2nd Round- What to Watch

[ChickenNuggets]

Second Round
Saturday October 22nd

G9 - (6-3) R2#2 Maple River @ (#1) R1#1 (1) LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (8-0)
LaMoure beat Maple River 50-0 in week 1 of the regular season. That was Maple River's first ever game as a new co-op and they have made strides and gotten better over the course of the season, but LaMoure has too. I would expect a very similar score this time around.

G10 - (6-3) R8#2 Surrey @ (#8) R7#1 St. John (6-2)
This is another rematch- St. John blew out Surrey 58-16 three weeks ago. After an 0-2 Start, St. John has beaten everyone they have played over the past 6 weeks by 30+ except last week when they beat WNG by 26. I expect St. John to roll in this game.

G11 - (5-4) R4#2 North Star @ (#4) R3#1 (3) Cavalier (8-0)
This is actually the ONLY playoff game this week that is NOT a rematch of a game played earlier this season. North Star has been very inconsistent. When they are at the top of their game they look very good. I know they have dealt with some injuries, especially a big one to their QB who was back and helped them to score 108 points over the last two games. Cavalier's Defense has been very good all year allowing just 54 points in 8 games. I think they will find a way to shut down North Star's offense and their offense has been good enough to put up some points as well. I'll take the Tornadoes to win by 20+

G12 - (7-2) R1#2 Wyndmere-Lidgerwood @ (#5) R2#2 (4) May-Port-C-G (7-1)
MPCG won a week 1 matchup against W/L 38-16. It sounds as if W/L is also playing without their starting QB. Those factors lead me to believe that MPCG will win again in the rematch. Give me the Patriots by 14.

G13 - (5-4) R6#2 Hettinger County @ (#2) R5#1 (2) New Salem-Almont (8-0)
The last time New Salem/Almont took the field it was a 72-20 win over Hettinger County on the road. This week when they take the field it will be against the same opponent, but at home. I would expect a similar outcome.

G14 - (8-1) R5#2 South Border @ (#7) R6#1 Grant County-Flasher (6-2)
This one has "Game of the Week" written all over it. These two met in Week 1 where South Border went on the road and knocked off a GC/F team that was top 5 in the polls at that time. Now they will have to go back on the road to try it again in the second round of the playoffs. GC/F started 0-2 losing that SB game and then to New Salem and has rattled off 6 wins in a row since that point. South Border's only blemish is a 1-score loss to New Salem as well. This should be a battle but I'm taking the "upset" if you want to call it that. Mustangs win by 12.

G15 - (6-3) R3#2 North Border @ (#3) R4#1 (5) North Prairie (8-0)
This game has the potential to be another very good game. North Prairie did beat North Border 48-22 midway through the season, but if memory serves me right, that game was either tied or was a 2-point game at halftime. North Border's QB got hurt in the second half and the game quickly got away from them. North Border has looked very good since then going 5-1 in their last 6 games with their only loss being a very close game against Cavalier. With that said, North Prairie has been battle tested and has passed all of those tests to this point. I'll take the Cougars playing at home, but don't be surprised if this one is close!

G16 - (6-3) R7#2 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn @ (#6) R8#1 (RV) Divide County (8-0)
Another game that is a rematch from the regular season. Divide County got the win 52-46 at the midway point of the season at home. They get to play at home again this week as the higher seed, but I do not think that is going to scare WNG who likely will be playing with a lot of confidence knowing that they were so close to defeating DC the first time around. I would expect a similar game to the first time. A High-scoring, back and forth battle. I'm also going to predict a similar outcome. DC wins by a TD.

[Sportsrube]

I really dislike that fact that most of these teams have already played. I wish they would go back to the east west format. Travel doesn't seem to matter in the regular season so why should it matter in the playoffs.

[WalkingStick]

I really dislike that fact that most of these teams have already played. I wish they would go back to the east west format. Travel doesn't seem to matter in the regular season so why should it matter in the playoffs.

Travel shouldn't matter as much...especially since these games are on Saturdays.