Week 4 High School picks: Let the drama be only on the field at Parkland tonight

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER ast Friday night was one of the crazier nights I can remember covering high school football. I was at Emmaus, but the buzz was not only about the Green Hornets and their big win over Central Catholic. A good portion of the crowd had learned there was something big, something major going on about six miles away on the other side of Cedar Crest Boulevard at Parkland High School. It was certainly the talk of the pressbox. As we all know now, everything was fine. And in some regard it was a good practice session in case something was really going. All of the law enforcement people and emergency crews responded in great fashion. Good to know. But I have to tell you that while it was supposedly happening, it was scary. I was keeping stats on the game unfolding in front of me, but my mind kept drifting to the terror everybody must have felt at Parkland. We hype high school football around here because so many people are so passionate about it. However, in a situation like that, when you think kids are in danger, football -- all high school sports, really -- seems so trivial. Most disturbing to me was the misinformation that was so rapidly being spread thanks in large part to Twitter and Facebook. I heard about two gunmen being on the loose, shots being fired, kids being wounded etc. I kept saying: "Is that confirmed?" I couldn't get an answer. As it turned out, it was total fabrication, thank God. Twitter and Facebook can be great tools to get information out and I will be on Twitter tonight with reports from the Liberty-Parkland game, but in this case I thought a lot of it was a complete disservice and spread false, totally inaccurate information very quickly. It's a good thing no one was hurt in an auto accident because they were in a panic and rushing to get somewhere because of completely bad information. As I said, I am going to Parkland tonight for the Trojans game against Liberty and as I've said to a few people already, let's hope all of the drama is on the field. As for the high school football picks, I was 20-3 last week and 39-6 over the past two weeks. That makes me 53-16 for the season. Here we go: LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE Whitehall 42, Nazareth 35 -- The game of the night, maybe of the year. We hear the Vegas over/under is 100. I actually think the two will play a little defense tonight. Weave is going with -- who else? -- his Blue Eagles, 33-21. Parkland 35, Liberty 14 -- This used to be the marquee matchup of any Lehigh Valley Conference season -- two state championship-winning programs. It's not so much this year, but I wouldn't go to sleep on the Trojans just yet. Easton 21, CCHS 14 -- No one circles the wagons like the Easton Red Rovers. Even with the suspensions, Easton should have more than enough to win. Glad these two are finally playing each other again. Would have loved to see this matchup any of the past three years. Emmaus 28, Freedom 21 -- Jury is still out on both of these teams. I liked the Green Hornets line play last week against CCHS, but this is a stiffer test. Northampton 27, Becahi 7 -- Could be the last chance for a LVC win for either of these two. MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERENCE Pleasant Valley 35, Lehighton 0 -- There was no byline on the story, but that was me who wrote about Jim Terwilliger and that explosive Bears offense in the print edition of today's Morning Call. East Stroudsburg South 34, Allen 14 -- Canaries getting better, but are catching Cavs in a bad spot. Stroudsburg 38, PM West 7 -- Great quarterback and receivers, but no line for West. It's a shame they can't play flag football. Valley View 28, ES North 20 -- The last of the MVC unbeatens falls. Quakertown 21, PM East 19 -- When in doubt, always go with a District One team. COLONIAL LEAGUE Southern Lehigh 21, Northwestern 14 -- It's about time for the preseason favorite Spartans to even remotely live up to their August hype. Bangor 20, Notre Dame 7 -- Remember those four simple words: In Scags, I trust. Catasauqua 42, Salisbury 0 -- With his Red Sox long out of the race, Roughies AD Tom Moll still might have a championship team to root for this fall. Northern Lehigh 19, Palisades 13 -- Exchanged e-mails with former Bulldogs coach Jim Tkach this week. He's loving time spent with his grandson in Delaware. He's also enjoying his time back in District 11, working as a color analyst on Blue Ridge Cable broadcasts. He's also still doing some great work for the Bo Tkach Memorial Foundation. Saucon Valley 28, Palmerton 6 -- Mick Stefanek, the Blue Bombers basketball coach, tells me he's still my friend. So, that gives me Tony Choy, Ed Hedes, Bob Mlkvy and Stefanek in Blue Bomber country. Wonder if Hedes will get to meet Martina McBride at the Peak on Oct. 28. Lucky dog if he does. Pen Argyl 28, Wilson 7 -- Sorry Super Lew Gruppo. After the Warriors burned me last week, I can't go their way again. OTHERS Panther Valley 27, Jim Thorpe 14 -- Wonder if a lot of the folks who are going to this game will also be at the Bloomsburg Fair this coming week. Glad to see the Bloomsburg Fair is back this year (nice billboard on Route 22) after it was washed away by the floods last year. Tamaqua 34, Mahanoy Area 7 -- Golden Bears aren't so golden this year. Marian 48, Pius X 13 -- I know Stan Dakosty turns all shades of red at the mere mention of Pius. The Royals used to have the Colts number, but these numbers don't bode well for the boys in Roseto -- Pius has been outscored 104-17 in its 0-3 start, while Marian has outscored foes 108-13 in its three wins. Pennridge 21, Academy Park 14 -- I still have more faith in these Rams than I do the Rams I follow in St. Louis. Spring-Ford 56, Upper Perk 13 -- And I definitely have a lot of faith in the Spring-Ford Rams, especially after their Week 1 win over Whitehall. That's a 21-game salute. Enjoy the action.