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Bald Predictions - High School Football Week Four

JT BlockSFHSSports: Twitter | Facebook

It is customary for me to remind everyone that the high school football season is 20 percent completed.

You know how you'll hear people say "life goes fast, enjoy it"?

I'm just saying.

As we enter the fourth week and district play is beginning for just about every team in South Florida, I'm not happy with my performance from the past week.

After a week two that saw me go 46-2 – the stuff that legends are made of – I followed that up with a horrible 39-11 performance. It goes to show; you have to bring it every week. You can't rest on previous laurels; you have to win today.

Looking vs. the slate of games this week, once again there's a handful of matchups that are classic "trip-up" games – intriguing battles that will be decided by unmeasurable, unforeseen, intangible factors.

This is also the final week for teams to make their case for the upcoming SFHSSports BCS-style computer generated Top 20 rankings. The preseason rankings will go away after this week and new rankings will be released vs. the start of week five and every week following – through the final week of the regular season.

I also want to remind everyone about wearing your blue in support of Prostate Cancer awareness. As you all should know, September is prostate cancer awareness month. Prostate cancer affects a great number of men around the world and there's a pretty high chance an older man in your family has been affected by it already.

While I encourage people to make donations for the research and treatment of prostate cancer, I also urge male coaches and fans 40 years old and older to ask your doctor about PSA blood testing and to get a prostate exam as soon as possible – if you haven't already. Early detection is key and it could honestly be the life-saving factor in your treatment.

What everyone can do, though, is wear blue in support. #GoBlueForProstateHealth

Record last week: 39-11
Season record: 129-22 (.854 Correct Pick Percentage)

49 games picked this week with three games in the Bald Predictions Spotlight.

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(2) Miami Central Rockets (3-0) vs. Norland Vikings (3-0)
Friday vs. Traz Powell Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

District play opens for the "SEC of Districts" – better known as district 16-6A.

This is a game that I am taking great interest in. Not necessarily because I am wavering about the result of the game, but because I am anxious to see both of these teams for various reasons.

Very few people outside of Norland's locker room expected such a great start by the Vikings. Like I wrote in a column a while ago, Norland continues to be a program that will "take a licking and keep on ticking", meaning no matter how many players the school loses or never even gets – it will still be one of the most athletic and physical teams in South Florida.

Not to mention, head coach Daryle Heidelburg is a very good football coach and doesn't get half the credit he deserves in that regard.

The running back duo of Terrence Evans and Lytii Borders has done well for the Vikings, who have increased the amount of points they've scored every game so far. While quarterback Alec Carr and receiver Dave Richards are gaining more chemistry each passing week.

With that said, Central is on a totally different level.

The Rockets have scored 55 or more points in all three of their wins and have given up a total of 14 points.

To quote the immortal Kobe "Black Mamba" Bryant: Central is "a different animal and the same beast".

And the Rockets have been dismantling teams with an overwhelmingly balanced attack. They can grind the game out on the ground with running backs James "Jimmy" Cook, Kywan Smith and Kord Jenkins; hit big plays through the air with Carmoni Green, Jernard Phillips and Anthony White Jr.; and the Rockets defense is still as stifling as its ever been.

With all that has gone on in the first three weeks of the season, Central has been kind of the forgotten team. That's what happens when you're so good for so long – the model of consistency.

While Norland will throw everything they can at the Rockets in this game to be productive, Central is just too good a team and it will ultimately overwhelm the Vikings.

Bald Prediction = Central wins 33-12

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(3) Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (2-1) vs. (6) Southridge Spartans (2-0)
Friday vs. Southridge, 7:30 p.m.

This is the Man-Size Matchup of the week.

There are so many intriguing storylines in this game; the most intriguing of which being how Booker T. Washington is able to respond after being upset – in a major way – by rival Miami Jackson.

The Tornadoes did not look like themselves during the game last week. Say what you will about the rain, and it did play a factor, but Booker T. was bested by a team that came in with an exceptional game plan that was executed to the T.

Now, there's no rest for the weary. Booker T. has to get right back up and travel down to Southridge – a team that is considered a Class 8A title contender and one that has a roster loaded with talent.

The Spartans' collection of talent will surely present a tough test for the Tornadoes. Similar to St. Thomas Aquinas, Southridge has at least 20 Division-I quality players and the talent is spread out on both sides of the ball.

It'll be in this game, I think, that we'll truly see the coaching prowess of Tim "Ice" Harris Sr. He has to find a way to get his squad to put last week behind them, put together a game plan to slow down a very potent Spartans team, and motivate his players to come out and avoid losing a second straight game.

I feel like much of the onus will be on the Tornadoes defense. Robert Hicks, Jaquan Beaver and Guy Thomas have to step up and provide a consistent pass rush on Southridge's Michael Cox.

Yes, the Spartans have great weapons in Rodney Scott and Kemore Gamble and Daquris Wiggins Ben and Thompson – but Cox is the trigger man to the offense. If he's constantly on the run or has someone in his face, that could throw off Southridge's rhythm.

It'll be interesting to see how Booker T. sophomore quarterback Daniel Richardson rebounds after his poor game against Jackson.

As long as there are normal weather conditions, I could see this game being a high-scoring shootout. Either way, I think Booker T. gets a slight edge because I can't fathom the idea of an "Ice" Harris-coached team losing two straight games.

Bald Prediction = Booker T. wins 30-28

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(17) South Broward Bulldogs (3-0) vs. (20) McArthur Mustangs (3-0)
Friday vs. McArthur, 7pm

This is a big-time game that more people should really pay attention to.

Not only is it a game between a pair of undefeated and ranked teams, but it's a district game and it's going to feature plenty of Division-I talents going against one another.

We knew South Broward would be an improved team this season – given it was head coach Devon Georgia's second season and the team got a major talent infusion with multiple players coming in from other schools.

The big thing for the Bulldogs, though, was fitting all of those new pieces together to create a unified football team that could win big games.

McArthur is one of the most offensively explosive teams in South Florida. Running back Craig Cooper and receivers Dominick Watt and Estmane Lucdor can all score any time the ball is in their hands.

I really hope South Broward's 6-foot-5, 190-pound safety Dorian Hall and Watt (6-foot-3, 195-pounds) cross paths a couple times – that's a true Man-Size Matchup between top players in the class of 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Looking at this game, I think the Mustangs have the advantage because they are a more cohesive squad at this point. Also, McArthur's coaching staff is both competent and confident and they're not going to take this game lightly – especially given their team missed the playoffs this past season because it tripped up during district play.

I think South Broward is still trying to find itself. The talent is there, but I think the Bulldogs still have some gelling to do.

Bald Prediction = McArthur wins 30-21

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Other Games

(4) Plantation American Heritage vs. Coconut Creek = American Heritage wins by 21

(7) Columbus vs. Miami High = Columbus wins by 28

(8) Flanagan vs. South Plantation = Flanagan wins by 24

(9) Deerfield Beach vs. Grayson HS (Ga.) = Grayson wins by 6

(10) Boyd Anderson vs. Blanche Ely = Boyd Anderson wins by 30

(11) Coral Gables vs. (14) Killian = Coral Gables wins by 10

(12) Northwestern vs. Delray Beach American Heritage = Northwestern wins by 9

(13) Chaminade-Madonna vs. Everglades Prep = Chaminade wins by 14

(15) Belen Jesuit vs. Ferguson = Belen wins by 7

(16) Dillard vs. Stoneman Douglas = Dillard wins by 2

(18) South Dade vs. Miami Palmetto = South Dade wins by 4

Braddock vs. Coral Reef = Braddock wins by 2

Miami Beach vs. Coral Park = Coral Park wins by 1

Hialeah vs. North Miami = North Miami wins by 14

South Miami vs. Miami Springs = Miami Springs wins by 4

Taravella vs. Monarch = Taravella wins by 8

Somerset Academy Silver Palms vs. Scheck Hillel = Somerset Silver Palms wins by 17

Southwest vs. Varela = Southwest wins by 21

A&T Mourning vs. Mater Academy = Mater Academy wins by 35

Sunset vs. Barbara Goleman = Goleman wins by 6

Somerset Academy Pines vs. University School = U-School wins by 20

International School of Broward vs. Crestview (Fl.) = Crestview wins by 23

Hollywood Hills vs. Cooper City = Cooper City wins by 5

Calvary Christian vs. Coral Glades = Calvary Christian wins by 11

Western vs. Everglades = Western wins by 17

Champagnat vs. Naples Golden Gate = Champagnat wins by 14

Palmer Trinity at Orlando Faith Christian (Fl.) = Faith Christian wins by 8

Marathon at Pine Crest = Pine Crest wins by 13

Miami Jackson vs. Cardinal Gibbons = Miami Jackson wins by 2

Fort Lauderdale vs. Lakeland HS (Fl.) = Lakeland wins by 18

Hallandale vs. Stranahan = Hallandale wins by 14

Florida Christian vs. Palm Beach Benjamin = Benjamin wins by 12

Miramar vs. Plantation = Miramar wins by 21

West Broward vs. Nova = West Broward wins by 10

Archbishop McCarthy vs. Pines Charter = Archbishop McCarthy wins by 13

Riviera Beach Inlet Grove vs. Pompano Beach = Pompano Beach wins by 28

Coral Springs Charter vs. Westminster Academy = Westminster Academy wins by 9

North Broward Prep vs. Key West = Key West wins by 7

LaSalle vs. Boca Raton St. Andrews = St. Andrews wins by 14

Gulliver Prep vs. Monsignor Pace = Monsignor Pace wins by 6

Dr. Krop vs. North Miami Beach = North Miami Beach wins by 12

Hialeah Gardens vs. American = American wins by 20

Westland Hialeah vs. Doral Academy = Doral Academy wins by 49

Belle Glade Glades Day vs. Miami Country Day = Glades Day wins by 26

Edison vs. Keys Gate Charter = Edison wins by 14

Pinecrest Prep vs. Palm Glades Prep = Palm Glades Prep wins by 21

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