Steinmetz holds lead going into final week

He sits on the king’s throne tapping his fingers on the golden arm. There is just one more week and 15 more games to pick, and if Handy Andy Steinmetz is still in the chair, he will be the 2019 Grid Picks Cup Champion.

He holds a two-game lead over both Hot Rod Heckman and Bad Brad Hurley. Two games might seem like a comfortable gap, but Week 13 presents a most difficult challenge, as all of the playoff matchups involve teams out of the Times News area – except for Tamaqua – who have not been personally seen by TN staffers.

Do the research. Check common opponents. Mark the winning streaks. At the end of the day, trust the crystal ball. Will Steinmentz’s streak of top pick weeks continue, or will this be the week he falters? Do Heckman or Hurley have enough prediction savvy to overcome Steinmetz and take home the Cup?

Who are these teams?

Let’s first look at all the mascots of the teams playing for district titles and for the right to compete in PIAA championship games. From ancient worlds of fighting men, there are Trojans, Cavaliers, Lancers and Royal Lancers, two Vikings, two Spartans, two Blue Raiders and three Warrior teams. From the animal world, we have the Bucks, Rams, Tigers, Bulldogs, Lions and the Little Lions, two Cougars, and two Eagles’ teams. Throw in a Pope, a Crimson Tide, the Oilers, the Mountaineers, and the Red Tornadoes. We even have two Indians’ teams, and they just so happen to be playing each other.

Speaking of these Indians, Millersburg takes its 3-8 record to battle 8-4 Muncy. That’s no misprint. There are only two qualifiers left in District 3 Class 1A, and last week, Millersburg defeated Fairfield (2-7) 56-28 for the right to play Muncy. I’m picking the Indians to win this one. Guess which team.

Our only area team in the PIAA playoffs is Tamaqua. Sam Bonner’s district champion Blue Raiders will meet Pope John II in the first round of the Class 3A tournament. Both teams are 10-2. The scouting report on Pope John Paul shows a squad with team speed and a potent offense, spearheaded by quarterback Kamal Gray, who led the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference in passing yards and TD throws.

Tamaqua QB Brayden Knoblauch, who should finish as the school’s all time leading passer, will look downfield for Matt Kistler, Jake Barron, and Lucas Gregiore. Running back Nate Boyle is a run-and-catch threat and will be looking to become Tamaqua’s all-time leading rusher.

Go Raiders! Move on to the state title game and win it all.

Who wins is anyone’s guess

For Week 13 and the last chance for jumping up in the standings, the picks are helter skelter. As opposed to two weeks ago when most everyone agreed with the game winners and there were four 15-0 records, this time we may be more than a few dreaded eight won-or-loss showings.

The top three in contention to win the Cup have major disagreements. Heckman has picked six different winners than Steinmetz, while Hurley tabbed five against the leader’s picks. Something will have to give here. Steinmetz can win the title with a knockout, or Heckman and Hurley can win the Cup in these 15 rounds by major decision.

Of course, there is still an outside chance that Bob Photo Ford or Justin The Voice Carlucci will add 15 wins to their records, combined with major collapses at the top, but that’s like saying a pro team who is mathematically alive to win will do it. The numbers just never add up.

So here’s wishing good luck to everyone in our final week of picks. The Cup awaits the winner. Stay tuned to next week’s column and find out who it will be.