Mike Bradley's Week Four Picks

Mike has made up his mind for the week four contests. How do your picks match-up?

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#3 Easton (2-1) at #6 Parkside (2-1)-6pm-A game full of motivation as these two teams are coming off of tough losses but in different ways, Easton losing by a big margin to Wicomico and at home Parkside giving up a 20-7 lead at halftime on the road to Queen Anne's...Both teams have offenses that can score, the Warriors more through the air and the Rams more on the ground but the Rams have more of a passing threat than they have had in a while. The Rams O-Line versus the Warriors D-Line I think will go a long way in this game. The Rams have already run for 1,300 yds as a team this season and the Warriors defensively had a rough go of it in the air and on the ground last week. The Easton front will be tested. I am giving the edge to Easton however in this one because I think they still have more firepower to win in a shootout if it should get to that with a more experienced QB and Parkside's defense is still learning and growing. If Parkside can run the ball and eat up time on the clock it will make things very interesting. Expect a better game from the Rams in this one than from last season. This is our Overtime Live-Preston Ford "Friday Night Lights Game of the Week" on 94-3 WINX-FM, forevermidshore.com and the Forever Radio App

#6 North Caroline (1-2) vs. #10 James M. Bennett (0-3)-6pm-The Bulldogs have played a tough schedule and got their first win last week. The Clippers had a heartbreaking loss to Cambridge-SD last week. That said the Clippers are making positive strides. This is the Bulldogs first home game of the season on the Ridge and while they are young, the program has a solid foundation to lean on and right now are more talented with the Clippers still rebuilding. The Bulldogs should win but not without a good fight from Bennett. This will be a good litmus test game for the Clippers.

#4 Kent Island (2-1) at #8 Cambridge (2-1)-6pm-Cambridge HC Toby Peer told me last week he had a lot of admiration for KI as a football purist and wants to emulate the Bucs program. Speaking of the Bucs they had a big win at Decatur last week, a growth game especially with their offensive line and run game that had a big day led by Kasey Heath. The Vikings also had a big come from behind victory over Bennett that was a program and confidence builder for this season. The Bucs, while young and having to play on the road for a 4th straight week, pose a similar threat in running the ball successfully like Milford did to them Week #1. The Bucs did get the benefit of 3TOs last week to the tune of 17 points. KI I believe will be riding high off the win from last week and that coupled with boasting the 2nd best back in the league in Heath. The defense played well last week and that will carry over to a win against an improving Vikings squad.

-#13 Washington (0-3) at Nandua, VA (2-1)-6pm-Unfortunately the Jags are enduring another tough season as they have not scored a point yet. Nandua has two wins and has scored 75. I have to go with the home team in this one.

#11 Snow Hill (1-2) vs. Colonel Richardson (1-2)-6pm-Tough call in this one but my gut has been telling me the Eagles at home are ready to get their first big win of the season. It's a 1A matchup against a young Colonels squad who also got their first win of the season last week. Both are pretty battle tested. The Eagles have more experience and should be able to match anything Colonel does offensively. The concern has to be the defense and giving up any long sustaining drives. I like Snow Hill to be able to play a 4 quarter game and get it done even if that's pulling away later in the game.

#12 Kent County (0-3) hosting #2 Queen Anne's (3-0)-6:30pm-The Lions have been the cardiac kids with two of their wins coming from behind at home against Caroline and Parkside. They are certainly building some momentum and further confidence. This will be their first road game but they are playing against a pretty young squad going through growing pains right now. QA is young too but they boast the best RB in the league in KJ Smothers. The Lions should win comfortably.

Saturday:

#1 Wicomico (3-0) hosting #5 Stephen Decatur (2-1)-12pm-These two played two exciting games last season with each getting a win, Wi-Hi during the regular season on the road and Decatur during the playoffs on the road. Both these teams have lost a fair amount of talent from last season's squads. WiHi however did return some key pieces in Darius Foreman at QB and WR Malique Leatherbury and that has enabled them to get out to another strong start to the year and put themselves at the top of the Conference. The Seahawks returned some key pieces as well but they are young. The Indians are highly motivated and want to get revenge from last season ending's playoff loss, they also want to continue their dominance in the Conference and the Bayside South. Those are certainly understood but what happened last year doesn't get erased with a win and these are both different team's from last year. Decatur will be fired up too because they will be aiming for the upset and on the road, site of last year's playoff win. When it comes down to it though the Indians have the best player in the Bayside in Leatherbury, they also have a returning Sr. QB and that is always key. The Indians have plenty of speed and athleticism and last week were effective with just 4 rushing the passer and 7 in coverage. Their LB play was strong. The defense has been outshadowed by the offense but it shouldn't be, they are equally as good. Decatur does have the advantage of seeing mistakes made by Easton and their approach at least on offense as the Decatur and Easton offense's do share similarities. Until someone takes down Wi-Hi, I have to go with them based on what I have seen so far.

Week #3: 6-1

2022 Season: 19-2

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