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Friday's prep football staff picks

By Star Tribune, 09/18/14, 9:20PM CDT

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This week's staff picks.

In football parlance, Jim Paulsen got caught in the wash last week, failed to make a correct pick and dropped to 7-8. David La Vaque, meanwhile, rode a sweep to a 10-5 mark. Not that he’s gloating. But Jim has been fetching his coffee all week.

 

Hutchinson (3-0) AT Orono (3-0), 7 p.m.

Jim says: Orono has had a terrific start behind 5-7 QB Hank Seward, who has put up nearly 800 yards of total offense. But Hutchinson has been playing at a higher level all season. The Tigers are too strong, too experienced and just too good.

Pick: Hutchinson 37, Orono 17

David says: Hutchinson enjoys elite company with Eden Prairie and Mahnomen as the state’s three most dominant high school football programs. The Tigers scored TDs on their first 15 possessions this season and have outscored foes 154-15.

Pick: Hutchinson 42, Orono 7

 

Park center (3-0) AT Elk River (3-0), 7 p.m.

Jim says: The Elks’ wing-T offense looks simple on paper, but its multiple fakes and sleight-of-hand execution forces defenses to guess. So far, none of the Elks’ opponents has guessed right; Elk River is averaging more than 560 rushing yards per game.

Pick: Elk River 34, Park Center 24

David says: Explosive, big-play capability gives Park Center a real edge. Expect the Pirates to both run and pass their way to an early lead and force Elk River’s one-dimensional rushing offense to play catch-up.

Pick: Park Center 28, Elk River 14

 

Prior Lake (2-1) at Lakeville North (3-0), 7 p.m.

Jim says: Defense takes center stage in a good old-fashioned physical battle, meaning mistakes and turnovers will make the difference. Lakeville North’s defense is as opportunistic as it is good, with four touchdowns and two safeties in three games.

Pick: Lakeville North 20, Prior Lake 12

David says: Prior Lake’s offense struggled to do much in a shutout loss at Rosemount two weeks ago. And Lakeville North’s defense is better. The Panthers prevail in the second most important South Suburban Conference game of the season.

Pick: Lakeville North 31, Prior Lake 7

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