Once again, our award-winning photographer is leaving all the “expert” sportswriters coughing in his dust.

Bob Ford’s stellar 12-1 record in Week 3 propelled him onto the king’s throne, all alone where he holds a one game lead over Justin “The Voice” Carlucci. With 11-2 marks, Pat “The Mat” Matsinko and Hot Rod Heckman rallied to gain third place where they are tied with Yours Truly (10-3) and Bad Brad Hurley, who slipped back with a 9-4 record for the week.

Champ is the chump

Last year’s title winner, Handy Andy and his Team Stein made a big gamble with a few heavy underdogs in Week 3 and lost big. With an atrocious 6-7 mark, the current Cup holder is now sharing residence in the Pundit Pit with Sam “The Sham” Matta.

How quickly one can go from glory and fame to hiding in shame in this Grid Pick’s game.

Bossman McCall finally climbed out of the Pit, but remains a distant six games back of the lead. Chuck “Got some luck” Hixson had a good week at 12-3, but he’s still a long shot and will need near perfection from now to the end to contend for the Cup.

Going into Week 4, it appears to be a six-man race to the finish line, and with games being canceled each week, who knows when the season – and the Grid Picks race – will end.

Battle of the unbeatens

No question that the highlight game of Week 4 is North Schuylkill vs. Jim Thorpe at Panther Valley. The Red Swarm will be seriously tested by the Spartans, who have rolled up 111 points in their three wins.

North Schuylkill has been one of the few teams that has had JT’s number recently, having won three of the last four encounters. The money might be on the Spartans here, as the majority staff picks them to win, but I say Coach Mark Rosenberger dials up his offense for a mild upset and keeps Thorpe undefeated going into Week 5.

Another great contest has Tamaqua’s Blue Raiders traveling to take on the Crimson Tide, who put a hurting on a pretty good Lehighton team last week.

Pottsville features running back Bobby Walchak, who rushed for 110 yards and three TDs against the Tribe. Tamaqua’s Logan Hess and Nate Curvey gained 281 of their team’s 436 yards on the ground against Riverside.

This looks to be trench warfare that might not be decided until the final seconds tick off the clock.

The consensus says the Raiders remain undefeated. I go with the Tide for no good reason other than to break free from Hurley and Matsinko.

Pick six

With shortened schedules and an uncertain postseason, six local teams will try to hang around a .500 record to improve their playoff chances – and certainly affect the order of the Cup standings.

It’s a majority pick for Lehighton to come back from its last two losses and beat Schuylkill Haven. Marian, a winner last week against Shenandoah, has a much more difficult foe in Nativity, and the Colts are not an upset special on the picks’ board.

Roster depleted Panther Valley is on the road at Minersville, and PV coach Rick Jones will have most of his team playing both offense and defense to try and keep the Battlin’ Miners winless.

Northern Lehigh hosts the always formidable Southern Lehigh Spartans, who are playing their first game this season. The staff is split on the winner in this game.

No one thinks Palmerton, a big winner last week against Catty, will topple Notre Dame, but everyone likes Northwestern against Wilson.

Down to the wire

Like last season, this year’s race for the Cup shows every indication that it will go down to the wire with six staffers separated by a mere two games.

For Ford to stay on the king’s throne going into Week 5, he’ll need Schuylkill Haven to beat Lehighton. He’s also in the minority with picking Panther Valley.

The key swing game for movement in the standings might be the Tamaqua–Pottsville matchup, as Hurley and Matsinko can make a quick sprint toward the front if the Raiders top the Tide.

At the bottom of the food chain, McCall needs to stay at least a game ahead of Team Stein and Sam the Sham, whose names are already on the list of “also – rans.”

For now, we chase “Photo” Ford, a previous Cup winner, who brags that he knows football better than nine sportswriters.

Listen up, Bob. We’re right behind you and when the season is over, your presence will be requested at the Cup ceremony, not to take the trophy, but to take the picture of the winner.