Mike Bradley's Week Seven Picks
October 14, 2022
Mike Bradley has his picks in for week seven. How do yours match-up?
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Mike Bradley has his picks in for week seven. How do yours match-up?
#5 Wicomico (4-2) vs. #7 Parkside (2-4)-6pm-This is another Salisbury City Championship Game. Parkside has already played Bennett, for Wicomico this is their first game so far in the SCC. If Parkside wins they have bragging rights, if not it may go to Wicomico again this year. The Indians bounced back after two straight losses with a win over 1A Cambridge-SD 42-7. Parkside had a rough go of it at home losing on Saturday to Kent Island 50-6. The Rams have a very short week to get ready. The Rams have lost 4 in a row, both sides of the ball have struggled in the last three games. The Indians can start to build themselves back up in the 2A with a win over Parkside. I expect the Rams to bounce back and play one of their better games of the season, they are due and it's a rivalry game. That said the Indians will be equally motivated to win and start to build a winning streak, better resume and momentum going into the playoffs. The Indians have more firepower offensively if they should get into a shootout. Outside of the KI game the WiHi defense has been good against the run. I am concerned about the Rams defense who has struggled all year. I will give the nod to Wi-Hi but look for a competitive game for a while.
#3 Queen Anne's (5-1) hosting #4 Stephen Decatur (5-1)-6pm...This is the second game of a stretch of tough contests for the Lions that continues through the end of the season. QA's first Top 5 opponent came last week and the Lions came up just a little short in a 28-26 home loss to Easton. Decatur has won three in a row since a Week #3 loss at home to Kent Island 31-14. This will be the 5th straight game where the Seahawks defense has seen a team that is run heavy or capable of running the football well. In this matchup the Decatur offense is more multiple in their ability to run and pass and has more of an ability to score. We also now know that Decatur could move Brycen Coleman at times back to WR and bring in So. QB Nathan Tapley who had 2 TD passes last week to Coleman in the win over North Caroline. I am concerned with alignment issues that the QA defense has had so far this season including against Easton last week. That all said the Lions boast one of the best backs in the Bayside in RB KJ Smothers who has run roughshod over opponents this season including last week against 8 & 9 in the box against Easton. They also have the likes of Ashton Siwald & Jai Roy. The Lions are physical and will get after it. This is also Queen Anne's final home game of the season and I believe they will be especially fired up to get the win after last week's loss. The defense needs to have a complete game (one of their better ones of the season) and I think they can and will. I will pick the Lions to pull this one out in a game that could go either way...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
#9 Colonel Richardson (4-2) vs. Nandua, VA (4-2)-6pm-The Colonels get this game at home and do not have to take the long bus ride and that is a good thing because this should be a tough matchup. Both teams have played 3 like opponents and both are 3-0 against them with the Colonels having the slight advantage in points scored and points allowed against those teams. Both teams are battle tested in having played a few games against teams a notch or two above them and overall have similar season stats. An early start and getting a lead is always really important for such a Colonels heavy run based attack. This should be a good one and could go either way. I will give the nod however to Colonel who has won 4 in a row and again gets this game at home in Federalsburg with no long bus ride.
#10 Snow Hill (2-4) hosting #12 Kent County (0-6)-6pm-Despite their record Kent County has gotten better over the last few weeks and played both Cambridge and Colonel tough losing in close games, games in which Snow Hill was blown out. The Trojans have also played a tough schedule so the record can be misleading. The Eagles have two wins including last week against Washington. They could use another win, a 1A win at that, and that would match their total from last season. The Trojans have to be the hungrier team having come close but not winning their first game. Other than last week against Washington the Snow Hill defense has had issues. My concern though is the Trojans being able to score even though their defense has played much better but if there is a game for them to score this could be it. My head says to go with the Eagles, my gut says the Trojans will pull off the upset. So far this season my gut is 0-1, let's see if it can't right the ship. The Trojans pull off a small upset in this one.
#2 Easton (5-1) vs. #11 James M. Bennett (0-6)-6:30pm-Two teams in opposite directions, the Warriors have more experience, talent and they are at home and should be able to win in solid fashion.
#1 Kent Island (5-1) at #6 North Caroline (2-4)-7pm-After last week's game (a 16-14 loss on the road to Decatur) for North Caroline, their best of the season as I see it and as HC James McCormick saw it, you get the feeling the Bulldogs are ready for a W and a possible upset this week. Your record is who you are but this Caroline team is getting better and is no rollover. They have played the toughest schedule in the Bayside so far having played 4 of the top 5 teams. Given this is only their 2nd game at home this season and given how battle tested they are they ought to feel real good in this one. The Bucs coming in on a 5 game winning streak are the hottest team in the Bayside (last Saturday 50-6 winners over Parkside) and feature RB Kasey Heath who has been dominant on the ground this season and is one of the best backs in the league. The offensive line has been bolstered by new assistant coach Donnie Graef. The defense is settling in under DC Tim Goodrich, considered the best in the Conference. The Bulldogs at their best can certainly give KI a game here as they can match the KI physicality and have speed to boot. But given the roll the Bucs are on, and the fact no one has stopped Heath (other than Easton to some extent) I will give the nod to Kent Island to win but a Caroline upset wouldn't completely shock me. I definitely could see this being a tight game. But the Bulldogs will need to run QB Nasai Bell more and he needs to have his best game so far this year and that includes a mistake free game. QB Tommy McAndrews for KI will need to make some plays in the air in this game too when called upon.
#8 Cambridge-SD at #13 Washington-Washington forfeited the game to Cambridge. The Vikings improve to 4-3 and the Jags drop to 0-6 (they had a bye this season).
Last Week: 7-0
Season: 41-5