AMERICAN DIVISION

Vernon (0-3) @ Roxbury (3-0)
Will Harrigan: Wow I love Roxbury in this matchup! Parker Gordon had a monster game throwing the ball around against Randolph last week in a 21-0 win. Vernon on the other hand has struggled, and needs a win to save their season. I expect Angelo Mangiro and Trevor Bartol to dominate up front which means bad news for Vernon. Roxbury gunner Nick Kaijala already has eight tackles on special teams. Its efforts like his that keep Roxbury cruisin' into the bout with Delbarton on October 10. Pick: Roxbury 27-3George Muha: As much as I hate to say it, I think Vernon’s troubles continue when they take the bus right to Succasunna this Friday night. However, if the Gaels look too far ahead to their match-up against Delbarton, Vernon could come up and bite them. What is the best part of watching the Gaels is seeing Angelo Mangiro deflect defenders on the line. He does it so effortlessly that it seems like he’s filing his nails with one hand and blocking with the other. None-the-less, no one is getting anywhere against the big man. It’s no wonder why every big time college is recruiting him. PICK: Roxbury by 14

Delbarton (2-1) @ Randolph (0-3)
Will Harrigan: This match-up is incredibly similar to Roxbury's. Randolph, like Vernon, needs a win to save their season. The Rams get a boost getting 6'2 quarterback Kevin Farrell back, replacing Chris Westenhiser, who filled in valiantly. But now Randolph has Delbarton, and I think the Green Wave hands another loss to the Rams. Pick: Delbarton 31-14
George Muha: I went to the Delby game last week and arrived in the second quarter hoping for a close match-up. But by the time I got there it was already 42-0. The Green Wave is all about text book execution. It is that discipline that will give them a good shot at winning the division. Speaking of getting executed, the Rams will need to stick to their game plan if they want to stay out of the electric chair. The Rams are bringing back 80’s star runningback Danny Bierals to flip the coin. Bierals senior year began that infamous Rams winning streak. Perhaps the 09 Rams will get a little motivation from him and roll to a big upset! PICK: Delby by 17

Morristown (2-1) @ Mt. Olive (0-3)
Will Harrigan: Common sense tells me to take Motown in this game. I don't know if you all do, but I certainly remember the heavily favored Colonials going on the road and playing to a 22-22 draw vs. the Mount last year. But I don’t see that happening this year as Kevin Gaskins will explode again and Morristown wins. Pick: Motown 24-13
George Muha: I am pulling for a big game for Gaskins. He was this close to winning last week’s Player of the Week award with his 4 touchdown game against Vernon. On any other weekend he would have won it but Mendham’s Crimmins happened to have a five touchdown throwing day which won out. Regardless, I don’t see Motown losing this one. Last season, Motown went up to Mount Olive and the Marauders came out of nowhere and stung them with a rare tie. I know that still hurts the Colonials and they’ll use that as a big motivation in this one. PICK: Motown by 14

West Morris (2-1) @ Morris Knolls (1-2)
Will Harrigan: This to me is the hardest game to pick. West Morris just thumped Mount Olive 41-6 last week. The Golden Eagles just got thumped by Delby last week. I have a gut feeling that Morris Knolls is going to be ready for war against West Morris. I think Michael Burton's 'Pack will play well. They need to be ready for Cody Greenhagen and Kevin Weis in the backfield for Knolls. I like West Morris, but everyone get ready for a barnburner in Rockaway. Pick: West Morris 28-26
George Muha: West Morris’ Cabarle, Burton, Thompson remind me of my favorite childhood cartoon Vultron in which the different tiger robots formed one big robot appropriately called “Vultron”. You put all these backs together and you get a giant runningback named Caburtson. In WMC’s two wins all three backs got even carries to come away with the win. I know Connor Rush and the rest of the Golden Eagles are looking for pay back after getting dished a big loss against Delbarton. But I don’t see Knolls having an answer for Caburtson. PICK: Da Pack by 10 (Caburtson runs for 190 yards and three TD’s)

FREEDOM DIVISION

Newton (0-3) @ Mahwah (1-3)
BRIAN KENNEY: Newton continues to struggle this year, and Mahwah hasn't had much better luck. Mahwah is 1-2 and their offense, which scored 36 points in the first game, has struggled for points in the last 2 games, which were losses. They scored 13 points the past 8 quarters. Newton, however, will fall victim to the Thunderbirds' (how cool is that name) offensive prowess this week, as it springs back to life. PICK: The 'Birds by 6
George Muha: Newton needs to catch a break to get a little momentum. I think an away win against a struggling Mahwah team could be just what the doctor ordered. Look for 0-3 Braves to be winless no more. PICK: Fig Newton by 6

Kittatinny (1-2) @ Hanover Park (2-1)
BRIAN KENNEY: Hanover Park played well in their victory last week, thanks to the steady play of their QB, Sam Paladino. Sam will have to contribute again in this one, as Kittatinny is coming off their first W last week and they are thirsty for more. Justin Klameraus should throw for at least one score this week, but it won't be enough. PICK: HP by 10
George Muha: I am officially naming the HP offensive line the Hogs! And I am officially making myself an honorary Hog! Although, at 220lbs I still think I am probably the skinniest Hog. Well, Mike Lomio is probably skinnier but he’s definitely got more technique than me. If you think I miss playing for the Hornets, you don’t know the half of it. Back to the game; Kittatinny can be right back in this division with a win and they’d like nothing more than to pick off Hanover Park. But us Hogs won’t let that happen on our home turf. PICK: Hornets by 7

Wallkill Valley (1-2) @ Lenape Valley (3-0)
BRIAN KENNEY: The battle of the Valleys!!!! Is the plural of Valleys "Valli?" I don't know, and it doesn't matter much in this match-up. The only thing these two teams have in common at this point in the season is the word "Valley" as Wallkill continues to struggle, having lost 2 in a row, and Lenape continues to roll at 3-0. This is thanks to the play of Jimmy "Ring" LaBell and T-Res(sa) and their defense, which is tied for allowing the least amount of points this year. PICK: LV by 10
George Muha: The Patriots of Lenape Valley are on fire in this division, making the most of their early schedule. I think things will get harder for Jimmy LaBell in the next few weeks but I see them getting through this week with a 4-0 record. PICK: LV by 14

Hackettstown (1-2) @ Madison (2-1)
BRIAN KENNEY: I think I may have to walk over to Madison High to check this one out. Or I could hang out on my deck and listen to the game. H-Town lost a tough one last week, and Madison is red-hot, winning its last two and dominating especially in last week's win over Parsippany. I don't see the Dodgers being slowed down much this week, as Aaron Fant will score at least 2 TD’s in a close one. PICK: Dodgers by 8
George Muha: I don’t want to delve into Dodger sacrilege but junior quarterback Matty McHale is starting to make locals say, “Neil O’Donnell who?” However, as talented as McHale is, he and the rest of the Dodgers need to stay focused on team ball. Once they find their mojo as a team, I don’t see any team in the division competing with them. PICK: Madison by 10

Parsippany (0-3) @ Chatham (2-1)
BRIAN KENNEY: Man oh man! The Redhawks picked the wrong time to travel to the Cougar Den, as Chatham is still angry about its overtime loss last week to Caldwell. The Cougars' defense went from letting up 0 points in 2 games to 26 in one. That will not bode well with Chatham's defense, and you won't like the Guida brothers when they are angry. Look for the Cougars to overmatch the Redhawks this week. PICK: Chatham by a bunch
George Muha: As much as I’d like to see Abe Sanchez and the Redhawks get a little momentum going the other way, I just don’t see it happening this week. The Cougars are on a mission and they are aiming for the division title. PICK: Chatham by 14

INDEPENDENCE DIVISION

Morris Catholic (1-2) @ Kinnelon (0-3)
Dennis Jones: While it’s too early to say any team is out of contention; Kinnelon could really use a win here this week. They need strong play up front from big James Kim and Mike Clancy to find consistency in the passing game. The Crusaders proved last week they can win close battles. In fact one player on the defense accounted for all five Morris Catholic points!!! A nice game for Ryan Rodgriguez, who made a safety and kicked the game winning field goal as time expired. It was a moment I'm sure the kid will not forget. Pick: Morris Catholic by 6
George Muha: Kinnelon is hungry for a win and no better place than their home field. But R-Rod (Ryan Rodriquez) is leading the Crusade for Morris Catholic. I say Kinnelon makes it interesting, but Mo-Catholic comes home with the victory. PICK: Morris Catholic by 6

Whippany Park (0-3) @ Hopatcong (1-2)
Dennis Jones:  Whippany Park needs to get in the win column but this week Coach Gary Andolena's squad will be anxious to shake off last weeks epic lost to Morris Catholic. Hopatcong will win this one behind the speed of Ryan Carroll. Former Hopatcong standout Joe Martinek, who is now the official starting runningback for Rutgers, broke off two long TD runs agaisnt Univ. of Maryland last week. Maybe that will inspire them to victory. Pick: Hopatcong by 14
George Muha: This could be Whippany Park’s chance to stop the bleeding. A win here puts them right back into the playoff hunt. But runningback Ryan Carroll will make sure Hopatcong will not lose in front of their home crowd. PICK: Hopatcong by 7

Pequannock (2-1) @ Mt. Lakes (3-0)
Dennis Jones: The Herd has been perfect so far, but now faces their biggest challenge of the year when Pequannock brings their highly potent passing attack into town. The Joe Heck to Steven Boyd combination is becoming a regular theme. Mountain Lakes will have to win the battle up front and keep the running attack with Kevin Ryan going. Pick: Mt Lakes by 8
George Muha: This could be a trap game for the Herd. Pequannock’s Jumpin’ Joe Heck and Stevie Boyd are showing they are not afraid of any team and they feel they should win the division. Watch as the Golden Panthers make it close with solid execution and hard hitting. The Herd still wins but it won’t be easy. PICK: Mt. Lakes by 6

Mo-Beard (1-2) @ Butler (3-0)
Dennis Jones:  Believe it... Butler is for real. Quarterback Peter Brand has eight touchdown passes already and has all the tools to lead the Bulldogs. The offensive line does a great job protecting him when he's out of the pocket so Brand can work his magic. Despite double teams every week Andrew Turzilli makes plays. Butler keeps rolling. Pick: Butler by 17
George Muha: No team has it all going on like the Bulldogs. They aren’t just winning, they are pummeling teams. I see Mo-Beard making it respectable, but Andrew Turzilli and the gang will stay undefeated through this one. PICK: Butler by 10

Dover (2-1) @ Boonton (2-1)
Dennis Jones: This shapes up to be like an old barnyard brawl. Fans will get to see Bryan Chavarriaga of Dover and Andrew Regan of Boonton; two of the top scoring running backs in the Independence Division. Regan is also a top return man on special teams for Boonton. Pick: Boonton at home by 3
George Muha: Boonton should call their home field the “Bomb Shelter”. Regardless, I love it that Boonton Bomber football is back! Andrew Regan is proving this team has a chance to take the division. However, I think Bryan Chavarriaga and the Dover Tigers are no one-hit wonder. Dover has one all of their night games so far and I see them continuing to do so. PICK: Dover by 3

NATIONAL DIVISION

Montville (3-0) @ Morris Hills (2-1)

Rocky Walifer and Sherm Reale: Montville is a very good football team and darn near pulled off a snappy win last week against Pope John. The Mustangs have the giddy-up that a lot of folks just don't see. Classy coach Gerry Gallagher has his ‘Stangs getting things done on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Jordan Gajdos throws a nice ball, but did you know he can play solid defense as well? He ran down a Johnnies’ tailback last week after 78 yards. Running back/defensive end Brian Keefe may have a GPS in his helmet, since he appears to have directions to the ball on every play. In addition, linebacker/offensive lineman Derek Margiotta and Nick Dechino have their motors running on every play. Throw in the talented backfield tandem of speedy Matt Chierici and bad boy Slade Eingenmann and you might start to get the picture. Montville is just a complete football team. Rocky bleeds red and white. The red is a shade of scarlet that adorns the MH helmets. The white is an HDL cholesterol problem attributed to his love of scrapple and scramblers; a subject to be discussed in dissertation-like detail later in the season. Coach Sabo just might have served an apprenticeship with David Copperfield. The guy has worked miracles without the aid of mirrors. Scrappy, 100lb soaking-wet Mickey Weiks got it done last week, hauling in the game winner and defending a game decider against a tough Jefferson club. Equally important, the MoHills Trenchmen provided adequate protection for Coach Sabo to pull off some characteristic slight-of-hand with a touchdown pass by wide receiver Azem “Sleek” Koliq, proving that Trix just aren’t for kids. For two weeks in a row the Scarlet Knights have done the improbable and walked away with a win. In a clash between two coaches that teach the game the way it is meant to be played, talent will provide an answer. The Green and Gold Mustangs will be able to walk down the "Hill" as victors. My deepest sympathies to my friend Rocky. Pick: Montville by 6
George Muha: Now this is a game! I cannot help not to love this MoHills team! They just came out of no-where and are at 3-0. The best part is that there are no super stars on this team. A hard working, team first attitude is all that is carrying them along. As much as I would love for them to keep up their winning ways, I think they have met their match against a very good Mustang team. Derek Margiotta and Nick Dechino are the work horses up front which will be the difference. PICK: Montville by 7

High Point (1-2) @ Jefferson (1-2)

Rocky Walifer and Sherm Reale: High Point is an enigma that might be considered a riddle within a conundrum. The Wildcats are a big, strong and athletic group that has solid line play, tackles well and has now shown an ability to pass. Quarterback Kevin Fasano had a "dirty" game against the Minutemen from Mendham. Fasano threw and ran his Cats to three scores and relied upon studly Billy Smith for the fourth score. Problem was, Mendham quarterback Matthew “The Gospel According To” Crimmins had an all-world day while breaking records and pulling the trigger for the Minutemen's air game. So, non-believers might start asking themselves, “Was it us or them?” The Wildcats are young and started seven sophs last year. They got into a shootout last week and got rifled. However, the advantage of being young is the ability to bounce back, hopefully having learned something in the process. Graduation has a way of setting a program back a notch. Last year’s state champs are this year’s "What if?" team. The Falcons made a good showing last week against a true team-centric Morris Hills and came up a bit short. Nevertheless, the Falcons can hold their heads high and carry on. They are building and have the tenacity and talent to make their talons demand respect. The Falcons ain't going away without a fight, as exemplified by the way they clawed their way back into last week’s game in the second half, led by Senior Frank Strumolo's two, second-half TD's and the scrambling of Gavin “The Gunslinger” McCarney. The MoHills contingent was happy to see the clock expire. The big question this week might be "Is Frank's little brother better?" They provide a brother/brother combo that is rarer than a Sherm coaching compliment. McCarney and VanderPloeg are a proven connection that graduation could not tamper with. High Point typically struggled with Jefferson in the old SCIL. Wildcats, take heart, next year will be the year you de-feather the Falcons. This week, live and learn. Pick: Jefferson by 7
George Muha: Kevin Fasano and the Wildcats showed a ton of guts last week in their attempt to come back against Mendham. It’s that kind of heart which can get High Point back into the division race. But Brian Vander Ploeg is one of the more electric players in the division. Look for Vander Ploeg and the gang to come away with the win in their home opener. PICK: Jefferson by 7

Pope John (3-0) @ Parsippany Hills (1-2)

Rocky Walifer and Sherm Reale: The folks at Pope John (aka Delbarton north) are smiling. On Monday, the Daily Record came out with a Top 10 List that included 1-2 Jefferson, but omitted Pope John and Sparta . Sherm and Rocky have spent countless hours scouring the fields and courts of Morris and Sussex for years. The great debate has always been, how would the allegedly inferior Sussex County teams fare against the mightiest in Morris? Tell us why, in this one world, interconnected society would a newspaper discount 30 percent of its readers? We now have four conferences and all the teams of like size play each other. The fans are enjoying the new conferences and the competition has been outstanding. Last week Rocky listened to a Beatles album backwards and pulled a Morris Hills win out of it. Unfortunately, Rocky was listening to an IPod. I had the IPod today and listened to "I Am the Walrus" backwards. The track did not say "Paul's Dead,” it said "Newspapers are History." Last week, the PJ Lions took everything in stride as usual. The Lions are long accustomed to being the game circled on everyone's schedule. Two weeks ago, cross-town rival Sparta gave the Lions all they could ask for, but the Blue & Gold reached down for a win. Montville, a great opponent, was supposed to be a "hangover" game…the kind of game that some teams just might not be able to get up for. Wrong! The sturdy shoulders of running back Kyle "The Wrath" McGrath and defensive lineman James Oroho provided the power while the finesse of quarterback Sean "Move Those Chains" Kenney and wide-out Sam "Nice" Weiss proved to be the difference. While the mainstream media touted several North Jersey players as potential all-state candidates, somebody needs to give them the 411 about Cole Farrand. Greg "Air" DePugh ran into a bit of turbulence last week against a spartan Sparta defense. The passing game eventually got on track behind the blocking of offensive lineman Pat Schreiner and the receiving of Greg Minardi (two TD's). Vike's head coach Dave Albano was flabbergasted by the Spartans’ lightning quick start and felt his team never really recovered. Look for receivers Chris Brazicki and Eric Kroszer to bounce back while snappy sophomore, we repeat, snappy sophomore running back C.J. Joyce continues to churn and burn the yardage sticks. ParHills has all the weapons to provide a pyrotechnic display; however, the Lions have faith in an offensive and defensive system that 90 percent of the time extinguishes hope around the beginning of the fourth quarter. Pick: Pope John by 10
George Muha: To me, this is a must win game for Par Hills. A loss here will send them to a 1-3 abyss which will be hard to climb out of. However, a win against the Johnnies will put them in the running for the conference. It’s a strange place to be for the Vikings, but that is where they are. The Irish Twins of Sean Kenney and Kyle McGrath are just cruising along in this division. They are getting it done in business like fashion, which I love. But, I am not ready to throw in the towel on the Vikings just yet. I hate to ruin my prediction percentage, but something tells me the Vikes will dig deep in front of their home crowd. I call that Chris Brizicki has a huge game to put Par Hills back in the hunt. PICK: Vikes by 10

Sparta (2-1) @ Mendham (1-3)

Rocky Walifer and Sherm Reale: Is Sparta Quarterback Doug D'Angelo getting better every week? The kid runs like a fullback, blocks like a tackle and throws some of the tightest spirals this side of Peyton Manning. More importantly, he leads by performance. Runningback Sean Greary had a big day last week with a score by land and score by air. Not to be outdone, 6'2" Split End Phil Greiner (a very fast and large target) was also the recipient of a D'Angelo TD dart. Last week, the Sparta defense held a high powered and high flying ParHills passing game scoreless in the first half but allowed two scores by air in the second half. Sparta might have shut the rush down a bit, but did show the Mendham scouts in attendance that a pass might be the ticket to beat them. We can only imagine what Sparta Coach Pat Shea may have said when he opened the Sunday papers and saw what had gone on in High Point. Did someone say "Bombs Away"? Senior Mendham quarterback Matt Crimmins threw for a school record five 5 touches last week against High Point . Brad Jones caught three of them. Mendham rallied last week when the going got tough and proved that even though they were 0-2, they still had plenty of football left in them. The Minutemen's "second" season of football starts this week against a team that has shown to be vulnerable to the pass. Mendham has improved from week to week especially through the air. Sparta knows they must improve on their pass "D" and have probably been in 7 on 7 drills since Sunday afternoon. The biggest problem for Mendham? The other five Sparta starters are HUGE and FAST. If Mendham can slow that defensive front 4 down they should be able to stay in the game. Otherwise the Spartans will be "Dancin in the Streets" down dear old Rt. 181. Pick: Sparta by 9
George Muha: Mendham’s confidence is flying high after a big road win against High Point. The Minutemen also officially chaned Matt Crimmins name to Five Touchdowns Crimmins after his big game last week. By the way, Five Touchdowns Crimmins was also given the Tri-State Player of the Week by MSG. Regardless, the Minutemen can be confident as they want, but they will need to make sure they execute plays against a very good Spartan team. Runningback Sean Greary will prove why Sparta was a preseason favorite. PICK: Spartans by 10

HOW WE’RE DOING

Will Harrigan: LAST WEEK:4-0 TOTAL SO FAR: 14-2 (88%)
Dennis Jones: LAST WEEK (N/A) TOTAL SO FAR: 5-5 (50%)
Brian Kenney: LAST WEEK: 3-2 TOTAL SO FAR: 9-6 (60%)
Rocky & Sherm: LAST WEEK: 4-0 TOTAL SO FAR: 12-4 (75%)
George Muha: LAST WEEK: 13-3 TOTAL SO FAR: 41-15 (73%)

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