My Play In Picks - Giving you a chance

Before my play in picks, what about those MWL kickers making all league in soccer?
Churchill's Josh Han and Marist's Garrett Holaday made 1st team soccer.  Springfield's Ashton Summer made honorable mention.  Han and Holaday graduate.  Summer? - He'll be BAACK.

My Play-in picks

I'm ahead of MWL fans 20 to 19 correct picks so far.  I'm going to give you a chance to catch me this weekend.  I'm a softie for the MWL when we go out of league, so I'll go for an upset by a MWL team, which you unfaithful fans wouldn't go for.

Marist over Summit (at North Eugene)
This game will show us how well the Spartans can focus.  Marist should easily handle Summit, but will they lollygag because they think Summit will roll over?  My thinking is if Summit's low ranking can throw off Spartan focus, other issues might also throw off their focus.  Like Sherwood's prowess if Marist is fortunate enough to try to gain revenge on December 3.

Ashland over Crescent Valley at Ashland
I'm a little worried about this  one.  The MWC is a very physical league and typically keeps their penalties and mental mistakes to a minimum.  But I think Ashland is man enough and the Grizzlies O is tough to defend.

Everyone else is on the road

Silverton over Eagle Point
Eagle Point has a great shot at an upset in what just has to be one of the most physical match ups of the night.  If the Eagles can control the clock, which they are capable of, and score td's in the red zone, they should be in good shape.  If the Eagles let the Silver Foxes score early and often, then it'll be hard for the Eagles to catch off.  But scoring often isn't Silverton's MO, so Eagle Point has a great shot at the upset, but I'm picking Silverton because my upset pick is....

Churchill over Corvallis
The Lancer's have the 'O' to beat Corvallis.  I have two concerns.  My biggest concern is whether Churchill's linemen can match Corvallis's physical intensity.  Recent games haven't helped the Lancers get tuned up for a physical match.   Churchill won their last two games by a margin of 61 to 18.  On the other hand, Corvallis's last three games were against three teams in the top 7 of the RPI rankings.  My other concern is if Churchill's D can shut down Corvallis in the first half. The Lancers have been stellar defenders in the second half, but they've let opponents get the jump in the first half.  Even with those concerns, I think Churchill can put enough points on the board to overcome an early Corvallis lead.  But the Lancer's will be black and blue when the final whistle blows.

Lebanon over Willamette
Willamette will have a big hurdle to overcome if Crownover can't play.  But even without him, if the Wolverines can decide not to make delay of game penalties and jump offside on O, especially in the red zone - they will be in the game at the end, when anything can happen.  My 400 photos of the Churchill-Willamette game showed the same five guys at the ball on offense and defense on the majority of plays.  If the Wolverines can make it 8 to 11 guys to the ball, it's a Willamette win.

West Albany over Springfield
Like the Wolverines, if the Millers play to the level they are capable, they can win.  And like the Wolverines, they tend to hurt themselves with penalties and mental mistakes.  Hopefully, Springfield has worked on execution the last two weeks because the Millers certainly have the offense to win.

Mt. View over Marshfield
It's supposed to be 37 degrees at kickoff, but no snow.  Unless the Pirates fiddled with the Hollister brothers food and the brothers come down with the flu (a common practice in the Tour de France), an  upset is a long shot.  Mt. View's stats are a lot like Marist's, 1800 yards passing, 1300 rushing, with the QB not running much.  If the Pirates can figure out how to get to the qb, there is hope.

Brink to start Canadian Football League Game Saturday
If you want to see up to six players in motion (four allowed to go forward as receivers), 110 yard fields, and two and outs which means lots of passing; watch the Winnipeg at Calgary game tomorrow at 1 PM.  Former Sheldon QB, and my stepson, Alex Brink should be starting tomorrow in the last regular season game.  A Winnipeg win guarantees the Blue Bombers of a bye in the march to the Grey Cup. Alex has played quite a bit this year and engineered a game winning drive as well as rallied the team from a couple of huge deficits, only to lose by a hair.  Saturday, he should get the entire game to himself.  I hope he likes snow, there's about a half a foot on the field right now.  You have to have access to ESPNWatch.  You can catch in on the internet.  Winnipeg game

Congratulations to the soccer players for making all league in soccer.

Go MWL.