Here we are. Time to hand out some hardware.
At the beginning of the season, every team’s goal is to win a sectional championship. Yes, conference crowns are nice, but they don’t come with long-lasting hardware. A sectional trophy is forever, and every team, no matter if they have 30 program sectional titles or zero, longs to raise one in early November.
Who will claim titles on Friday? Blitz gives his picks.
Last week: 14-2 (.875)
Overall: 192-36 (.842)
CARROLL AT HOMESTEAD. 45. 49. 31. 41. 52. Those are the point totals for Carroll in the last five games with the Spartans, all of them victories for the Chargers. Homestead has to find a way to get stops on defense in this game to keep it competitive. If Gabe Frisinger and his receivers have a field day, this game will be over by halftime. If Carroll is caught looking ahead, or the Spartans’ defense can force some miscues, this could be a game in the second half. But until Blitz sees Homestead slow down the offense of the Chargers, he doubts it can happen. BLITZ SAYS CARROLL BY 21.
SNIDER AT WARSAW. This one was a doozy in Week 1, with Snider allowing one too many big running plays from Warsaw’s flexbone offense. Expect a more prepared Panthers defense this time around as the game planning for this showdown was more focused and determined than the season opener. Which team has a better chance to win the game if the run game is struggling? If you answered Snider, you would be correct. Panthers get one on the road, perhaps with some Maddox Shovlin heroics? BLITZ SAYS SNIDER BY 3.
LAFAYETTE JEFF AT HUNTINGTON NORTH. Blitz examines this matchup and sees a lot of potential mismatches in the Bronchos’ favor. Lafayette Jeff has big-play guys all over the field, and Huntington North’s defensive has been susceptible at times allowing chunk plays. The Vikings will score some points in this game, but can they find ways to slow down a team putting up 51 points a contest? That’s tough. BLITZ SAYS LAFAYETTE JEFF BY 15.
BISHOP DWENGER AT EAST NOBLE. A wise pig (RIP) once told Blitz, ‘Games are won in the trenches.’ Two years ago, East Noble destroyed the Saints by winning the battle up front. Last year, Bishop Dwenger reciprocated by doing the same. Yeah, talent at the skill positions is nice, but this one will once again be decided by the big guys. In Blitz’s mind, Bishop Dwenger has the decided advantage on both sides of the ball. This one only stays close if the Saints shoots themselves in the foot a few times. BLITZ SAYS BISHOP DWENGER BY 14.
WEST NOBLE AT ANGOLA. The Chargers are 48 minutes from their first-ever sectional championship in program history. To do it, they need to dispatch a pesky league foe who made things difficult a few weeks ago in a 14-7 West Noble dub. For Blitz, this is the question – who has a better night, Garrett Sorgen at quarterback for Angola or Xy’Mire Barnes-Bridges at running back for the Chargers? Sorgen has been tremendous this year for Angola, but it’s time Coach Monte Mawhorter and West Noble gets that elusive first sectional crown. BLITZ SAYS WEST NOBLE BY 4.
HERITAGE AT BLUFFTON. Can Heritage do it two weeks in a row? That’s the question. As impressive as the overtime victory over Adams Central was last week, the Patriots will need to take it to another level to have a shot against Bluffton. Yes, this was just a 16-point game in the regular season, but Heritage didn’t score a single point. And you can bet that Coach Brent Kunkel has explained to his team it needs to play at a higher level than the regular-season matchup. This one goes Bluffton’s way, in more convincing fashion that the first time around. BLITZ SAYS BLUFFTON BY 22.
EASTSIDE AT ROCHESTER. The Zebras are a fun team, and first-year coach Isaac Shaffer has done a good job with this squad. But Eastside is the best opponent his team will have faced all year, and it isn’t close. Unless the Eastside bus gets lost heading to Rochester, this one is not close by 8 p.m. BLITZ SAYS EASTSIDE BY 29.
FREMONT AT SOUTH ADAMS. For Gabe. BLITZ SAYS SOUTH ADAMS BY 24.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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