7-2A Picks Week 11

[stuck in between]

The regular season is said and done and I held to my norm by picking 3 out of 4 once again last week. Knowing it could go either way I picked Murfreesboro over Dierks mainly because I hadn't seen Dierks play and it bit me in the rear. Moving into the post season I think the 7-2A will represent well and wouldn't be surprised to see three of this year's semi-finalist spots filled by our conference. It can get tricky picking play-off games due to being unfamiliar with a lot of the opposing teams, but this is all just for entertainment purposes only so what could it hurt to give it a whirl?

#5 seed Dierks @ Salem - By beating Murfreesboro the Outlaws won a 270 mile road trip to face the 8-1 Salem Greyhounds. This is a classic David Vs. Goliath match up that the triple A uses to pad their pocket book and often puts a team with a losing record traveling hundreds of miles to more often than not get mercy ruled. Dierks has won 3 of their last 4 games against opponents that combined for 5 victories. The Greyhounds are led by Jordan Turner, his 2,454 total yards along with a defense that is only giving up 9.6 ppg. is the reason why they have out scored their opponents by almost 30 points per contest. The Outlaws have taken a step in the right direction by making the post season after last year, but they will not be able to compete with the Hounds. Salem wins easily by 28.

#4 seed Mineral Springs @ EPC - one would be hard pressed to find another 4 seed more dangerous than Mineral. The Hornets will come into this game as one of the hottest teams in the state having won five straight including a win over Foreman. MS had averaged 32 ppg while giving up 10.6 with 4 shutouts. The Hornets have also got quality wins against England (5-5) and Mt. Pine (7-3) on their resume. EPC comes into the game at 6-4 after losing their last three. The Warrior's have given up 12 more points than they have forced during the regular season and have only beaten one team with a winning record (Rector 5-4). I'm not sure how much football they have left in them. This game will be the measuring stick for how good the 7-2A actually is going against a #2 seed from another conference. If the Hornets can avoid jet lag from the long bus ride I believe they pull this one off. Mineral in a bracket buster by 12.

#3 seed Mount Ida Vs Bearden - these two have quite a bit of post season history dating back to 2007 when the Lions won their 1st championship at the Bear's expense. Since then Bearden has knocked Ida out of contention twice. Once in 2011 and again in 2013. The Bears enter this post season at 3-6 and the 4th seed in the 8-2A. Bearden isn't what they once were not having a victory against a winning program and having been outscored 224 to 160 thus far. The Lions are in unfamiliar territory being the 3 seed and sitting at 8-2 with losses to Foreman and Gurdon. However, the Lions have still averaged 33.8 while only giving up 8.5 ppg. and has wins over Mineral Springs, Magazine, and Magnet Cove who all are above the .500 mark on the year. Add in that this game is being played in Mount Ida makes me believe there is just too much for the Bears to overcome. I'll take Mount Ida by 20.

#2 seed Gurdon Vs. Clarendon - The Go-Devils fell victim to the big play last Friday at Foreman and it cost them the #1 seed and the 1st round bye. The Lions are faced with a long first round road trip for the 2nd year in a row. Although they have notched 3 wins in their belt none have came against a quality opponent. The Go-Devils have been very successful in their first year back in the 7-2A. Sporting a 8-2 record and averaging 28.5 points on offense while only giving up an average of 12.5 defensively. After a ugly week 2 loss to 4-A Haskell Gurdon went on a tear rolling through 7 straight weeks beating Mineral Springs and Mount Ida along the way before last week's loss. I'm afraid the Go-Devils will be too much for a Lion team that has given up more than twice the points they have scored on the year. Taking the Devils by 35 in this one.

#1 seed Foreman has a bye.

[Ole Man River]

Sitting on a 14-1 regular season record, the Playoff's are here.  Stuck you have done a great job on the picks.  Dierks vs Salem——Salem by 21.  MS vs EPC——The Hornets by 14, Mt. Ida vs Bearden——the Lions by 18, and Gurdon Vs Clarendon——the Gi-Devils by 28.  OMR OUT

[GatorBall]

The regular season is said and done and I held to my norm by picking 3 out of 4 once again last week. Knowing it could go either way I picked Murfreesboro over Dierks mainly because I hadn't seen Dierks play and it bit me in the rear. Moving into the post season I think the 7-2A will represent well and wouldn't be surprised to see three of this year's semi-finalist spots filled by our conference. It can get tricky picking play-off games due to being unfamiliar with a lot of the opposing teams, but this is all just for entertainment purposes only so what could it hurt to give it a whirl?

#5 seed Dierks @ Salem - By beating Murfreesboro the Outlaws won a 270 mile road trip to face the 8-1 Salem Greyhounds. This is a classic David Vs. Goliath match up that the triple A uses to pad their pocket book and often puts a team with a losing record traveling hundreds of miles to more often than not get mercy ruled. Dierks has won 3 of their last 4 games against opponents that combined for 5 victories. The Greyhounds are led by Jordan Turner, his 2,454 total yards along with a defense that is only giving up 9.6 ppg. is the reason why they have out scored their opponents by almost 30 points per contest. The Outlaws have taken a step in the right direction by making the post season after last year, but they will not be able to compete with the Hounds. Salem wins easily by 28.

#4 seed Mineral Springs @ EPC - one would be hard pressed to find another 4 seed more dangerous than Mineral. The Hornets will come into this game as one of the hottest teams in the state having won five straight including a win over Foreman. MS had averaged 32 ppg while giving up 10.6 with 4 shutouts. The Hornets have also got quality wins against England (5-5) and Mt. Pine (7-3) on their resume. EPC comes into the game at 6-4 after losing their last three. The Warrior's have given up 12 more points than they have forced during the regular season and have only beaten one team with a winning record (Rector 5-4). I'm not sure how much football they have left in them. This game will be the measuring stick for how good the 7-2A actually is going against a #2 seed from another conference. If the Hornets can avoid jet lag from the long bus ride I believe they pull this one off. Mineral in a bracket buster by 12.

#3 seed Mount Ida Vs Bearden - these two have quite a bit of post season history dating back to 2007 when the Lions won their 1st championship at the Bear's expense. Since then Bearden has knocked Ida out of contention twice. Once in 2011 and again in 2013. The Bears enter this post season at 3-6 and the 4th seed in the 8-2A. Bearden isn't what they once were not having a victory against a winning program and having been outscored 224 to 160 thus far. The Lions are in unfamiliar territory being the 3 seed and sitting at 8-2 with losses to Foreman and Gurdon. However, the Lions have still averaged 33.8 while only giving up 8.5 ppg. and has wins over Mineral Springs, Magazine, and Magnet Cove who all are above the .500 mark on the year. Add in that this game is being played in Mount Ida makes me believe there is just too much for the Bears to overcome. I'll take Mount Ida by 20.

#2 seed Gurdon Vs. Clarendon - The Go-Devils fell victim to the big play last Friday at Foreman and it cost them the #1 seed and the 1st round bye. The Lions are faced with a long first round road trip for the 2nd year in a row. Although they have notched 3 wins in their belt none have came against a quality opponent. The Go-Devils have been very successful in their first year back in the 7-2A. Sporting a 8-2 record and averaging 28.5 points on offense while only giving up an average of 12.5 defensively. After a ugly week 2 loss to 4-A Haskell Gurdon went on a tear rolling through 7 straight weeks beating Mineral Springs and Mount Ida along the way before last week's loss. I'm afraid the Go-Devils will be too much for a Lion team that has given up more than twice the points they have scored on the year. Taking the Devils by 35 in this one.

#1 seed Foreman has a bye.

That's a good read! I believe you will be batting 1,000 on those picks!