Picker looks to go perfect four weeks in a row

You’uns have been getting your money’s worth reading this column the last three weeks. That’s three straight perfect pickin’ weeks for this ole boy! Yes, friends, the ship has been righted and I am sailing straight into the playoffs in prime pickin’ fashion!

GAME OF THE WEEK – Eastside at Twin Springs: The Spartans have been the surprise team of our area all season and enter their game in Nickelsville with a 3-3 mark and in position to make the 1D playoffs. Meanwhile, Twin Springs may be in the midst of one of its best seasons in school history. The Titans are 5-1 and tied for the Cumberland District lead with in-county rival Rye Cove. Rye Cove was Eastside’s opponent last week and it was a high-scoring affair with the Eagles coming out on top 48-36. Keldan Hamilton and Luke Trent have become two-way standouts for Eastside. Last week Trent rushed for 203 yards while adding 36 receiving yards as part of a four-touchdown game and he added six stops. Hamilton has been a running machine in the backfield all season and had a breakout 15 stops on defense last week. Twin Springs is led by its rushing attack and last week the group plowed over Castlewood to the tune of 390 rushing yards on 27 carries. Julian Pascual and Colton Kilgore combined for 215 rushing yards and three scores for the Titans last week and look for them to try to establish the running game once more! This ain’t hard friends, he who runs the ball the best wins this one!

FENCE LINE PICKER SAYS: Twin Springs 28 Eastside 16

George Wythe at John I. Burton: The City Slickers are struggling to score and to stop anyone, it won’t get any easier this week. The Maroons are blessed with Brayden and brother Trey Rainey on offense and those two should do what they want. The only question here is if Burton can avoid being shutout for a third time this season. Tyson Welch will need to have a big night for them to have a shot here.

FENCE LINE PICKER SAYS: George Wythe 48 Burton 6

Union at Central: Union leads this all-time series 9-4 but three of the losses have come on Central’s home turf. I doubt you’ll see many Warriors celebrating when this one is over. Kam Bostic, Braxton Bunch, Paul Huff, Reyshawn Anderson, Keith Chandler, Keyshawn Anderson and others should be able to do what they please in this one. The Bears’ goal here has to be to get out of this one healthy to rest up for the stretch playoff run. Central had under 170 yards of offense last week and turned it over four times, if that happens again, it will get ugly, fast! The Warriors’ London Horne has been a bright spot in an otherwise ugly season.

FENCE LINE PICKER SAYS: Union 48 Central 0

Ridgeview at John Battle: Dewayne Stanley and his Wolfpack have no time to lick their wounds from last week. Ridgeview travels to John Battle this week to face a Trojans team that just snapped a four-game losing streak and is tied for the league lead with a 2-0 mark in Mountain 7 play. Health is the big question here, just how healthy are the Wolfpack? I expect the Ridgeview front to maul John Battle, creating running lanes for whatever running back is in the backfield. I look for the ‘Pack to bounce back in a big way in this one!

FENCE LINE PICKER SAYS: Ridgeview 35 John Battle 8

Season Record: 23-5 (.821)

All-Time Record: 477-101 (.825)