As expected, with so many heavy favorite games from Week Four, half of our staff finished with 14-1 records.

For four consecutive weeks now, Yours Truly and Handy Andy Steinmetz hold on to the top spot in the standings at 49-11. Hot Rod Heckman remains a game back of first place. Bob Photo Ford and Mercy Rule McCall also had stellar one-loss weeks. Just four games separate eight of our 10 staffers going into Week 5.

The entire staff fumbled the ball by picking Freedom to defeat Nazareth as quarterback Anthony Harris threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Blue Eagles to a 35-33 win in a battle of unbeatens in the South Division of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. No harm was done, as no one moved anywhere with this unanimous flub.

McCall climbs out and Matta falls in

Mercy Rule McCall can sleep a little better this week. He climbed out of the dreaded Pundit Pit. Falling in was Sam the Hangman Matta, who was the only picker to lose three games and dropped nine games off the pace. If Matta tanks the season, he may have to be replaced by the Jim Thorpe Olympian mascot — who witnessed his team score 76 points last week in only two quarters of football before their game was cancelled at halftime against Kutztown due to the score and a depleted Cougar roster.

Routs across the state

If it seems like we see more than our share of mercy rule games of local teams winning or losing by lopsided scores, non-competitive scores are happening all across the entire state.

Out of 245 high school football games last week, 47 % of the matchups were won by teams scoring 40 points or more and winning by a margin of three touchdowns or more. That seems like an enormous amount of mismatches. League games are usually competitive, but a local athletic director told me that scheduling non-league games to fill out the schedule is difficult and that often results in blow out scores.

Week 5 in our area appears to have many games that should be competitive, making our picks much more difficult to make than in Week Four.

Head scratchers should scramble standings

Many toss-up games are on the board this week with unanimous picks for just eight of the 15 contests. Locally, Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua are big favorites to remain undefeated. The Olympians take the long bus ride to visit an improving Midd-West team, while the Blue Raiders take on a 3-1 Blue Mountain team who might give them some trouble.

Yours Truly is squirming in my king’s throne, but if the pigskin bounces my way and not the way of those who are chasing me, I can build a bigger lead.

Steinmetz and I should finally have separation. We disagree on four games, all of which can go either way. Hot Rod Heckman matches my picks with the exception of Pen Argyl against Palmerton. Since winning their first game of the season, the Bombers seek to end a three-game slide tonight. I like the Green Knights in a close one.

A difficult one to pick is Parkland at Liberty, two usually strong programs. Both are 2-2 and have suffered blowout losses. I look for Liberty at home to rebound after last week’s big loss to Easton and score a late touchdown to knock off the Trojans.

So who moves where?

Justin “The Voice” Carlucci, tied with Bad Brad Hurley at 14 losses, likes Mount Carmel to upset North Schuylkill. With three tied at 15 losses, Ford will gain on Chuck “Good Luck” Hixson and Pat “The Mat” Matsinko if Palmerton defeats Pen Argyl, and Hixson writes a winning check in his column if Liberty beats Parkland.

At the bottom, McCall and Matta have three opposing picks. The Pundit Pit has plenty of room for two.

It’s Week 5. Who will stay alive in the chase for the Cup?