Rick O'Brien's Football Friday Pick Six
Several local football teams playing at the Jersey Shore on Saturday will try to beat the projected arrival of Tropical Storm Hermine.
Several local football teams playing at the Jersey Shore on Saturday will try to beat the projected arrival of Tropical Storm Hermine.
West Catholic and Roman Catholic are scheduled to meet at Wildwood's Maxwell Field at 11 a.m., followed by Neumann-Goretti against Columbia at 3:30 p.m. The start time of both games was moved up by a half-hour.
Also, in the season opener for both squads, Penn Charter is set to face Lansdale Catholic at 10 a.m. at Ocean City High, just off the boardwalk.
St. Joseph's Prep is in Southern California to play Oaks Christian Academy (Calif.) as part of the Honor Bowl at Mission Viejo High. The Friday contest is slated for 8 p.m. Philadelphia time.
Oaks Christian quarterback Matt Corral has committed to play at USC. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior completed 17 of 35 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns as the Lions outlasted Chaminade (Calif.), 65-55, last Friday.
Prep supporters can listen to a live broadcast of the game at www.blogtalkradio.com/WSJP.
Malvern Prep crosses the river to take on St. Augustine Prep. The Hermits are No. 1 in the Inquirer's preseason South Jersey rankings.
There are two top-10 matchups in Southeastern Pennsylvania: No. 7 Downingtown East at No. 4 North Penn and No. 6 Neshaminy at No. 9 Pennridge.
Archbishop Wood hosts North Jersey power Bergen Catholic. Last week, Wood and host Wayne (Ohio) were tied, 21-21, in the second quarter when rain and lightning ended the contest.
Coming off a 33-24 loss to North Penn, Syaire Madden and La Salle look to bounce back against rebuilding Pennsbury.
Pick Six
Friday
No. 5 Malvern Prep (0-0) at St. Augustine (0-0),
6 p.m. Hermits junior halfback Kyle Dobbins, who rushed for 1,619 yards and 19 TDs last season, has a scholarship offer from Temple.
Pick: Malvern, 28-27.
No. 7 Downingtown East (1-0) at No. 4 North Penn (1-0), 7 p.m. Can East cornerback Jeremy Jennings, a Temple recruit, put the clamps on Knights wideout Ricky Johns (West Virginia)?
Pick: North Penn, 38-21.
Bergen Catholic (0-0) at No. 3 Archbishop Wood (0-0), 7 p.m. The Vikings' stout defense is anchored by tackle Anthony Diodato (Fordham) and linebackers Matt Palmer and Dan Freeman.
Pick: Wood, 41-20.
No. 8 La Salle (0-1) at No. 21 Pennsbury (1-0),
7 p.m. First-year boss Dan McShane and the new-look Falcons will try to reverse last year's 14-0 loss to the Explorers.
Pick: La Salle, 31-7.
No. 1 St. Joseph's Prep (0-0) vs. Oaks Christian (1-0), 8 p.m. Middle guard Ryan Bryce and the rest of the Hawks' defensive front need to apply steady pressure on Corral.
Pick: Prep, 49-34.
Saturday
No. 22 West Catholic (1-0) vs. No. 15 Roman (0-1), 11 a.m. The Cahillites' secondary must keep close tabs on wideouts Amadou Barry and Ahmad Kent.
Pick: Roman, 23-16.
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