatham this week and making it to the State Finals. They beat some really good teams to get where they are now. They have a host of characters that make that team and a great leader in Sabo, the coach.

What is scaring me though is they are all concerned with playing at Giants Stadium, and don't seem to be focusing on the monster that looms in the Meadowlands, the West Essex Scarlet Knights. The Knights seemed to be the New England Patriots of the North 2, Group 2 section.

Can Morris Hills even play on the same field as Wessex? I don't know. We will find out. They have two weeks to prepare and good thing, they will need all that time. I hope their coaches believe in studying game tapes. Because I think they need to key in on Wessex weaknesses, however few their are.

As for E.O., they proved their are the real deal too in front of a bitter MoKnolls fan base. Knolls fans booed more than they cheered as E.O. moved to the State Finals in the North 1, Group 4 section. But can they play with the big boys of Montclair? Montclair will be by far their toughest opponent of the year.

There are a lot of question marks here. The good news is we have two whole weeks to talk smack about it!

OTHER SHIZZLE:

*Being a die hard Jets fan is like having an incurable disease. Every year, you think this is the year they will have a cure for it. But you are punished with constant disappointment. And even when they win like they did yesterday, you realize that they are actually ruining the chances of getting the top draft pick for next year. It is like a never ending nightmare.

*I think it is so stupid that schools do not have Thanksgiving Day football games. It is not stupid, it is un-American. I remember going to Thanksgiving Day games as a kid. It was just part of the day.

*So for the last 20 years, me and my idiot friends get together and play a game of tackle in the morning and we call it the Turkey Bowl. Then we spend the 4 weeks before xmas healing from being sore. Fakehead plays.

*We actually made a rule called the "Fakehead Rule". We actually named it by his real name but since we don't want our jobs to know that we spend 30 hours a week maintaining this site, we'll just call it the "Fakehead Rule". The "Fakehead Rule" was developed because Fakehead has a knack for making some really spectacular catches (a la Doug Dudek) on the sideline. Many times he was technically out of bounds when he caught the ball. But since Fakehead laid himself out to make the catch so bad that we always ended up giving his the the ball where he caught it. So we started calling it the "Fakehead Rule". Now, whenever anybody makes a good catch and it is iffy weather or not he was inbounds, we implement the Fakehead Rule. Any questions on it, just email me and I will clarify it better.

*I actually just emailed the NJSIAA to see if they would consider the Fakehead Rule for HS footall.

*I actually cannot wait for this year's Turkey Bowl. We might end up calling it the WOPS vs. the WASPS Bowl because half the guys will be Itialian and the other half will be White Anglo's.

*This video is classic Will Farrell and it needs to be shared and viewed by the readers of this blog.

SECOND ROUND PLAYOFF PICKS (And Analysis After the Games)

Ok, it is your favorite column of the week for all you problem gamblers. As most of you know who did take my advice last week, that I was a clean 8 for 8 in picking the Iron Hills Playoff winners. Ok, I was 7 for 8 but who is counting the Wessex vs. Madison game? I added a disclaimer when I gave that pick. I picked Madison with my heart not my gut. Don't worry; there heart felt picks this week.

At any rate, you have to agree that I am a freaking HS FOOTBALL playoff picking guru when it comes to picking these games. I am like Mathew McConaughey in that movie Two for the Money where he is this former college star who gets injured and gets into picking football games for some gambling firm. He is like the stud of the firm and in the end all he does is flip a coin to make his picks.

By the way don't ever see that movie. It was the weirdest movie with Al Pacino as his boss and Rene Russo as Pacino's wife. There was like no plot and the whole time Pacino was trying to get McConaughey to sleep with his wife (Russo), or at least that is what I think it was about. Pacino just kept yelling the whole movie and I just wanted McConaughey to sleep with his wife so Pacino would just shut up. I actually left the theater before the movie ended.

I am like McConaughey in that movie all the way except for the fact that I didn't play in college, I don’t walk around with no shirt on and I never flip a coin to choose my picks. All my picks are based on sheer stats, knowledge of the game, inside information and the occasional coin flip (ok, sometimes it’s too close to call).

But enough yipping, lets get right into the thick of it.


MORRISTOWN VS. NEWARK WEST SIDE

What do you say here? In my opinion this is the hardest game of the week to pick so lets get it over with. Why, well you have Morristown who is having just an incredible year having won every game by a margin of 18 points. The only exception is their one loss against Seton Hall Prep at their first game. And, Motown should have won that game if it wasn't by an incredible play by a SHP d-back when Colvin was passing for a two point conversion to win the game.

But West Side is 8-2 with their two losses coming at the end of the season. You might say that West Side had been slipping. Two reasons why their not though! One is that both their loses were to two playoff teams, Wayne Valley and Irvington. Secondly, they had been without their stud Quarterback, Anthony Baskerville since October 20th with a colarbone injury. Baskerville finnally game back and just in time. He just came back last week for their first round playoff game vs. Union Hills. How did he do? Well, he only was named the Star Ledger's player of the week and was 10-15 with 300 yards and 4 TD's.

West Side also has a very intense and fast defense led by linebackers Tahir Whitehead and Carlos Cox. Whitehead, Cox and company have held opponents to only 12 points per game which has been more than enough for their offense (25 points per game) to secure their wins.

But, Morristown has all the tools. Michael Colvin is the real deal at only a junior and has been a major threat in the air with his gun slinging arm and also with his feet. Wideout Carter will be a big pest for West Side because they will always have to know where he is.

Meanwhile, while West Side will be keying in on Colvin and Carter; enter in...

...SUPER GEORGIE!!!

Georgie Bass is just too electrifying for any team to stop, let alone West Side. This kid has just mad skillz and my favorite Iron Hills player to watch. I just think MoTown is just too stacked.

PICK: Morristown 31-27

REAL SCORE: West Side 12-7

Hey, you have to tip your hats off to West Side. I thought this game would be an offensive score fest. But I did warn you about West Side's D. Congrats West Side. As for the rest of the Iron Hills, the bad news for you is the core of the Morristown team are only juniors. And now their pissed. They are already my pick to go all the way next year.

HANOVER PARK VS. WEST ESSEX

Hanover Park has a few things in their favor this game. Fist, West Essex may be without their leading rusher and tackler Anthony Hayek who has been recovering from an MCL injury. Secondly, they are the only team this year to hand West Essex a loss. And thirdly, and probably the most important is they have the "NOTHING TO LOSE" factor.

HP has some swagger. They have one of the craziest offenses which can only be described as an option, I-formation, shotgun, running, passing offense. But they make it work. It is hard for defenses to key on all their different weapons. QB Alex Ardolino is as nifty a passer as they come and he can also run very effectively. And Ryan Hinton is probably one of the fastest running backs in the Group II Iron Hills Conference.

On Defense, the Hornets truly do swarm to the ball with Defensive leaders Pryer, Nagy and Gatti.

But, West Essex has one good thing going for them: They are just awesome! They have won three out of the last four State Titles. The Knights have had six shutouts this year and in three games they did not let up more than 7 points. And they have the "New England Patriots" factor going for them.

Even without their star, Hayek, the Knights other players just plugged in the void with stellar play. They are a true team with Andrew Cross handling a lot of the running in Hayek's absence. Mike Agrifolio is stellar in the WR position and also has 11 pass deflections and 4 interceptions on defense. They are also joined by stud Defensive Lineman Tom Bianchi who has 6 sacks and Sal Tobia who is the second leading tackler (next to Hayek).

To Fakehead's dismay, I just don't see Wessex getting stung by the Hornets!

PICK: West Essex 18-15

REAL SCORE: 12-0

Hey, you have to hand it to HP. They really pulled out all the stops. Wessex could not unload on them but they beat them. And you have to hand it to Wessex to over come adversity without their star player and keep rolling. Although I have personal ties to HP, Wessex was the better overall team and deserve to move onto the finals. Now we'll just have to wait till tomorrow to find out who they will be facing. I am sticking to my prediction of Chatham.

EAST ORANGE VS. MORRIS KNOLLS

You got to love playoff games that are against regular season opponents. Why, because you can say, "Hey E.O. beat Knolls once, they will do it again." In most cases I would tend to agree.
But you cannot discount the fact that Knolls just initiated Bellville last week 50-27. And no team is running the option better these days than Knolls with Nick DeRosa at QB and Kellan Cardio and Dan Herr running the ball. Last week this trio almost put up 300 yards rushing between them.

But then you enter E.O. They have one of the most talented QB's in Quadir Pendleton (which if I have another kid will be his name. Not just Quadir, but Quadir Pendleton.) And position players Akeem Cunningham who is one of the best WR in the league and RB Hakeem Harvey have been getting it done all year. E.O.'s strength lies in their defense. Their defense have held opponents to 9 points per game this year. They also posted 3 shut outs and three times held teams to 7 points or less.

This game is another really hard one to pick. But defense wins games. And I think E.O. is disciplined enough to slowdown Knolls ground attack.

PICK: E.O. 24-16

REAL SCORE: E.O. 20-14

I told you. EO was just too good. And Knolls maybe showing their true colors with some really poor sportsmanship, cheering when EO's number 8 went down with an injury so loud that you would have thought they scored a TD. Common Knolls, what is with that? That is not my grandfather's Knolls. Where is the class?

MORRIS HILLS VS. CHATHAM

Why do I like this match-up so much? I don't know. I really feel Morris Hills is the real deal this year. I love their coach and what he has done with the program. The Scarlet Knights are no doubt here to stay.

This year they just have it all, starting with the Three Amigo's in the back field in Colin Be, Justin Doniloski and Deric Torres. Their QB, Dan Kellner, is regarded one of the best in the conference. And two way starter Doug Dudek has the skillz and the fire to make this team a real contender.

And MoHills' strength is in their defense that has held teams to 7 points or less six different times.

BUT...nobody has had the tough breaks Chatham has had. And I am not making excuses for them but you need to consider a few things. First, they opened the season to route a good Par Hills team in the first game of the season. Only to have Par Hills have a fluke come back in the last two minutes. Then they controlled Mendham in the second game of the season, only to have Mendham tie the game on an interception return, and then win it in over time.

Take away those two losses and Chatham is 8-2 coming into this game, with losses to Morris Hills and West Essex.

Chatham is good. Trust me. And MoHills needs to pay attention here because they match up almost perfectly with them.

Quarterback Jamie Pinaire is as much of a leader of this team as Kellner is to MoHills. And Kyle McDonough, James Brennan and Kevin Allgood are Chatham's "Three Amigo's". Billy Fenwick is a dangerous receiver. And Campbell Wood is the answer to Doug Dudek.

I have smelling this upset for a few weeks now. I just can't help seeing MoHills get stung here and hard. Just watch Chatham match up perfectly in this big battle. The difference? Cam Wood and in the form of a kickoff return or punt return.

PICK: Chatham 23-21

REAL SCORE: Morris Hills 26-0

Hey, crow tastes best when it is eaten the soonest. Okay, I bombed this pick. Chatham you son of a b**ches! I stood by you till the end. I still feel they got some really tough breaks and that they are a good team. But you know what, Morris Hills is good. And they just taught me and the West Essex a big lesson: That next will is going to be one bad mother f'n game between West Essex and Morris Hills. I have no idea who to pick for that one now. I would go with the home field team but I think this one is being played at Giants Stadium. Which sucks because when I played in my State Championship game (blatant bragging by me here) we had to play on our field. We ended up romping on Rozelle but it would have been much sweeter if it were in Giants Stadium. Good job Coach Sabo and your gang! But just like the Chatham coach said last week, "One more game!"

Do you disagree with my picks? Yeah, well then tell me why.

Photo's of Morristown's Bass, HP's Hinton and MoHill's Kellner courtesy of http://www.dailyrecord.com/. Chatham Photo courtesy of http://www.mchss.net/ where you can purchase photo's of yourself or your son for a very reasonable price.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Ok, I was gonna save this one for my end of season wrap up but, due to recent events (ex: Ridge fans riding this website), I am putting it up now in this short post.

SEVERAL folks have reported to me that they overheard multiple unsportsmanlike comments from Ridge fans/parents/coaches in the vicinity of both home and away bleachers after the game.

Examples:

"Like taking candy from a baby." A reference to Ridge's "dominance" over Mendham.

Excuse me? What the hell game were these guys at, cause it wasn't the one I saw. Did you not see it was an overtime ball game?

"[blah blah blah] ...taught those rich Mendham kids a lesson...[blah blah blah]".

What!?!?!?!?! Horsesh1t!

1. See first response above.

2. Do you not live in Bernards township, aka "Basking Ridge"??? Last I checked it is just about as expensive to live there (or more) as the Mendhams and Chesters. This is the definition of hypocrisy.


I almost didn't write this because it is hearsay, and that is historically unreliable but this isn't MoCo municipal court either.

So, there it is. Now all you Ridge fans can comment away and say what an arse I am etc...so have at it.

But I will tell you this, if either of those quotes are true, your football folks need to go down to Greystone for a free checkup from the neckup. 'Nuff said.

The West Essex Knights Are Going to Get Stung Under the Lights This Friday!

That's right, I am predicting another Hanover Park victory this Friday night in West Caldwell for the Hornets. Let's face it, West Essex is missing their star player (who, by the way, was playing when HP beat them the first time) and the Hornets are pumped and ready to rock it out in this match up. I know West Essex killed Madison last weekend but Madison isn't that great and HP has already played WE and won once this year and they have only gotten better (albeit with one slip in the Mendham game) since then.

And again, I know West Essex is undefeated at home this year and has only allowed 4 TDs all freaking year, but HP scored one of those TDs and held WE to their lowest point total of the year (6 when they average 31 a game) when they last played.

As far as HP goes, they are peaking at the right time. Again, that loss to Mendham was an aberration, (especially when you look to what happened to Mendham since then, missing the playoffs and losing to Ridge - although that may have been the result of getting the shaft in the playoff picture and a loss of focus and desire), HP is peaking at this point and is going to make a game of it on Friday. If they keep it close they can win. Let's face it, not many teams can stop Hinton. Gatti contributes in several different ways, and HP's QB, Alex Ardolino, has been playing very well and doesn't make many mistakes. However, HP cannot squander opportunities to score like they did against Ridgefield Park last week. Anytime they get into the red zone they better put something on the board, or WE is going to make them pay.

Let's not forget that Ridgefield Park was bigger than HP but HP outplayed them. HP is quick as a team on both sides of the ball. Their defense has been playing well all year, and as their coach Dan Gregory's defensive gameplan, "Our philosophy is to tackle well and run to the football" makes complete sense. I only wish the New York Jets applied that logic when playing, maybe they could stop a team from scoring 25 points or whatever a game against them!

Finally, these HP kids have some grit and some heart, and that is what it is going to take to beat the heavily favored Knights. That's not to say WE doesn't have heart, they are playing like the Patriots of the Iron Hills Conf., kicking ass and taking names. And don't think for one second revenge won't be on their minds come Friday. That being said, HP has been up against adversity before and performed. They will do it again this Friday!

HP 13

WE 7

Go Hornets!

RANDOM NOTES:

--Mendham's fall from grace was completed after they last to an inferior team last Saturday. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise good season. They will have to get them next year!

--Nobody is stopping Morristown this year.

--I know it is out of conference, but Verona had some revenge last weekend against Beardley, who beat them for the State Title last year. Although they are underdogs, I don't seen anyone standing in their way on their quest to a State Championship.

--Finally, East Orange is going to roll and Chatham doesn't have a chance this weekend. Write that shit down. I don't need to give scores because it is a bunch of bullshit anyway. If you want me to pick numbers out of thin air I could, like Unruly, but I don't like to put my sweeping generalizations down to simple numbers.

-- Oh yeah, one last thing. Many of you want to know what Unruly looks like in person. Well, I was lucky enough to graduate High School (HP in the house!) with him and here is his senior year yearbook photo. Nobody ever made fun of him because he was nuts in High School.

Beginning of the week preview for this weekends Playoff's

Ok folks, this week shaped up as expected for the most part. Number 1 seed East Orange moved on and now will be facing the 4 seed Morris Knolls. The North 2, Group II section has all Iron Hills teams left in the bracket. And Morristown gets to play Newark West Side at home.

Who will win? Who knows, but lets take a closer look for now:

Morristown vs. Newark West Side

Quarterback Mike Colvin really looks like the real deal. He is like a younger version of Steve Young (or Vince Young for your younger folks). He has a really strong arm and is fast enough to be a runningback. And they are stacked in the showoff positions. Carter is a big play maker at the wide receiver. But their real star is the 4'10" standout Georgie Bass (I am just kidding he is not that small). Bass is my favorite player in the Iron Hills. He reminds me of a Barry Sanders. There is just nothing more exciting than watching Georgie Bass explode from zero to 60 in 3.2 seconds.

But Newark West Side are no slouches. They went 7-2 this season. But can they play with the big boys? They have two losses to playoff teams in Irvington and Wayne Valley. This game has question marks all over it.

Morris Hills vs. Chatham

This North 2, Group II matchup pins these two regular season rivals against each other once again. Morris Hills beat Chatham in the regular season by a margin of 6 points with a 13-7 final. Doug Dudek and Luke Mirabella are big targets for QB Kellner. And no defense has played as tough as MoHills with only one loss to Wessex.

But I have been saying this all year. Chatham has been getting tough breaks all season. And I think Chatham is done playing "catch-up" and now they hitting on all cylinders. I am not picking this game yet, but I have already said that I am voting on Chatham taking home the State Title.

Hanover Park vs. W. Essex

Hey, they suprised them and the rest of the converence a few weeks ago by beating Wessex 7-6. Will HP doe it again? They definately have the play makers. They have a host of them in Hinton, Ardolino, Gatti and company.

But Wessex is swallowed Madison 40-6 in the first round this past weekend. And although they are without their star linebacker/fullback Anthony Hayek they do not seem to be missing a beat.

E. Orange vs. Morris Knolls

Quarterback Pendleton and wideout Cunningham are just gelling as the number 1 seed in the North 1, Group IV section. But they worry me in that they didn't run up the score more against 8th seed North Bergen.

They meet a Morris Knolls team that just beat the hell out of Belleville 50-27. Quarterback DeRose is looking poised as ever, while Kevin Cardio just treadmilled (sorry I couldn't resist) over Belleville for 7 touchdowns or something crazy like that.

All Picks will come out Friday Morning so stay tuned!

PLAYOFFS: First Round Predictions (AND UPDATES)

Here we go! It is playoff time. Everyone has been waiting for our predictions and now...it is time! Here they are:

Morristown vs. New Brunswick

Morristown is the 2 seed in this North 2, Group III matchup. New Brunswick was on the ropes last week against a weak JFK Iselin team. They are lucky to even be in the playoffs. This will basically be a blood bath. Look for Georgie Bass to score three touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving). Colvin will add two throwing TD's and one running.

Pick: Motown 41-7

REAL SCORE: Morristown 34-20. Motwn is rolling just like I said. Stick with me and you will win your office pools every time.

Par Hills vs. Wayne Hills

I am actually nervous for Par Hills in this matchup. They are starting a sophmore QB vs. Wayne Hills who is one of the most talented teams this state has seen in a long time. Look for Georgie Bass to have a few TD's in this game too. I know he doesn't play for Wayne Hills but you just have to love that little guy. Wayne Hills has an excellent coaching staff, headed by former HP grad Brian O'Conner.

Pick: Wayne Hills 41-7
REAL SCORE: Wayne Hills 49-0. See, what did I tell you. Good season Par Hills! Nothing to be ashamed of this year. I am telling you, this Wayne Hills team is just sick!

E. Orange vs. N. Bergen

Sorry this is just going to be another blow out. EO is just too good this year and N. Bergen has no business being in the post season. E.O.'s Cunningham is going to have a field day. I predict a three TD day for EO's star.

Pick: E. Orange 41-7

REAL SCORE: E. Orange 20-6. I am not doing too shabby with my picks, huh? I thought they would run up the score more but trust me EO will make it through the next round too.

Belville vs. Morris Knolls

OK, this one will be much closer. Belville is no joke this year and Knolls had a few tough breaks. Knolls has been rolling lately and have the experienced coaching staff.

Pick: Knolls 13-12

REAL SCORE: Knolls 50-27. I am literally a freaking guru when it comes to picking HS football games. Anybody out there who needs help filling out their tickets, just email me. I charge a 20% retainer on all winnings. Kids, I am totally kidding. I do not condone gambling at all and gambling for total losers and you should never ever ever gamble no matter what. Parents, if you are interested just email me.

Morris Hills vs. Bernards

This will be a scrimmage game for Hills as they prepare for later rounds. Kellner and company will be playing target practice vs. Bernards. Hills will need the practice too bc the later rounds will prove to be challenging.

Pick: Hills 28-3

REAL SCORE: Hills 56-13. WOW! You think Mohills doesn't want a State Title?

Chatham vs. Caldwell

Chatham is the Rocky of the Iron Hills Conference. They are rough and tough. And no one has had more tough breaks than the Cougars. Cam Wood, Pinaire and Brennan have a big chip on their shoulder. Chatham is actually my pick to go all the way. And that means they are going to go through W. Essex and MoHills to get there. I am calling Wood will ruturn two kickoffs and a punt. And he better come through because I promised a sick kid that he would. Gooooo Chatham!

Pick: Chatham 43-15

REAL SCORE: Chatham 33-8. Not sure how many runbacks Wood have but there will be a very unhappy sick kid if it is anything less than 3. No pressure Wood. And how about a hand for me for picking every single game this playoffs except the Wessex/Madison game which was an admitted wishful thinking prediction on my part? Thank you, thank you! I must say, I am a freaking guru.

Hanover Park vs. Ridgefield Park

HP was hung over from their double over time loss to Mendham this past week. But after some sloppy play that resulted in costly penalties, the HP coaches have nailed down a good game plan. Look for HP to bounce back in a big way and Gatti to get two pick offs. He better come through because I promised the same sick kid that he would.

Pick: HP 33-23

REAL SCORE: Hanover Park 16-0. I haven't seen the stats yet, but Gatti better have had two picks he will have some explaining to do to a little sick kid!

Madison vs. West Essex

Madison is rolling and W. Essex is a little banged up. Wessex is without their stud runningback Hayek. I think Wessex will end up getting suprised for their second, and most costly, loss of the season.

Pick: Madison 21-19

REAL SCORE: West Essex 40-6. DUH, I hate it when I try to pick upsets. This is the exact reason why you shouldn't gamble kids.

Seton Hall Prep vs. Don Bosco

As much as I like our fellow Iron Hills teamate, I just don't see Seton Hall pulling this one off. They are the 8th seed vs. Don Bosco's 1 seed. They have a nice story too in that Buzby makes his dramatic return after breaking his foot in the preseason. I know this show is not supposed to be biased, but I hope they do pull it off because of the whole David and Goliath thing. I say Buzby has a great game but I don't see it happening.

Pick: Don Bosco 34-18

REAL SCORE: Don Bosco 49-14. Good luck next year Pirates! I saw a junior JV'er named Johnny Moo on SHP who was a man amonst boys in that level. Look for him to make a big impact next hear for the Pirates.