In another tough week of picking high school football games, the top dogs struggled while allowing newcomer Malachi Strand to win the week, and David Bjelke to take the overall lead.
Strand, a name we're pretty sure is borrowed from the television series Longmire, which I will now have to binge watch on Netflix -- hope you're happy, Malachi -- toasted the field this week with a 14-2 record, pretty impressive considering some of the upsets. Strand took Durant over Tampa Bay Tech), Steinbrenner (over Spoto) and St. Petersburg (over Largo). His 14-2 mark is tied for the best this season.
While Strand took the week, the overall lead now belongs to Bjelke, who went 12-4. Bjelke is proving that steady wins the race. It's the first time we've noticed his name, but he has posted 10-6, 12-4 and 12-4 weeks and now boasts a 34-14 record for first-place. Bjelke was one of six players tied for third last week, and he leapfrogged eight, including last week's overall leader Cowboys (8-8 this week!) and second-place Jason G (10-6), JK (9-7) and Yoda (9-7).
But beware, people, there are some red-hot chart risers in the group. After going 7-9 the first week, Steele has posted consecutive 13-3 weeks to slide into second at 33-13, where he is tied with Jason G.
Walt Longmire and Holland, both 8-8 in Week 1, are now in third-place. And beware Lattimo, who after a miserable 5-11 opening week, has gone 11-5 and 13-3 the last two.
And how about Times staffer Matt Baker...oh wait, never mind, he was 7-9 last week, one of only six players to finish with a losing record last year.
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