By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area

**Click here for previews from games around the Northern Region in Week 10!!**

Lake Braddock (7-2, 5-1) at West Springfield (4-5, 3-3)
PowerPoint Ranking: Lake Braddock - 3rd (Div. 6); West Springfield - 9th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (ppg in Division): Lake Braddock - 1st (33.1); West Springfield - 5th (27.6)
Defensive Rank (ppg in Division): Lake Braddock - 3rd (15.4); West Springfield - 14th (28.2)
Last Week: Lake Braddock beat West Potomac, 49-6; West Springfield lost at Lee, 30-27
Series Since 1998: West Springfield leads, 6-5

First-year West Springfield coach J.T. Biddison has the easiest pre-game pep talk of his life.

The Spartans are in a win-and-in playoff situation against the archrival Bruins.

Oh, and if you're just getting back from a four-month trip to the third world, former head coach Bill Renner is now a special assistant at Lake Braddock.

A special thank you to all the preseason emailers for that nugget.

West Springfield will be playing inspired. If they don't, Ms. S on the sideline needs to check for a pulse.

The question is can the Spartans stop the hottest team in Division 6?

Bruin junior Michael Nebrich has accounted for five passing and six rushing touchdowns in the last two games. For all of you sitting at work or class thinking, "But he has 16 interceptions this year," ,,,

Thiry-bloody-eight points per game in the last four, 48.5 in the last two. One could say he's starting to grasp the offense.

Senior receiver Brandon Johnson has been targeted a team-high 20 times in the last two weeks and has 16 receptions. That's 80-percent passing to Johnson alone.

Lake Braddock will score.

West Springfield's Renner-installed offense has to keep up. It has the firepower; it scores four touchdowns per game.

Turnovers will help, but the Spartans need to find ways to move the ball on the loaded Bruin defense in other possessions, too.

LB has a collegiate defensive line, one that's held opponents to season-low totals at game time in eight of nine games, including the last seven. It's doubtful that streak will continue, but if it does, chalk victory up to Braddock.

West Springfield was held to 38 yards on 27 carries in its loss at South County.

Spartan senior Matt Prokop needs to crack 200 yards passing, the defense needs to be at least plus-two in turnovers and senior Dan Collins needs to get 4.0 yards per carry or better to pull off the win.

Honestly, I pulled those numbers out of the air -- I originally picked a different three-letter a-word to describe where I pulled them from, but thought better of it.

Still, few teams have been able to post those rushing numbers against the Bruins.

In fact, just two have over 4.0 yards per carry: Robinson and Lee. You'll be seeing those teams in the regional semifinals.

Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com