Week 4- What to Watch

[ChickenNuggets]

I was far from perfect with my predictions last week in the 9-man division.Northstar and Surrey picked up big wins that I did not predict would happen, although in some of these games anything can happen and that's why they are played! Let's see if I can get closer this week to knowing what I am talking about!

Region 1-
Wyndmere/Lidgerwood (3-0) vs. Hankinson (2-1)
I stand by what I said last week, I think there are three good teams in this region and then a big drop off. Wyndmere is one of those three teams in my eyes. Hankinson is a team on the bubble. After losing a week 1 matchup against North Border they have rattled off a pair of Region 1 wins. This is a rivalry game for both schools and they tend to play each other close, even when it maybe shouldn't be, because that's what rivalries are all about. That said, I think Wyndmere/Lidgerwood goes into a hostile environment on the road and gets a win by 20+ points.

Region 2-
New Rockford/Sheyenne/Maddock (3-0) vs. North Prairie (3-0)
To me, this is the region championship. These are two teams that I have been high on for a while. I knew NP was going to be a title contender after their semi-final run last year and seeing what they bring back. NR/S/ with the addition of the Maddock kids has a huge team with a lot of depth and good athletes. As solid as NR/S/M is, I am not sure if they can match up with NP in the trenches and stop the Cougars. I predict NP wins 42-28.

Also keep an eye on the Four-Winds @ Nelson County game in this region. With North Star knocking off Nelson County last week, this 4W vs. NC game has a lot of importance, especially to Nelson County who cannot afford another loss in the region. I'll take Nelson County at home in a shootout- 52-46.

Region 3-
Westhope/Newburg/Glenburn (3-0) @ Surrey (3-0)
I doubted Surrey last week and they made me look foolish, but I have my doubts again with them going up against a really explosive WNG team with one of the top athletes commanding their high powered offense. I don't see anyone knocking off WNG in this region during the regular season. WNG wins 56-32.

Region 4-
Linton HMBSZ (3-0) @ Grant County/Flasher (2-1)
Last week I had these two teams ranked 8 & 9 in my top-10. I did have GC/F one spot ahead of Linton and GC/F is at home. That said, the Storm is coming off a tough game in which they were defeated by South Border while Linton is flying high, clicking on all cylinders with a 3-0 start to the season. I'm going to ride that momentum to pick Linton HMB to win this match-up on the road, Linton wins 36-26.


My Week #4 Top 10:
1- North Prairie
2- Sargent County
3- New Salem/Almont
4- WNG
5- South Border
6- New Rockford/Sheyenne/Maddock
7- LaMoure LM
8- Linton HMBSZ
9- Grant County/Flasher
10- Surrey

[ndlionsfan]

Region 2-
New Rockford/Sheyenne/Maddock (3-0) vs. North Prairie (3-0)
To me, this is the region championship. These are two teams that I have been high on for a while. I knew NP was going to be a title contender after their semi-final run last year and seeing what they bring back. NR/S/ with the addition of the Maddock kids has a huge team with a lot of depth and good athletes. As solid as NR/S/M is, I am not sure if they can match up with NP in the trenches and stop the Cougars. I predict NP wins 42-28.

Also keep an eye on the Four-Winds @ Nelson County game in this region. With North Star knocking off Nelson County last week, this 4W vs. NC game has a lot of importance, especially to Nelson County who cannot afford another loss in the region. I'll take Nelson County at home in a shootout- 52-46.

Region 2 playoff race could all be sewn up after this weekend. NP and NRS/M game will decide #1 and #2 and the NC and FW game will decide #4 in my mind. NS in the driver seat for #3. Of course this is all barring any huge upsets, but I see this tough region playoff race being anticlimatic late in the season.

[Dakotastater]

Good game in Rolette. NRS/M overcomes a two touchdown deficit in the second half and wins in overtime. North Prairie ran QB run 90% in the second half and the Rockets got the stops they needed.

[WalkingStick]

Good game in Rolette. NRS/M overcomes a two touchdown deficit in the second half and wins in overtime. North Prairie ran QB run 90% in the second half and the Rockets got the stops they needed.

NP lost their QB in the 1st Q and their QB the rest of the game was their starting RB (Backup was hurt a few weeks ago); makes sense that they ran it a lot under those circumstances

[Flip]

NP lost their QB in the 1st Q and their QB the rest of the game was their starting RB (Backup was hurt a few weeks ago); makes sense that they ran it a lot under those circumstances

I was wondering what was going on. I started watching towards the end of the game and NP ran QB run play for the last four plays of regulation and then it took four QB runs to score an OT TD. On the two-point conversion, the QB got taken down by the facemask and he was slowly getting back to the huddle then they asked him to run it again and he couldn't make it.