The Rick, Week 15 – 2022
By Rick Notari, BDFN
@TheBigBlueDevil
(1893-518 overall, .786 winning percentage)

Closing the Gap

When The Rick sat down to write this week, he really wasn’t sure what to write. The high school football season has come down to one game. But that isn’t a negative statement. Instead, it’s a positive one.

You see in Week 15, if District 2 is still playing football, then by all means it has been a successful season on the gridiron as a whole. We are down to the Final 4 in each of the six classifications remaining and our little corner of the world is still represented.

The land area that makes up District 2 from Hazleton to Honesdale and Montrose to Matamoras sure may be as big as some of the other districts, but population wise, there is no comparison to District 3, 7 or 11. Yet, there we have been each year, during the past decade, making noise on the gridiron while most are on the hardwoods.

District 2 has closed the gap.

And speaking of closing the gap, The Rick has done just than on his friend from the neighborhood, Consigliere Tom Robinson. As you know, for the past two years, Tom and I keep score in a friendly showdown that is featured here at the NPF Network and at our sister site, NEPA Sports Nation. Tom easily handled The Rick the first two years, but not this year.

After leading early in the season and falling behind by as many as four games, The Rick has rallied and is one game back headed into this week. And this week should be the decider. I don’t know Tom’s pick, but given the history, Tom likes to pick winners and plays the percentages. The Rick likes to pick winners too. But you know I cannot go against The Family.

So, check out The Consigliere’s pick by clicking HERE, and scroll down for The Rick’s Pick.

It’s been a great season of high school football in District 2. Let’s hope it is for at least one more week!

OK! Let’s get to the PICK for Week 15!

 

THE RICK’S PICK (169-44)

PIAA Class 4A Semifinal

Crestwood (13-1) v. Bishop McDevitt (11-1) at Exeter Twp. HS

The Rick believed last week. Not many others did. But when Coach Ryan Arcangeli called me out in an interview that has since gone viral and received the now famous Elan Mush blue checkmark approval, The Rick had no choice but to believe. Now here we are in the 4A Final Four, and a member of the District 2 Family is still playing. I don’t think anyone outside of Mountain Top thought a Week 15 game would be possible for Crestwood, but the Big Red Machine has taken the state by storm with its punishing ground attack and relentless defense. The challenge will be difficult this week. According to MaxPreps.com, Bishop McDevitt sophomore quarterback Stone Saunders has thrown for 3,181 yards and 46 touchdowns! That’s a career for most quarterbacks. Not a sophomore season. Saunders throws the ball primarily to TaShawn Russell and Rico Scott. Russell has 48 catches for 1,129 yards and 16 touchdowns and Scott has 55 catches for 1,037 yards and 16 touchdowns. And they are not just good through the air. Senior tailback Marquese Williams has rushed for 1,225 yards and 25 touchdowns on just 126 carries. That’s 9.7 yards a clip and a touchdown every five times he touches the ball. It is not going to be easy for the Comets. They will need to play keep away with their potent ground game and execute on defense like they have been all season. Just like The Rick has executed all season.

Comets 22, Crusaders 20