FB: Staff picks for Week 3 Top 10

Hoosier Authority’s Eric Eaton lists his Top 10 games and predictions for Week 3 of the Indiana high school football season, with a little assistance from Managing Editor E. Shawn Aylsworth. After a season-opening 8-2 effort, Eric came back to Earth last week at 4-6; Aylsworth, meanwhile, opened his season o’ picks at a slightly less nauseating 5-5.

Here are this week’s matchups (rankings courtesy of the Indiana Football Coaches Association):

3A #9 Brebeuf (2-0) vs. 2A #2 Indianapolis Ritter (2-0) @ Marian College
EZ-E: Ritter won, 16-7, last season and went onto win the Class A state title. Can senior QB Ross Hendrickson lead the now-2A Raiders past the 3A Braves for a second consecutive season? Brebeuf has 14 starters back in hopes of winning this time around. Pick: Ritter.
ESA: I’ll take Mr. Kroot to run wild. Brebeuf.

5A #1 Center Grove (2-0) @ 5A #3 Carmel (1-1)
EZ-E: These two MIC rivals played two marvelous contests last season. Carmel won the regular season tilt, 33-32, but Center Grove returned the favor in the 5A state championship game, winning 36-33. Both defenses have been stingy this season, not allowing more than 7 points in a game. Pick: Carmel.
ESA: This clash can’t match last year’s Morgan Newton vs. All Those Seniors epic slugfests, can it? CAN IT?!?! I’ll take the home team.

5A #8 Fishers (2-0) @ 5A #21 Westfield (2-0)
EZ-E: How many of you thought these two Hamilton County schools would be battling for first place in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference this week? Is Westfield ready to challenge for a conference crown after going 1-9 last season? Fishers won last year’s contest, 33-21. Pick: Westfield.
ESA: Well, hoss. I called Fishers’ win over HSE. And I’m calling Fishers’ win over Westfield.

5A #16 Homestead (2-0) @ 4A #14 East Noble (1-1)
EZ-E: 5A Homestead won a one-point affair last season, 20-19. Can 4A East Noble end a four-game losing streak to the Spartans? Pick: East Noble.
ESA: Yes. East Noble.

4A #6 Roncalli (2-0) vs. 3A #2 Indianapolis Chatard (2-0) @ Indianapolis Broad Ripple
EZ-E: This game should go a long way in telling us whether Roncalli is ready to be a challenger in 4A this season after two straight subpar campaigns. Chatard has won the last four meetings between the two parochial schools. In fact, the Rebels didn’t score more than 8 points in any of those defeats. The Trojans won, 16-8, last season. Pick: Chatard.
ESA: I couldn’t have put it better myself, E-Z-E. I’ll take the “upset” with coach Scifres and Roncalli.

5A #13 Mishawaka (2-0) @ 3A #11 South Bend St. Joseph’s (1-1)
EZ-E: 5A Mishawaka has outscored its first two opponents 81-7. Can the Cavemen end a three-game losing streak to 3A South Bend St. Joe’s? The Indians won last season’s meeting, 21-10. Pick: Mishawaka.
ESA: I’ll take the Catholic power over the meddling public school for two hundred, Alex. St. Joseph’s.

2A #11 Northwestern (2-0) @ 2A #16 Cass (0-2)
EZ-E: After graduating 12 starters from last year’s 2A state runner-up team, the Cass Kings have stumbled out of the gate, falling to 1A second-ranked Pioneer by seven points and to 3A No. 4 West Lafayette by a field goal. Can Cass continue its dominance of Mid-Indiana Conference opponents and defeat Northwestern for a 13th straight year? The Tigers have 14 returning starters from last year’s 6-5 team and have outscored their first two opponents 77-0. The Kings won last year’s meeting, 24-6. Pick: Cass.
ESA: Sherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Mama Cass.

2A #5 Rensselaer (2-0) @ 2A #19 North Judson (2-0)
EZ-E: These two programs squared off twice last season, with North Judson winning the regular-season matchup (28-14) and Rensselaer taking the 2A Sectional #5 title contest (9-0). Both squads return double-digit starters from a year ago, which means these two schools might once again see each other in the sectional. Pick: Rensselaer.
ESA: The Bombers’ 35-32 loss at Sheridan four seasons ago was one of THE most exciting high school games I’ve ever seen. Rensselaer

1A #4 Rockville (2-0) @ South Putnam (2-0)
EZ-E: The Rox, who have posted back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, squeaked out a 28-26 win over South Putnam last season. Meanwhile, the 2A Eagles have been one of the early surprises as they attempt to make a big turnaround from last season’s 3-7 campaign. Pick: South Putnam.
ESA: No more Matt King = no more regular-season magic. South Putnam.

Cincinnati St. Xavier (OH) (1-0) vs. 4A #1 Indianapolis Cathedral (2-0) @ Lucas Oil Stadium
EZ-E: St. Xavier has won eight of nine meetings between the two schools, including a 17-3 decision last season. Cathedral already has proven it can win with both offense and defense this year, defeating MIC powers Carmel, 7-3, and Warren Central, 35-32. St. Xavier’s win was against Cincinnati Colerain, a team that began the season ranked 13th nationally in the USA Today Super 25 preseason rankings. A victory by Cathedral should solidify it as legitimate Top 25 team in the nation. Pick: Cathedral.
ESA: Time for a letdown against an out-of-state behemoth. St. X.

A look back at the staff picks from Week 2:

Aylsworth 5-5 (season 5-5 .500)
Eaton 4-4 (season: 12-6 .667)

5A #2 Ben Davis (1-0) @ 5A #4 Penn (1-0)
Penn had a subpar regular season in 2008 losing three times. However, the Kingsmen caught fire in the state tournament and advanced to the semistate round. Something tells me that Penn has carried that momentum into this season. Ben Davis won last year’s matchup, 35-27. EZ-E: Pick: Penn. (WIN)
ESA: What may be the best team from “The Region” vs. what may be the best team from the MIC? No sir. BD. (LOSS)

Charlestown (1-0) @ 2A #7 Brownstown (1-0)
EZ-E: 3A Charlestown defeated 2A Brownstown, 28-24, last season. Pick: Brownstown. (LOSS)
ESA: Yes, Charlestown has won the last two. But Brownstown won at least the previous 15, and most by lopsided margins. Brownstown. (LOSS)

5A #11 Columbus North (1-0) @ 5A #8 Columbus East (1-0)
EZ-E: East won easily last year, 35-3. This season the two Bartholomew County rivals could meet twice since East has moved up to 5A. North holds a one-game edge in the last 15 meetings between the two schools. Pick: Columbus North. (LOSS)
ESA: I will be at this game for the umpteenth time since HoosierAuthority.com launched, and I’m gonna agree with the master on this one. Bull Dogs. (LOSS)

4A #11 Evansville Central (1-0) @ 2A #5 Evansville Mater Dei (1-0)
EZ-E: 4A Central defeated 2A Mater Dei, 17-12, last season. Pick: Evansville Mater Dei. (LOSS)
ESA: Hmm, this one features a lot of similarity with Charlestown-Brownstown above as Central has won the last three (all tight affairs) whereas Mat Dei had taken the previous eight. I’ll take Coach Goebel and the host Wildcats. (LOSS)

Greenwood (0-1) @ Indian Creek (1-0)
EZ-E: 4A Greenwood defeated 3A Indian Creek, 28-13, last season. However, word has it that Indian Creek was mighty impressive at some of the off-season tournaments. Pick: Indian Creek. (WIN)
ESA: Dang it, Eric. This is four in a row. The Creek. (WIN)

5A #6 Hamilton Southeastern (1-0) @ Fishers (1-0)
EZ-E: HSE has won all three prior meetings against the arch-rival Tigers, including a 24-17 triumph last season. If Southeastern prevails again, the Royals might just be a Week 4 win at Zionsville away from a second straight undefeated regular season. Pick: Hamilton Southeastern. (LOSS)
ESA: Survey says … EHHHHHHH! The times they are a-changin’, and I’m a-goin’ with Fishers. (WIN)

4A #1 Indianapolis Cathedral (1-0) @ 5A #3 Warren Central (1-0)
EZ-E: These two Indianapolis eastside football powers haven’t met since 2004, when Warren Central took a 35-17 victory. Pick: Warren Central. (LOSS)
ESA: The Warriors laid an egg in several big games last year, so this should tell us mucho about where they’re headed in ’09. Warren. (LOSS)

2A #9 Cass (0-1) @ 3A #4 West Lafayette (1-0)
EZ-E: Can defending 2A state runner-up Cass top 3A West Lafayette and avoid a second straight defeat to open the season? West Lafayette won, 27-20, last season. Pick: West Lafayette. (WIN)
ESA: Despite standout QB Matt Lancaster’s graduation, I still like the home team here. Red Devils. (WIN)

4A #3 Lowell (1-0) at 4A #16 Hammond Morton (1-0)
EZ-E: Lowell won easily last season, 57-20. However, the Governors of Hammond Morton made quite a statement last week, shutting out four-time defending 4A Sectional 9 champion Griffith, 20-0. Morton has never won a sectional title in football – a victory over the Red Devils would certainly open some eyes. Pick: Hammond Morton. (LOSS)
ESA: I’ve been to Hammond Morton, where I saw the Governors self-destruct to the aforementioned Panthers a few years back. Lowell, however, is turning into a football factory and as such I’m sticking with the proven commodity (plus, these Red Devils won this game, 57-20, a year ago, meaning a nearly 40-point turnaround would be in order). Lowell. (WIN)

3A #14 Norwell (1-0) @ Heritage (1-0)
EZ-E: The last two meetings between these two schools have each been decided by seven points. Heritage won, 21-14, last season. Pick: Norwell. (WIN)
ESA: What, no 2A #3 Southridge at 4A #4 Jasper?!?! C’mon, EZ-E! Norwell, the 2006 3A runner-up, beat Leo last week to open the year after getting drubbed by the Lions in the season opener of last year’s disappointing 2-8 campaign. Things may be getting back to normal in Ossian. Norwell. (WIN)