Sports

NYC football predictions, Week 1

Each week in the fall, New York Post beat writers Zach Braziller and Joseph Staszewski will attempt to prognosticate the coming high school football weekend.

Here’s Week 1:

DeWitt Clinton @ Lincoln (Friday, 7 p.m.)

Braziller: I don’t lose when it comes to high school football predictions. I smoked Marc Raimondi and now it’s Joseph Staszewski’s turn. If anyone were to bet on our picks, Joe would get five wins off the bat, just to give him better odds. Of course, it wouldn’t matter anyway.

We start Friday night in Coney Island as the defending champion Railsplitters host Clinton in a rematch of last year’s PSAL City Championship division semifinals. Lincoln rolled then and it will roll Friday night as well. Sure, coach Shawn O’Connor’s team graduated a ton, but it remains loaded. The city better get used to the name Jamiek Davis – the junior wide receiver will get off to a big start here.

Pick: Lincoln

Staszewski: Braziller and I will surely have our differences here this season, but I have to agree with him. Coney Island is becoming an increasingly difficult place to win. It’s too early for a young Clinton team to be up to the task of taking out the defending champions in their home opener. This group of Railsplitters gives the rest of a city a glimpse of a squad ready to compete for another crown.

Pick: Lincoln

Bergen Catholic @ St. Anthony (Friday, 7 p.m.)

Staszewski: Following a trip to Sonic in nearby Deer Park, I plan on beating the massive crowd expected in South Huntington for one of the most anticipated games of the season. It’s a litmus test for both clubs. Still, nationally-ranked Bergen Catholic returns star quarterback Jon Germano from a team that fell to national power Don Bosco Prep in the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group 4 state championship. The option, home field advantage and well-schooled defense keeps Anthony Anderson and Co. in this one before Bergen pulls it out late.

Pick: Bergen Catholic

Braziller: I give St. Anthony coach Rich Reichert credit for scheduling the New Jersey powerhouse; I just have to question the sanity behind the move. The Friars will hang tough and it will be close late. Bergen Catholic, however, is still Bergen Catholic: loaded and lethal, and a huge crowd on Long Island will see that.

Pick: Bergen Catholic

Tottenville @ Fort Hamilton (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: Augustus Edwards begins his Player of the Year campaign in Brooklyn with a brilliant performance as Tottenville gets out to a big lead and never looks back. Fort Hamilton will be dangerous come November, but the young Tigers will take their knocks in September.

Pick: Tottenville

Staszewski: Tottenville will win, but it will not be Edwards leading the way. Consider this quarterback Brandon Barnes’ coming-out party. After tearing his ACL last season, the senior runs and throws the ball well to get the Pirates off to a fast start and shows the rest of the city what the Pirates missed last year. Fort Hamilton may take a few lumps early, but this will be a different game if these two teams meet again later on.

Pick: Tottenville

Poly Prep @ Iona Prep (Saturday, 2:30 p.m.)

Staszewski: I was in Bay Ridge last year as Iona put a thumping on a young Poly Prep team, showing them what an elite CHSFL club is all about. The Blue Devils have certainly not forgotten that and are a year wiser and more mature. Poly’s highly recruited defensive end Jay Hayes could be the difference disrupting the Gaels attack and UConn-bound receiver Cameron Stapleton should make an impact. In the end, though, I feel Iona has one too many weapons in running back Shaquille Townsend, quarterback Mario Biaggi and their depth win out in a tight one.

Pick: Iona Prep

Braziller: I have a rule of thumb in picking games: When two teams are evenly matched, as these two are, go with the side with the best player. That’s Poly Prep and Hayes, the man-child of a junior. The Blue Devils have been chomping at the bit after last year’s disappointing season and will start this one with a huge road win.

Pick: Poly Prep

Thomas Jefferson @ Brooklyn Tech (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: These teams often play classics, and I expect Saturday’s showdown to be no different. Jefferson has the two most talented players in the game – defensive end Ebenezer Ogundeko and wide receiver Kendall (Speedy) Thomas – but Brooklyn Tech is the better and far deeper team. Look for the Engineers to wear down the Orange Wave down the stretch.

Pick: Brooklyn Tech

Staszewski: I know I was high on Brooklyn Tech in my predictions, but this is a game I could see the Orange Wave stealing late with Ogundeko making some big plays. He will need to with all of Brooklyn Tech’s weapons and size up front. Ultimately, that is the difference as the Engineers get a big season started right.

Pick: Brooklyn Tech

Xaverian @ Newburgh Free Academy (Friday, 7 p.m.)

Staszewski: Xaverian got its season off on the right foot with a thrilling win over Monroe Woodbury in Week 1 last year. I expect the Clippers to do the same here. They will give up points, but Laray Smith and Zach Kearney prove to be too much to handle in a comfortable win.

Pick: Xaverian

Braziller: Joe, you’re ignoring the difficulty that will come with the trip upstate. Also, Newburgh Free is coming off a loss, adding further motivation playing in front of its home crowd.

Pick: Newburgh Free Academy

Erasmus Hall @ Curtis (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: This is going to be a track meet, and nobody is going to be faster than Erasmus Hall this year. Curtis has plenty of talent, led by senior running back Kevin Austin, but the Dutchmen are loaded in that department. Look for dynamic juniors Curtis Samuel and Khalil Lewis to each find pay dirt a few times as E-Hall gets off to a quick start in St. George.

Pick: Erasmus Hall

Staszewski: If Erasmus didn’t have size up front, this is pretty even when it comes to skill position talent. Curtis has plenty of game breakers, but is still figuring out how to make it all work behind a new offensive line that needs more time to jell. The Warriors hang tough here, but mustering enough offense will be a problem against an explosive Erasmus team and ultimately be its undoing.

Pick: Erasmus Hall

Monroe Woodbury @ Archbishop Stepinac (Saturday, 7 p.m.)

Staszewski: I am not down on Stepinac, which still has some talented players on its roster. But when you lose the number of Division I talents it has the last two seasons you are left with a group that has to prove itself. even off a trip to the CHSFL Class AAA title game. A proud Monroe Woodbury club will not want to lose to another CHSFL opponent and steals a tight one in White Plains.

Pick: Monroe-Woodbury

Braziller: I was hearing the same thing about Stepinac last year and the Crusaders went out and had a huge year in its first in the CHSFL Class AAA. This is a program, one that churns out top-notch talent each fall. That doesn’t change this year and it won’t change Saturday night.

Pick: Archbishop Stepinac

PSAL

Boys & Girls @ Port Richmond (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: Boys & Girls

Staszewski: Port Richmond

John F. Kennedy @ New Dorp (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: John F. Kennedy

Staszewski: John F. Kennedy

Campus Magnet @ Sheepshead Bay (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: Sheepshead Bay

Staszewski: Campus Magnet

New Utrecht @ Beach Channel (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: Beach Channel

Staszewski: New Utrecht

Lehman @ Canarsie (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

Braziller: Canarsie

Staszewski: Canarsie

Flushing @ Wagner (Saturday, 1 p.m.)

Braziller: Susan Wagner

Staszewski: Susan Wagner

CHSFL

Holy Trinity @ St. Francis (Athol Springs) (Saturday, 1 p.m.)

Braziller: Holy Trinity

Staszewski: St. Francis

Fordham Prep @ St. John’s the Baptist (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.)

Braziller: Fordham Prep

Staszewski: Fordham Prep

Kellenberg @ Chaminde (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.)

Braziller: Chaminade

Staszewski: Chaminade

St. Peter’s @ St. Joseph by the Sea (Saturday, 2 p.m.)

Braziller: St. Joseph by the Sea

Staszewski: St. Joseph by the Sea

St. Lukes School @ Cardinal Spellman (Saturday, 3 p.m.)

Braziller: Cardinal Spellman

Staszewski: Cardinal Spellman

St. Francis Prep vs. Washingtonville @ Dietz Stadium (Saturday, 3 p.m.)

Braziller: St. Francis Prep

Staszewski: Washingtonville

Xavier vs. Middletown @ Stepinac (Saturday, 3 p.m.)

Braziller: Xavier

Staszewski: Xavier

Christ the King vs. Nazareth @ John Adams (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)

Braziller: Christ the King

Staszewski: Christ the King

Monsignor Farrell vs. La Salle College (Pa.) @ Rutgers (Saturday, 5 p.m.)

Braziller: Monsignor Farrell

Staszewski: LaSalle College

Holy Cross vs. Kingston @ Dietz Stadium (Saturday, 7 p.m.)

Braziller: Holy Cross

Staszewski: Holy Cross

zbraziller@nypost.com

jstaszewski@nypost.com