He sits alone on the king’s throne at least for this week.

Justin Carlucci pulled ahead by a game over TJ Engle for first place in the race for the Bob Ford Memorial Grid Picks Cup, but the story following Week Eight was the comeback of Pat Matsinko. In front early in the season, he had dropped back in the pack into a three-way tie with Brad Hurley and Chuck Hixson, but after his week’s best 13-1 record, Matsinko picked up two games on the front runners and now sits in third place alongside Rod Heckman, only two behind Carlucci.

“I’m happy to be where I am right now,” said Matsinko. “but I know a couple of bad picks can knock me back down with Bossman McCall. Gulp! Still a long way to go, so never say never.”

Matching Carlucci’s 13-2 week was Yours Truly. I’m now tied for fifth place with Hurley and five back of the lead. Chuck “No Luck Hixson”, with a week-worst 8-7 mark fell far back of the pack to tie Mike Haines in next-to-last place. Credit Emmett “Bossman” McCall with his 12-3 record to move him ahead of both Haines and Hixson.

Sam “the Sham” Matta fell into the Pundit Pit, his familiar residence of last season. He can still get out of the Den of Darkness, but he’s an also ran in the race at nine games back of the lead.

Week Nine brings playoff implications for several area teams who are all in action and up on the picks’ board. Six games are unanimous selections that will have no impact upon the standings going into Week Ten.

Colts, Panthers in coal region rivalry

The Times News and Grid Picks Game of the Week features the Marian Colts against the Panther Valley Panthers. Last week, the Colts stunned Nativity in an overtime thriller for their first win of the season. The Panthers are still winless, but this long-time rivalry has PV coach Rick Jones saying, “If you can’t get emotionally ready to play this game, then I don’t why you’d even bother to step on the field.” Coach Dakosty’s troops, still eligible for postseason play, will bring some momentum to Lansford so this should be a good one. My head says Marian wins, but my heart picks the Panthers to finally get a “W.”

Bombers, Bulldogs, Tigers, oh my!

Palmerton, Northern Lehigh, and Northwestern are virtually playoff locks in their designated classes and are picked to add to their win total this week. Northwestern continues their quest for an undefeated regular season. After a big win over Pottsville last week, the Tigers must avoid a letdown to make Saucon Valley their ninth victim of the season.

Olympians, Bears knocking on the door

Jim Thorpe hosts Palisades and currently, the Olympians are ranked third behind North Schuylkill and Notre Dame in the 3A class with the first four teams making the playoffs. Mike Haines has picked the Pirates to upset JT, but the money on the table says Thorpe pulls themselves over the .500 mark and quite possibly toward a second match up against Notre Dame come November.

Pleasant Valley, for the first time in years, is in the 6A D11 playoff picture, sitting at No. 7 with the first eight qualifying. This week, the Bears host Pocono Valley West who will test Valley’s determination to qualify for postseason play. Carlucci risks his lead here, picking the 3-4 Panthers to win - as does Brad Hurley, who’s trying to become relevant again in the race going down the stretch.

Tamaqua, still technically alive for the playoffs, hosts state-ranked North Schuylkill, and Lehighton visits Southern Lehigh. Both local teams are struggling of late and the picks say that will continue in Week Nine, but Engle might jump back in front if the Indians can knock off the Spartans, who have won two straight after starting 0-6.

Tide, Slaters to tussle

My out-of-area game of the week pits the Crimson Tide of Pottsville against the Slaters of Bangor. The 6-2 Tide gave Northwestern all they wanted last week in a 22-14 loss and the 5-3 Slaters, with their vaunted running attack easily defeated a good Wilson team. Chuck “Needs a Little Luck” Hixson is riding the Bangor bandwagon and thinks they will beat another good team this week, but Yours Truly and everybody else likes the Tide to regroup and topple the Slaters.

Who’s first and who’s worst?

The race is very close with just two games separating the top four. Carlucci’s bold pick of the week is Pocono West over Pleasant Valley, and he might gain a game on Engle if Wilson defeats Blue Mountain. Engle’s picks of underdogs, Lehighton and Schuylkill Haven, could propel him to the top or kill his chance to sit on the king’s throne for good.

Can Matsinko keep up his surge? He’s made mostly safe picks this week with Wilson to beat Blue Mountain as the one game that can move him up or down. Heckman, the current champ, still sits in a tie for third place, waiting to make his customary move to win the Cup once we go down the stretch three weeks from now.

Hurley hangs in fifth, but has made no jump toward the front in recent weeks. Yours Truly is happy to share the spot with him and getting some breathing room, four games away from the thin air of the Pundit Pit.

Speaking of the Den of Darkness, Sam “Yes I can” Matta may still be choking on the dust in front of him, but he’s no lock to stay in the Pit. Haines and Hixson have four different picks between them so somebody has to jump farther away or slip closer to Matta at the bottom.

Bossman McCall, with no fanfare, has worked himself up to where he’s three games above the Pit and gaining upon Hurley and Yours Truly. His picks of Haven over Catasauqua and Pine Grove to beat Mahanoy could jump him up or bump him back down.

Next week ends the regular season and then there will be two or three weeks left to see who gets to take the victory lap around the Times News office while hoisting the Cup. Can Carlucci hold on? Will Engle stumble down the stretch? Perhaps Heckman will once again be the man to hold the gold.

The final turn in the race for the Cup is coming. Only one will prevail out of the contenders and the nine behind will be labeled nothing but pretenders!