Every week in the fall, NYPost.com’s Zach Braziller and Marc Raimondi will attempt to prognosticate the coming PSAL football weekend in the City Championship division. This week, with the playoffs in full swing, they’ll take a crack at the Bowl and Cup divisions as well.
RECORDS AFTER WEEK 10
Braziller: 86-30 (7-1 in Week 10)
Raimondi: 80-36 (6-2 in Week 10)
Here’s the second round:
CITY CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 9 Lincoln @ No. 1 Fort Hamilton (Saturday, 12 p.m.)
Braziller: It’s a 1-9 matchup, but don’t let the seeding fool you. Lincoln can win this game. The first matchup, won by Fort Hamilton, 29-8, Oct. 17, was even for the better part of a half. In fact, the Railsplitters owned the line of scrimmage, and held an 8-7 lead late in the first half before self-destructing. They have won three in a row since, led by the best quarterback-running back rushing duo in the city in Andrew Vital and Doug Butler. The Coney Island school has prevailed by a combined 80-14 in that stretch. The Tigers enjoyed another perfect regular season, and as talented as Lincoln may be, are just as potent, if not more so, on each side of the ball. The Railsplitters will have to play a perfect game. They failed to do so the first time, and a few mistakes will doom them yet again. This matchup will be closer, but the result will be similar. A late Frank Laino-to-Brandon Reddish touchdown pass is the difference. Pick: Fort Hamilton
Raimondi: You went a long way there to say Fort Hamilton is going to win. I don’t need that many words. Lincoln is enjoying a renaissance and this won’t be the last we hear of the Railsplitters in the next few years. But the Tigers are too good and too well coached. I think this is their year. Pick: Fort Hamilton
No. 7 Sheepshead Bay @ No. 2 Erasmus Hall (Saturday, 12 p.m.)
Raimondi: This seems to be everyone’s upset special. Sheepshead is red hot and Erasmus has not been impressive against average teams down the stretch. Sharks running back Naquan Alexander can do some serious damage against the Dutchmen’s defense. Both teams have been prone to lapses this season, but I see both being at their peak Saturday. It is the playoffs, after all. Erasmus just might have too many weapons on offense for Sheepshead in this one. But something is telling me the Sharks will pull out a close one late – like they have the last two weeks. Pick: Sheepshead Bay
Braziller: Besides a hard-fought loss to Tottenville in Huguenot under the lights, what exactly has Erasmus Hall done for you to lose faith in them, Marc? Remember, they didn’t have the services of Wayne Morgan for much of that game. This is a team that has won nine of its 10 games, has a lethal offense and an underrated defense. The Dutchmen, also, will be at home. And if there is a club that can handle adversity, it would be them, not Sheepshead Bay. Pick: Erasmus Hall
No. 6 Campus Magnet @ No. 3 Tottenville (Saturday, 12 p.m.)
Braziller: I’ve been saying it since early in the year: Campus Magnet can beat anybody in the city. It is balanced, blessed with playmakers on both sides of the ball, big up front, and in Scott Gadsden at quarterback, a junior that flies under the radar. He can make all the throws. Tottenville is plenty good, but the Pirates have been susceptible to power running attacks, a Bulldogs staple. Eric Barnett’s kids picked up their first playoff victory last week by dominating New Utrecht, which upset the Pirates earlier in the year. But this win puts them on the map. You heard it hear first: Gadsden will outplay his counterpart, Jon Derbyshire, and Campus Magnet is headed to the semifinals. Pick: Campus Magnet
Raimondi: Talent for talent, this is an extremely close matchup. But there is one big difference: pedigree. Tottenville has been there before. The Pirates are home, on their turf. Campus Magnet is still searching for a win it wasn’t supposed to get. This would certainly be it. I’ll take the Pirates in a hotly contested battle, pulling out a late score to break the Bulldogs’ hearts. Pick: Tottenville
No. 5 Curtis vs. No. 4 DeWitt Clinton @ Stevenson (Saturday, 12 p.m.)
Raimondi: First of all, it’s ridiculous this game is being played at Stevenson and not at Clinton where it should be. The Governors need to use that as a source of motivation. But, like they were against Flushing last week, I fear they might come up flat in an unfamiliar environment devoid of their supporting fans. Curtis, on the other hand, is very strong, with its ferocious defense and up and coming offense. This is far from an ideal situation for Clinton. Pick: Curtis
Braziller: You’re the guy who picks the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament, aren’t you, Marc? Curtis, Fort Hamilton, Tottenville. Way to go out on a limb. You do make a good point, however: Clinton is getting a raw deal. But they won’t come out flat this week. The Governors will use the lack of home field advantage as a point, an us-against-the-world mentality so to speak. Furthermore, I expect speedy quarterback Joaquin DeJesus to give the Warriors’ relentless pass rush, spear-headed by Dominique Easley and James Timmins problems, and for the defense to force Curtis QB Tynell Brown into a few mistakes. Look for Alanzo Merchant to find pay dirt at least once, and Clinton to move on in a classic. Pick: DeWitt Clinton
BOWL
No. 3 Thomas Jefferson @ No. 2 John Adams (Sunday, 12 p.m.)
Braziller: These two 8-1 teams didn’t meet during the regular season, adding intrigue to an already interesting matchup. Senior wideout Akeeme Chavis caught seven touchdown passes during the regular season, and he will add a few more on Sunday. Pick: John Adams
Raimondi: Adams is an odd team. The Spartans can light up the scoreboard, yet they can have serious clunkers like an 8-4 loss to August Martin in the middle of the season. I don’t see something like that happening here, though. Pick: John Adams
No. 4 August Martin @ No. 1 Truman (Sunday, 12 p.m.)
Raimondi: Truman hung on to the No. 1 seed despite falling to Adams last week. The Mustangs have been banged up the last few weeks and beat Martin during the season by just six points. Both teams have very strong defenses, but Truman has the superior offense, led by running back Isayah Muller. Have to go with them here. Pick: Truman
Braziller: August Martin’s defense is extremely stingy, a huge reason the Falcons made the playoffs. But Truman isn’t one dimensional. Miller and Cory Johnson combined for 1,733 on the ground and quarterback Jose Taveras tossed four touchdown passes. The Mustangs will bounce back from last week’s 34-12 loss to John Adams in a big way. Pick: Truman
CUP
No. 4 Info Tech @ No. 1 Automotive (Sunday, 12 p.m.)
Braziller: The Pistons have steadily progressed each year, from an 0-10 campaign three years ago, to three wins the next season, six last year, and a dream 10-0 year this fall. Coach Haseeb Khawaja deserves much of the credit, but so do seniors Maurice Edwards, James Clark, Harrison Fontenelle and Jason Moquete. They will have one game left after Sunday. Pick: Automotive
Raimondi: What a story Automotive has been this season, beginning the year with a 72-0 victory and not slowing down much since then. Khawaja has done an excellent job building this program. What better way to end the 2009 campaign than with a championship? The Pistons will need a win here to inch closer. Pick: Automotive
No. 3 Petrides @ No. 2 South Bronx (Sunday, 12 p.m.)
Raimondi: I don’t think the score will be 38-0 in favor of South Bronx again, but the Phoenix is clearly the favorite in this one. They are certainly motivated, too, after not accomplishing their goal of winning the Cup title last year. Expect them to get another chance in the championship game next week. Pick: South Bronx.
Braziller: The Phoenix isn’t quite as loaded as it was last year, but South Bronx is still lethal, and perhaps more importantly, grounded. Despite beating Petrides, 38-0 on Oct. 3, Jose Cosme’s club won’t overlook the Staten Island school. Expect big things from running back Michael Drake Jr. and wide receiver Luis Sanchez, who combined for 22 touchdowns during the regular season. Pick: South Bronx