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Football: Picks for playoff games

Here's a forecast for many of this weekend's playoff games:

FRIDAY

Washington Twp. (6-2) at Williamstown (7-1): This is the game of the week. These rivals will meet again in 13 days with the WJFL American title on the line on Thanksgiving Day.

WT is a surprise team. But the Minutemen are a proud, accomplished program and they aren't of a mind to take a backseat to the rising power to the South. The Minutemen (and their fans) would like nothing better than to upset the Braves. WT has a top QB in Tom Hildebrand and lots of other top juniors. This team could be really dangerous in 2012.

Williamstown has done everything the Braves hoped to do when they joined the WJFL -- except strike deep in the playoffs. This is their chance. QB Dan Collins is an underrated passer and the Wing-T is tough to stop with FB John Chamberlin and Marques Little. The Braves miss RB/DB Chris inge but this program has depth. The real strength of this team is an active defense led by DT Fidel Oyoke and LBs Rashon Pleasents and Buddy Brown. I think that defense creates a lot of problems for WT's offense. The pick: Williamstown, 17-10.

Rancocas Valley (6-2) at Millville (8-0): The Thunderbolts are hosting their first playoff game since 1998 at historic (and recently resodded) Wheaton Field. It's a great old place, teeming with tradition, and this year's team is making some new memories thanks to RB Alquann Jones, a great OL and lots of other playmakers.

The Red Devils are a bit of a mystery with all those games against Mercer County teams. They have D-1 linemen in Ray Korang (Temple) and Dom Twitty (Minnesota) plus a good RB in DeSean Jones. I just wonder about the level of competition the Red Devils have been playing in the Capitol Division, as opposed to the Cape American for Millville. The pick: Millville, 24-14.


Triton (7-1) at Southern (8-1): The Mustangs qualified with a 33-32 overtime victory over Woodrow Wilson.  Triton has been getting great work from quarterback Brian Keller and running back James Burns and the Mustangs are playing with confidence after a long, successful regular season. But the Mustangs will miss star running back Josh Woods, who is out with a knee injury, and that could hurt big-time against a talented and explosive team such as Southern.

This is tough duty for Triton -- long bus ride, and a opponent that some people think can challenge for this tournament title. Southern has a top coach in Chuck Donohue and a top running back in T.J. Bellissimo, who has 967 yards and 19 touchdowns. Homefield helps, too. The pick: Southern, 27-24.


Lacey Township (4-4) at Timber Creek (8-0): This is a rematch from last year, when Lacey won 27-6 en route to a perfect season.

Can Timber Creek flip the script? That's the idea. QB Calvin Lowe got to rest last week, which should help the turf toe that has bothered him at times over the last few weeks. The Chargers' defense, led by DL Greg Webb and LB Quanzell Lambert, will be open for business. The pick: Timber Creek, 19-7.

Oakcrest (5-3) at Moorestown (5-4): These are two teams that are anxious to seize the second chance that the post-season provides. Were they disappointing this regular season? I guess you could look at it that way based on preseason expectations. But those expectations were from outside points of views. The Falcons and Quakers had their own perspectives so it's unfair to impose a "diappointing" or "underacheiving" label on either team.

Plus, the best thing about the playoffs is that its a fresh start. Oakcrest has won four in a row but those teams are a combined 5-27. The Falcons have a top wide receiver/defensive back in Villanova-bound Mark Clement and future D-1 recruit in junior LB/RB Brandon Bell.

Moorestown quarterback Andrew Lisa directs a dangerous, no-huddle, spread offense and the Quakers have a top kicker in Alex Martinelli. It's been tough to get a read on this team. But they are capable of stringing together a few good games and surprising some people. The pick: Moorestown, 24-20.


Woodstown (6-2) at Cinnaminson (6-2): The Woodies have played all eight games against Group 1 opponents. All eight. There's something odd abut that for a Group 2 team. Not the Woodies fault, obviously, but still cause for concern about how this team will handle the step up in competition. Woodstown can run the football and has a top lineman in Villanova-bound Jake Prus.

Cinnaminson is a big-play team led by quarterback Dom Elly, RB Tom Donnelly and wide receiver/defensive back Chris Kirby. This team has played a lot wild, wide-open football this season. The Pirates are a dangerous playoff team. I don't think they can beat Haddonfield next week but I think that has a chance to be a pretty entertaining game. They need this one first. The pick: Cinnaminson, 27-20.


Willingboro (4-4) at Haddonfield (8-0): Willingboro has lost four of six. Haddonfield has won 17 in a row. Those stats say it all.

Last year, Haddonfield won at Willingboro by 38-27 in what was a signature win over an unbeaten opponent on the road. That was the game, maybe more than any other, that underscored how good that Haddonfield team was last season -- and they capped it off the next round by beating WD for the program's first title since the start of the playoffs in 1974. It sure looks like the gap between Haddonfield and Willingboro has widened considerably over the last year. The pick: Haddonfield, 31-13.

Bishop Eustace (4-4) at Holy Cross (5-3): This is a matchup of the Lancers' high-powered offense and the Crusaders' sturdy defense. It's a classic collision.

QB Conor Dempter, RB Myles Pressey and WR Lloyd Smith lead Holy Cross. The Lancers have beeb pretty consistentl, although they had a ltitle hiccup in that loss to Palmyra. But even in that game, they moved the ball and scored points,

LBs Nick Batistini and Vinny Paola lead Bishop Eustace's defense. I had a rival coach tell me this week how impressed he was with Batistini, who moves a lot faster on the field than he looks on film. The Crusaders aren't anything special on offense but if they can limited turnovers and play solid special teams, they might win this game through field position. The pick: Bishop Eustace, 13-7.

SATURDAY
Atlantic City (6-2) at Pennsauken (7-1): The Vikings have top receivers in Ishmail Naji and Radi Tolbert and QB Kabir McCoy is coming off a 319-yard game against Millville. AC could have scored 30 that night -- they lost two fumbles in the end zone and threw a pick in the end zone, too.

The Indians have top receivers in Amar Williams and Anthony Sweet, among others, and a top quarterback in Manny Cortez, who has 29 touchdown passes. This team's offensive balance is remarkable, as all the skill guys -- like TE Justin Anderson Copes and RB Tyrik Thomas --- are big parts of the passing game. This could be a shootout since the weather should be pretty good. I like that AC team but it's tough to stay up with Pennsauken over 48 minutes. The pick: Pennsauken, 32-18.

Central Regional (5-3) at Woodrow Wilson (5-3): Central has lost two of three. Woodrow Wilson is a pair of one-point losses away from being 7-1. Think about that. The Tigers probably would be a Top 10 team in the conversations with Timber Creek -- especially since they battled the Chargers pretty even in the second half of that loss a few weeks agao -- and Hammonton in SJ 3.

The Tigers have a top quarterback-wide receiver combination in Aaron Spencer and TJ Chambliss. They are coming off a frustrating loss to Triton by 33-32 in OT in a game in which an apparent kickoff return for TD was nullified by an inadvertent whistle. This team wants another shot at Creek. That might be a case of being careful what you wish for but the Tigers will take their chances. The pick: Woodrow Wilson, 26-20.


Penns Grove (5-3) at Paulsboro (7-1): The Red Devils missed last year's tournament because of an NJSIAA ruling. They are on a mission but they've been inconsistent this season and have missed several senior leaders who graduated from that team.

Penns Grove quarterback Nick Elmer is working back from an ankle injury. This team has weapons but needs to avoid turnovers and stay focused when adversity hits.

Paulsboro will not beat itself. Coach Glenn Howard has been around for too long and has won too many playoff games. This team is not as talented as one past Paulsboro teams but they are solid on defense, has a top kicker in Mike Maccarone and an explisve RB in Dimere Turner. Still, something tells me that PG is ready to make a playoff run. The pick: Penns Grove, 20-17.

-- Phil Anastasia