Week 3- What to Watch for

[ChickenNuggets]

Ask and you shall receive-

Here are the games that I think are the top matchups for the week:

Region 1-
In all reality, there probably isn't going to be a whole lot to watch in this region this week that has major implications on how the region shakes out. I think Sargent County has established themselves as a top 2-3 team in the state that will push for a state title. I think that LaMoure and Wyndmere/Lidgerwood are going to be the next two teams in the region and then there is going to be a big drop-off with a few others fighting it out for the last playoff spot in the region.

Region 2-
2-0 Nelson County vs. 2-0 North Star
Here are a few of my opinions about this region- I think that North Prairie is the best team in the state and the favorites to win it all, but I also think that this is the best region from top to bottom and after North Prairie I would tab these two as the next best! This game should have a ton of bearing on playoff seeding and honestly the winner is probably in the drivers seat to host a first round match-up and more importantly, get out of North Prairie's quarter of the bracket. Nelson County brings back a really good core from last year's team. They're athletic and physical. NR/S-Maddock has strength in numbers with nearly 40 rostered players and a ton of upper classmen with experience. They can just wear teams down. Should be an excellent game but I'll lean with New Rockford at home in this one to win 34-26

Region 3-
DC @ WNG would have been a game I had marked in the pre-season, but I'm not so sure this one will be close. WNG appears to be the team to beat out of this region which is not a surprise.
Surrey (2-0) @ TGU (1-1) may end up being the game of the week out of this region. Both have wins over Divide County already. After WNG, I think there could be a handful of teams fighting it out for the #2 spot with a home playoff game as the reward. These two teams are in that group, but Central McLean, MLS, and Alexander (Who could jump out to a 3-0 start to the year) will be in that mix as well. Once again, I'll take the home team. TGU wins 46-36


Region 4-
There are four teams who are 2-0 in this region and two of them play this week.
(RV) Grant County/Flasher (2-0) @ (#5) South Border (2-0)
This has to be the 9-man game of the week! GC/F is getting votes and SB is #5 in the state media polls. Week 3 is far enough along into the season for teams to have worked out some kinks so this should be a good test to see where these teams stand. I would expect a very physical game, but with some playmakers on the field I would guess points will go up. My prediction is that SB wins at home in a tight one- 38-30


My top 10 at this point:
#1- North Prairie
#2- Sargent County
#3- New Salem/Almont
#4- WNG
#5- South Border
#6- New Rockford
#7- LaMoure
#8- Grant County/Flasher
#9- Linton HMB
#10- Nelson County

[WalkingStick]

North Star is 0-1

Lost to NRS/Maddock in Week 1 and was off last week

By reading further you must have meant to say NRS

[Flip]

By reading further you must have meant to say NRS

I think he did, but NRSM plays Larimore this week.

[OdessaAardvark]

Ask and you shall receive-

Here are the games that I think are the top matchups for the week:

Region 1-
In all reality, there probably isn't going to be a whole lot to watch in this region this week that has major implications on how the region shakes out. I think Sargent County has established themselves as a top 2-3 team in the state that will push for a state title. I think that LaMoure and Wyndmere/Lidgerwood are going to be the next two teams in the region and then there is going to be a big drop-off with a few others fighting it out for the last playoff spot in the region.

Region 2-
2-0 Nelson County vs. 2-0 North Star
Here are a few of my opinions about this region- I think that North Prairie is the best team in the state and the favorites to win it all, but I also think that this is the best region from top to bottom and after North Prairie I would tab these two as the next best! This game should have a ton of bearing on playoff seeding and honestly the winner is probably in the drivers seat to host a first round match-up and more importantly, get out of North Prairie's quarter of the bracket. Nelson County brings back a really good core from last year's team. They're athletic and physical. NR/S-Maddock has strength in numbers with nearly 40 rostered players and a ton of upper classmen with experience. They can just wear teams down. Should be an excellent game but I'll lean with New Rockford at home in this one to win 34-26

Region 3-
DC @ WNG would have been a game I had marked in the pre-season, but I'm not so sure this one will be close. WNG appears to be the team to beat out of this region which is not a surprise.
Surrey (2-0) @ TGU (1-1) may end up being the game of the week out of this region. Both have wins over Divide County already. After WNG, I think there could be a handful of teams fighting it out for the #2 spot with a home playoff game as the reward. These two teams are in that group, but Central McLean, MLS, and Alexander (Who could jump out to a 3-0 start to the year) will be in that mix as well. Once again, I'll take the home team. TGU wins 46-36


Region 4-
There are four teams who are 2-0 in this region and two of them play this week.
(RV) Grant County/Flasher (2-0) @ (#5) South Border (2-0)
This has to be the 9-man game of the week! GC/F is getting votes and SB is #5 in the state media polls. Week 3 is far enough along into the season for teams to have worked out some kinks so this should be a good test to see where these teams stand. I would expect a very physical game, but with some playmakers on the field I would guess points will go up. My prediction is that SB wins at home in a tight one- 38-30


My top 10 at this point:
#1- North Prairie
#2- Sargent County
#3- New Salem/Almont
#4- WNG
#5- South Border
#6- New Rockford
#7- LaMoure
#8- Grant County/Flasher
#9- Linton HMB
#10- Nelson County

My favorite read of the week!

Thank you sir!

[ChickenNuggets]

You are. right, my eyes saw North Star, but my brain registered New Rockford. With that said, I still think that this has potential to be an excellent game. Yes North Star is 0-1 but they battled a deep NRS team and put up huge numbers. This still could be a game that ultimately has big time playoff implications. North Star can't afford to go 0-2 in the region with a game against North Prairie still to come. That puts a lot of pressure on them. I am going to predict Nelson County wins in a high-scoring affair, 42-38