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Bald Predictions - High School Football Week Nine

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Well, that escalated quickly.

We've come to the point of the season where some teams are realizing their playoff dreams while others are having those dreams dashed and will be left to play out the strings in the final few weeks of the regular season.

These next two weeks – week nine and week 10 – are exciting to watch but tricky to pick. If you want to lump week 11 in there too, one has to wonder if teams will start to throttle down a bit in terms of trying to keep players healthy or if they will value keeping a team's rhythm going.

The added x-factor, in my opinion, is those matchups between a pair of teams that could very well be seeing each other for the second time in a matter of a few weeks. Personally, I'd be more concerned with winning the second matchup during the playoffs opposed to winning the regular season tilt.

But that's just me.

Week eight, for all of its excitement, was a good week for this Bald Predictor. And I have to say, South Florida was treated to some really good football. So for that, I say "thank you" to all the teams – you guys continue to make what I do, one of the most enjoyable experiences I could ever have.

Can't wait to see who punches their ticket to the big dance this week.

Record last week: 44-6
Season record: 312-51 (.859 Correct Pick Percentage)

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

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(2) Northwestern (6-1) vs. Norland (3-3)
Friday at Traz Powell Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Northwestern fans rejoice – I feel like I've typed that before – your team is on the verge of clinching a playoff berth.

Better yet, your Bulls are one win away from totally vanquishing the playoff hopes of your bitterest of rivals – Miami Central.

The Bulls' thrilling 45-44 double-overtime win over the Rockets may have effectively shifted the power back to 71st Street – showing everyone that there is a new shine in the blue and gold.

Looking at this matchup, Northwestern enters as still one of South Florida's hottest teams right now. The Bulls are playing a very good brand of football at this point in the season and their confidence is through the stratosphere.

Running back Kai Henry has earned a spot in Northwestern lore with his "Superman Dive" for the win, but I came away even more impressed with junior quarterback Chatarius "Tutu" Atwell.

His ability to not only extend plays but downright terrorize opposing defenses with his speed and athleticism was on full display against Central.

Norland is the epitome of the gift and the curse of high school football in South Florida. By South Florida standards, the Vikings are considered an "upper half" team but they're not in the elite class this season. However, Norland is a team that has its fair share of athletic football players and would likely be able to find plenty of success if it were playing in almost any other part of the state – definitely somewhere in the country.

Still, looking at this matchup, I question Norland's ability to put up points against this Northwestern defense. Bulls head coach Max Edwards was ecstatic about his team defeating Central, but I'm sure he wasn't happy about his defense giving up 44 points – even in a double overtime game.

I fully expect Northwestern's defense to blitz and pressure Norland quarterback Alec Carr for much of the night – making it hard for the Vikings to ever get into an offensive rhythm.

On the flip side, Norland's defense is solid – but Northwestern should be confident in its ability to make plays through the air and on the ground. And if all else fails, the Bulls can just keep the ball in the hands of Atwell and Henry.

Bulls win; eliminating Norland and Central in one swoop.

Bald Prediction = Northwestern wins 22-7

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(9) Booker T. Washington (5-3) vs. (17) Columbus (5-2)
Thursday at Traz Powell Stadium, 7 p.m.

This is an intriguing game – a game that can be looked at from a couple different angles.

Since losing to Southridge over a month ago, Columbus has stayed in the win column by outscoring its last three opponents 104-16. Granted, the combined record of those teams was an underwhelming 7-12, wins are wins.

Either way, the Explorers are one of those teams that continue to improve as the season wears on – their coaching staff continues to teach and tweak and their players understand more and more what is expected of them.

After its meteoric rise to start the season, Booker T. has settled into a place where it is still a top-flight program but one that will feel the effects of being a Class 4A program more substantially when competing against bigger classification schools.

Like last year, the Tornadoes have fallen into a pattern of alternating wins and losses – not having won or lost consecutive games in the past seven contests.

And remember, it was during the 2015 season that Columbus totally dominated Booker T. – taking down the eventual 4A champs 40-13, nearly a year ago to the day.

The deciding factor in this matchup will be which team's defense will be able to disrupt the other's offense most. I think the edge would have to go to Booker T. in that instance.

Columbus' running game is solid, with running backs Henry Parrish, Darren Davis Jr. and even C.J. Henderson – even though Henderson's involvement on the defensive side of the ball has increased a significant amount.

But Explorers quarterback Marcelo Rodriguez hasn't shown the ability to thrive when facing consistent pressure from a defense – and that's one of the specialties of the Tornadoes' defense, putting pressure on the quarterback.

Columbus' coaching staff's ability to game plan and create a scheme that accentuates their strengths will make this game close. But the Tornadoes' coaching staff is great in its own right, too – and they're more than capable of making in-game adjustments to counteract the Explorers.

I will call my shot and say that the Booker T.'s defense will create a touchdown and be the difference in this game.

Tornadoes break the cycle and win consecutive games for only the second time this season.

Bald Prediction = Booker T. Washington wins 21-19

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(12) Miami Palmetto (6-0) vs. (15) Southridge (5-2)
Friday at Southridge, 7:30 p.m.

Here's one of those district champion deciding games.

Things seem to be coming together for Southridge – at a very good time. The Spartans were on just about everyone's short list of South Florida teams that could truly compete for a Class 8A state title this season. And after getting off to a rocky start, Southridge is starting to look like the team that everyone anticipated it being in 2016.

Being healthy and building that much-need camaraderie are two of the factors that have led to "The Ridge" being a team to be reckoned with once again.

Palmetto has been one of the best stories of this season. The Panthers enter this game undefeated and vying for a district championship despite being cast to finish in the lower half of district 16-8A prior to the start of the season.

One of the big reasons that Palmetto has had such a great season is the emergence of junior running back Trey Flowers. Flowers has become the Panthers' offensive bell cow and has delivered at every turn – evident by his nine touchdowns this season.

This game represents, however, Palmetto's "big test". The efforts of Panthers head coach Mike Manasco and his young squad has gotten the attention of a lot of folks, but this is the game where the rubber meets the road.

Ultimately, I believe Southridge will have the overall advantage in this game. Between the Spartans gelling as a team and their still overwhelming amount of talented players, I think Palmetto will find itself hard-pressed to manufacture a victory in this one.

Palmetto is a young team and if they keep the core together, they will be fine moving forward – Southridge is just on a different level.

Bald Prediction = Southridge wins 20-13

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Other Games

(1) Plantation American Heritage vs. Jackson = American Heritage wins by 14

(3) Coral Gables vs. Miami Beach = Coral Gables wins by 21

(4) St. Thomas Aquinas vs. (16) Boyd Anderson = St. Thomas Aquinas wins by 17

(5) Flanagan vs. Cypress Bay = Flanagan wins by 12

(7) McArthur vs. Fort Lauderdale = McArthur wins by 14

(11) Chaminade-Madonna vs. Keys Gate Charter = Chaminade wins by 13

(13) Cardinal Gibbons vs. Hallandale = Cardinal Gibbons wins by 6

(14) Piper vs. Coral Springs = Piper wins by 20

(18) South Broward vs. Cooper City = South Broward wins by 11

(19) Deerfield Beach vs. Monarch = Deerfield Beach wins by 28

(20) Mater Academy vs. Westland Hialeah = Mater Academy wins by 49

(21) Dillard vs. Plantation = Dillard wins by 21

(22) Southwest vs. Ferguson = Southwest wins by 9

(23) Miramar vs. Everglades = Miramar wins by 14

(24) Champagnat vs. Gulliver Prep = Champagnat wins by 8

(25) Doral Academy vs. A&T Mourning = Doral Academy wins by 41

Ransom Everglades vs. Boca Raton St. Andrews = St. Andrews wins by 4

Miami Country Day vs. Marathon = Marathon wins by 21

North Broward Prep vs. Coral Glades = North Broward Prep wins by 7

Archbishop McCarthy vs. Pompano Beach = Archbishop McCarthy wins by 27

Varela vs. Coral Reef = Coral Reef wins by 4

South Plantation vs. Western = Western wins by 10

Scheck Hillel vs. Pinecrest Prep = Scheck Hillel wins by 14

Dr. Krop vs. Hialeah = Krop wins by 2

Palm Glades Prep vs. Palmer Trinity = Palmer Trinity wins by 21

Miami Springs vs. Ronald Reagan = Reagan wins by 15

Kissimmee Avant Garde Academy vs. Pine Crest = Pine Crest wins by 40

Somerset Academy Silver Palms vs. Somerset Academy Pines = Somerset Silver Palms wins by 16

South Miami vs. Barbara Goleman = Goleman wins by 13

Braddock vs. Belen Jesuit = Belen Jesuit wins by 21

Monsignor Pace vs. Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast HS = Pace wins by 7

Blanche Ely vs. Lakeland (Fl.) = Lakeland wins by 30

American vs. Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy = Oxbridge Academy wins by 35

Stranahan vs. Coconut Creek = Stranahan wins by 13

Coral Springs Charter vs. Riviera Beach Inlet Grove = Coral Springs Charter wins by 20

Key West vs. Calvary Christian = Key West wins by 3

Westminster Christian vs. University School = University School wins by 5

Palm Beach King's Academy vs. LaSalle = King's Academy wins by 18

Nova vs. Hollywood Hills = Nova wins by 6

Northeast vs. West Broward = West Broward wins by 8

Westminster Academy vs. Pembroke Pines Charter = Westminster Academy wins by 10

Taravella vs. Stoneman Douglas = Douglas wins by 17

Homestead vs. Killian = Killian wins by 2

International School of Broward vs. Cincinnati Elder HS (Oh.) = Elder wins by 27

Miami High vs. Coral Park = Miami High wins by 3

Hialeah Gardens vs. North Miami Beach = North Miami Beach wins by 48

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