2025 The Rick’s Picks – Week 8

The Rick, Week 8 – 2025

By Righetto Notari, BDFN
@BDFN_OldForge
(2176-607 overall, .781 winning percentage)

What a weekend!

The Rick had lots to smile about last weekend. It started Friday night when the Blue Devils grabbed their first victory of the season. Smiles abound in Old Forge with the apparitions of the proverbial monkey off The Family’s back dissipating into the October night. It had been over 40 years since the Blue Devils went winless on the gridiron. That was the final Big 11 season for Old Forge.

Happy days continued Saturday when my tortured blue and gold soul saw some shine when Pitt stomped on Boston College. The sunlight of Southern California then brightened my day even further when the Blue and Gold Bruins won their first game of the season over the despised cult from the middle of the Keystone. That flight to the West Coast is a killer – even on a chartered jet.

In between those gridiron gifts on Saturday, the baseball gods favored me with a Yankees implosion, which continued Sunday with another New York flop and a Dodgers victory! The win by the defending champs was sweet as it came over the Phillies, which doubled down on the Eagles’ loss earlier in the day. So, while most of Pennsylvania was crying in their milk, I was finishing the weekend with a cherry on top of my ice cream sundae.

Ok, enough about The Rick, let’s get to Week 8….

THE RICK’S PICKS (102-27)

May their first child be a masculine child (3-4)

(The Big Boys)

Valley View at Delaware Valley

The Delaware Valley offense is humming. They have a Top 3 running back in Mike Iuzzolino, a Top 3 wideout in Trey Newton and a Top 4 quarterback in Colin McGarvey. But the Warriors defense hasn’t exactly been the Steel Curtain. Valley View, on the other hand, has a Top 10 defense and has made life miserable for high-powered offenses in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton Prep. The Cougars will need their best defensive effort of the season if they want to win this game. They will also need some production on offense – even if its long drives that possess the ball for large chunks of time. Playing keep away may be its best defense. Can they do it?

Warriors 24, Cougars 13

The Luca Brasi (5-2)

(Toughest Pick of The Week)

Riverside at Carbondale Area

Carbondale has four wins this year – against teams that are a combined 7-21. In their three losses, the opponents are 16-5. So, how is this the toughest pick of the week with Riverside at 6-1 coming to town? It’s because of last year. A young, inexperienced group traveled to Taylor and gave the Vikes all they could handle before a controversial play thwarted any Chargers’ comeback hopes. Yes, the Vikings have reloaded, and QB Brayden Rose is having one of the best offensive seasons in all of District 2 with 12 passing TDs and 11 rushing scores. But there is something about traveling to the Pioneer City. Don’t be surprised if yinz are all asking, ‘What Happened?’ on Friday night.

Vikings 15, Chargers 12

Don’t ask me about my business (4-3)

(No Rhyme or Reason)

Abington Heights at Wallenpaupack

This game was almost the Luca Brasi Game. And while I am not going to go out on a limb and say Wallenpaupack is going to win this game. The Rick would not be surprised if the Buckhorns pulled an upset. The Lake Show has been about the running game this season. And that is exactly what will be needed to beat Abington Heights – ball control. Running backs Ed Kiesendahl and Logan Caruso have run for over 1,000 yards combined and 15 touchdowns. The Comets are coming off a hard-fought, emotional win over their rivals and may be due for a letdown. Their defense will have to come up big as they did last week of, they are going to escape the lake with a win. The Rick thinks they will.

Comets 20, Buckhorns 16

Leave the gun, take the cannoli (7-0)

(Lead-Pipe Lock of The Week)

Nanticoke at Honesdale

The Hornets have been on a skid. But cannoli will be served in the Wayne Highlands this week to sweeten and otherwise sour season. Running back Gabe Duda has been a bright spot, rushing for over 500 yards with five TDs. He is averaging over seven yards a carry. He will easily carry more than seven cannoli this weekend. Unless of course he decides to share with his teammates and not take the cannoli for himself.

Hornets 34, Trojans 13

Going to the mattresses (4-3)

(A Rivalry-type Game)

West Scranton at Dunmore

West Scranton got a big win last week, winning its second game of the season over Western Wayne. Dunmore has been somewhat inconsistent this year but will be heavily favored against the Invaders. This, however, is a rivalry game. The teams used to face off yearly on Thanksgiving Day way back when schools squared off on Turkey Morning, before district and state playoffs littered the late November landscape. There have been lots of legends to play in this game and today’s players should study up on their histories with such rivalries. The Rick expects another great matchup in this storied rivalry.

Bucks 29, Invaders 26

Fredo, You broke my heart (4-3)

(Upset Special)

Crestwood at Dallas

The Rick always has games that he knows how they are going to turn out, yet he just has that feeling – sometimes a sick feeling – that forces him to go against what he knows. This is one of those games. Every team that Crestwood has faced with a losing record, the Comets have beaten by large margins. Dallas has a losing record. So, analytics would tell you that Crestwood will win this game. The Rick despises analytics. That’s because the Mountaineers have faced six winning teams in the first seven weeks of the season. Dallas may just have the most difficult schedule in all of District 2. Those six teams have a combined record of 33-9. One thing The Rick knows – Dallas is no Fredo.

Mountaineers 28, Comets 27

Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer (5-2)

(They just don’t like each other)

Old Forge at Holy Cross

Those fans outside of this matchup may not understand how this game falls under this category. Those inside of it understand it astutely. Holy Cross has never beaten Old Forge on the gridiron in 19 tries during the 19 seasons the Crusaders have been around. This alone has caused some consternation. But what makes this game even more testy on Saturday is that these teams may be evenly matched for the first time. Holy Cross has three wins already and another could lock up a playoff spot for the Crusaders. There was a time earlier in the year when many thought it was a guaranteed win for Holy Cross. The Blue Devils grabbed their first win last week and may have something to say to those who continue to doubt this week.

Blue Devils 27, Crusaders 20

Time to settle all Family Business (70-10)

Tunkhannock over Montrose

Berwick over Williamsport

Lakeland over Western Wayne

Pittston Area over Hazleton Area

Scranton Prep over Mid Valley

Hanover Area over CMVT

Montgomery over Holy Redeemer

Wyoming Area over Lake-Lehman

North Pocono over Scranton

Wilkes-Barre over Valley West

Trail over Susquehanna

The Rick Six

(The top 3 big schools & top 3 small schools)

North Pocono (7-0, 1)
Berwick (7-0, 3)
Wyoming Area (6-1, 2)
Delaware Valley (3-4, 6)
Abington Heights (5-2, 5)
Lakeland (6-1, NS)

Next Six: Pittston Area (6-1, NS); Scranton Prep (3-4, 3) Lackawanna Trail (6-1, NS); Riverside (6-1, NS); Valley View (4-3, NS); Wilkes-Barre (4-3, NS).

PLAYOFF PICTURE

D2 Class 6A (Subregional with D4)