The Week 9 high school football picks: Dieruff gets a new AD but not a win.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER No, I am not crazy. I am not picking Dieruff to beat Stroudsburg tonight to end their 37-game losing streak. I wouldn't dare jinx the Huskies like that. Picked them to beat Lehighton back at the end of September and they lost 42-0. But there is good news for the Dieruff football team, and, actually, all Husky sports programs. They finally have an athletic director. That's right, Mel Riddick was approved as the permanent AD at the Allentown School Board meeting on Thursday night. Riddick had been the interim AD since last spring when an unfortunate situation required someone to have to step into the role. Riddick is a good choice. He has coached a multitude of sports at Dieruff and he knows the kids, knows the teachers, knows the coaches, knows the officials since he also officiated, and he knows all about the job since he's been doing it for the last six months. He has worked with Allen AD Scott Cooperman at J. Birney Crum Stadium and clearly, he is the right man for the job. He will do a good job in guiding Dieruff athletics in the future. I agree with ASD school board president Robert E. Smith when he said: "Riddick has done a good job handling a tough situation." Dieruff athletics, frankly, remain a "tough situation" but Riddick certainly understands the situation and will work to make it better and he will handle and represent the school with class. Now, on to the games. I will not be covering any tonight or any this weekend because I am going on a trip with my wife to New England. She just celebrated her 50th birthday and I am treating her to a mini-vacation while the old lady can still walk. Thank God she doesn't read this blog. Last week with the picks, I was 17-5 to bring the seasonal totals to 142-38. That's 78.8 percent. Because it's early Friday morning (the sun has not even risen yet) and I have to catch a bus, we're going to make it short and sweet with a lot of the picks this week. Here we go: LEHIGH VALLEY CONFERENCE Parkland 34, CCHS 20 -- I am sure Jim Morgans (Parkland's coach) and his former player John Cupples (Central's first-year leader) will have a nice conversation before the game. Cupples will also exchange pleasantries with his buddy Tim McGorry. That's when the good feelings will end, however. Whitehall 21, Easton 14 -- The game of the night. Hard to pick against Easton. Just think the Rovers have spent so much time living on the edge lately that they're bound to slip. Nazareth 28, Emmaus 21 -- Not sure how much two player suspensions (and these are not third-stringers so we hear) will hurt the Blue Eagles. Sometimes suspensions cause kids to rally around each other and play better than they normally would. Nazareth definitely needs to play better to get back in the district playoff race after a disappointing effort against CCHS. My buddy "The Weave" is going with his boys by a more lopsided 44-28 score. Liberty 21, Northampton 14 -- Not picking the K-Kids again after going with them against Freedom last week. Hurricanes have played much better lately. Freedom 35, Becahi 14 -- A very nice gesture by the Golden Hawks to make Gage Dannecker, the blind 10-year-old youngster from Allentown, a honorary captain for this game. Gage is a great kid and I am sure he will enjoy this experience. However, I am sure someone looked at my story today with skepticism and said, "Wow, there goes Becahi recruiting kids from Allentown again." MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONFERNCE Pleasant Valley 35, ES North 21 -- Bears can't get caught looking ahead to next week's showdown with Stroudsburg. PV should get into the district playoffs and if they do, they will be a tough out. Lehighton 34, PM West 28 -- The McCarroll Bowl (head coaches Tom and Jim are nephew and uncle) should actually be a close and entertaining game. Lehigh football coaches might want to take a look at Jacen Nalesnik once he gets on to the Mountain Hawks campus. I don't know if Sean Leary will let him, but he could certainly help Andy Coen in some way. ES South 35, Hazleton 14 -- In two weeks time, the Cavaliers season went from soaring to sour. Stroudsburg 56, Dieruff 13 -- The Mounties should be able to get the starters out of this one early and get them ready for next week's big one with Pleasant Valley. The Huskies, meanwhile, can look forward to a more competitive game against Allen next week. PM East 42, Allen 14 -- Season-ending Injury to Devyn Papa and disappointing losses have dimmed the Cardinals a little bit. The Canaries might be able to hang with the Redbirds for a little while, but not all night. COLONIAL LEAGUE Catasauqua 35, Northern Lehigh 21 -- Pound for pound, Roughies may be the best team in the area. Bangor 27, Northwestern 20 -- Last week's bad start and subsequent loss to Northern Lehigh aside, I still go back to those four sacred words -- In Scags I Trust. Southern Lehigh 28, Palisades 21 -- I don't know if there's an award for the Comeback Team of the Year, but the Spartans would definitely qualify after they've turned around their horrid start to become a district playoff team. Pen Argyl 34, Palmerton 7 -- Wonder how new coach Al Blount and the Green Knights boys basketball team is doing with the official start of practice now just a few weeks away. Notre Dame 42, Salisbury 7 -- Two years ago it was really big news when the Crusaders beat the Falcons. This year? Not so much. Saucon Valley 33, Wilson 27 -- Warriors can still score points, just not enough. OTHERS Marian 35, Jim Thorpe 7 -- Nice to chat with Stan Dakosty, the Colgate assistant and son of the Colts' legendary coach, this week. Young Stan is doing a good job recruiting this area for the Raiders. Tamaqua 27, Minersville 13 -- Tamaqua vs. Marian should be a dandy next week. North Schuylkill 20, Panther Valley 7 -- Still remember when North Schuylkill upset CCHS in the district finals back in the mid-1990s. That night, they felt they like were representing an entire region and brand of football, and not just one high school. Ever since then, I never disrespect those Schuykill County teams. Pennridge 33, CB East 14 -- Ok, now I am believer in these Rams. CB South 28, Quakertown 7 -- I tend to get these CB directional schools mixed up, but I do know the Panthers are struggling. Pius X 49, Carson Long 7 -- It's a shame the Royals aren't playing a school called Johnny Carson. Might be a more entertaining game. I still miss Johnny, Ed and Doc on the "Tonight Show". I experienced a lot of sleepy, drowsy school days because I stayed up late to see to Carson's monologue. Don't have the same inclination with Conan, Jay or Dave. Have a great weekend everybody.