What a topsy-turvy Week 2 it was for the grid picks race! Our individual 15-game records ranged from a high of 11-4 to a low of 5-10.

With a burst from the back of the line came Sam “The Man” Matta, who jumped from third from last into a first-place tie with his 11 correct picks. Sam is breathing rarified air up at the top having had a reputation of choking on the stagnant stench that rises from the Pundit Pit.

Tying Matta’s Week 2 record was Kyle “The Rook” Magda, who proved that we veterans in this race know no more than this rookie knows about picking the winners. With his “expertise,” Magda propelled himself from next to last into a second-place tie.

Some years ago, after my slump in the standings, I asked my 9-year-old daughter to make my picks. She got 10 winners by choosing which uniform colors she liked better in each game. If I slump again, I’ll have to add to her high school homework assignments and whip out a color chart again.

When the final score horns sounded from the last game of the week, our standings now show Matta and “Hot” Rod Heckman in the lead, with no fewer than five of us crammed into second at one game behind.

Near the rear of the pack, Mike “Hurricane” Haines is just three games behind the lead and Emmett “Bossman” McCall slipped to four back, while Chuck “No Luck” Hixson wallows in the Pundit Pit following his dreadful 10-loss week.

Bears, Bombers, and Bulldogs, oh my!

Three area teams remain unbeaten going into Week 3. Pleasant Valley has won its first two games decisively, with its vaunted triple option ground attack. This week the Bears host the 2-0 East Stroudsburg South Cavaliers, who have outscored their two opponents 71-3.

Bears’ coach Blaec Saeger has pointed to this game as a turning point in their season. After hearing his passionate postgame speech to his team last Friday about wanting to beat the “Purple,” I can’t help but pick the Bears to beat ESS.

Palmerton might just have the best chance of running the table and getting to the playoffs with nary a blemish on its record. Quarterback Matt Machalik is already putting in his bid for Player of the Year with his excellent performances. They sure have sold our staff, as we’ve made Palmerton a unanimous pick to beat the Pirates of Palisades.

Northern Lehigh knocked off Northwestern last week in what some say was a mild upset. Don’t tell that to the ‘Dawgs, who won the Mountain Road Rumble rivalry and are primed to keep their mojo going in what we think will be a whitewash of the Green Knights from Pen Argyl.

Olympians, Tribe look for first win

With a play here or there, both Jim Thorpe and Lehighton could be 2-0. Everyone except the “Rook” believes that the Salisbury Falcons are walking into a buzz saw at Olympian Stadium.

As for the Tribe, twice they have put up 29 points, with no win to show for it. This week, they get the winless Crimson Tide from Pottsville, who have been routed by two perennial playoff powerhouses. The skinny here is that neither team is as bad as their records. Expect a close game, and “Yours Truly” thinks quarterback Brady O’Donnell and wideout Ian Rarick will make enough big-pass plays together to get win No. 1 on the board for the Maroon and White.

Colts and Tigers back on track?

Marian and Northwestern look to get back into the win column in Week 3.

The Colts entertain the Rough Riders of Catasauqua, with the pick line slightly favoring Catty. My crystal ball sees a fourth-quarter drive scoring the winning points for coach Dakosty’s team.

The Tigers could still be reeling from last week’s loss to Northern Lehigh, but we all think they’ll rebound nicely and defeat the Blue Mountain Eagles.

Slaters, Spartans feature opposite strengths

Unbeaten Bangor hosts the 1-1 Southern Lehigh Spartans in my choice as the Out of Area Game of the Week. The Slaters have given up a single touchdown to their first two opponents, and the Spartans have scored 57 points so far this season. The majority pick here is Southern Lehigh to hand Bangor its first loss.

A total traffic jam

Heading into tonight’s games, five pickers are just one game off the lead held by Heckman and Matta.

The two in first place have only one difference in their picks. Matta likes Marian to beat Catty, but Heckman has checked the Rough Riders, so there will be little movement away from each other.

Any one of seven of our 10 writers have a shot at getting their profile picture at the far left of next week’s leader board. Of course, this early in the season, everyone is still very much in contention for the Cup.

“Yours Truly” is taking a risk with my picks of Lehighton, Marian, Pleasant Valley, and Freedom, which go against the majority, so I hope I’m not sniffing some of that stale air next week by getting too close to the Pundit Pit. “Bossman” McCall is showing signs of early desperation by also picking four against the favorites.

Will Chuck “Get Some Good Luck” Hixson rise from the Pit? Find “Bad” Brad Hurley sitting at the top next week, and this trash talker will have something to say about that. Will Matta be a one-hit wonder from his Week 2 record of 11-4, or will he hang in front with the big boys? How about Magda, the newbie? Can he stay in contention?

We’ll see what happens in Week 3 in what is already an exciting run for the gold and the Bob Ford Memorial Grid Picks Cup!