College

This week I chose the song "College" by Pat Green because the green and white of the DCB hockey and basketball teams hit their respective surfaces for home games this weekend.

Those were the only things I covered, and they are all on the road this week. That leaves me with Region 6 volleyball playoffs left as my only fall sport and my only photo op's this week. I will be heading down to either the championship or the third place game on Thursday in Minot.

A not so great week thanks to all the late games and the Sunday and Monday night games gave me an only 8-6 week in my NFL picks for week 9. I am now 92-48 on the season. Before I make my picks for week 10, I have decided i will revisit my original playoff predictions, and potentially tweak them at the midway point of the season.

Originally I had this:

AFC Playoffs:                                                               NFC Playoffs:
Round 1:(3) Houston vs. (6) NY Jets                              (3) Green Bay vs. (6) Atlanta
(4) San Diego vs. (5) Baltimore                                      (4) St. Louis vs. (5) New Orleans
Round 2: (6) NY Jets vs. (1) New England                     (6) Atlanta vs. (1) Tampa Bay
(5) Baltimore vs. (2) Pittsburgh                                     (5) New Orleans vs. (2) Philadelphia

Championships: (2) Pittsburgh vs. (1) New England        (6) Atlanta vs. (2) Philadelphia

Superbowl: New England over Philadelphia 31-17

After a half-season and further review, the picture has changed thusly:

AFC Playoffs:                                                            NFC Playoffs:
Round1: (3) New England vs. (6) Buffalo                     (3) New Orleans vs. (6) Chicago
(4) San Diego vs. (5) Cincinnati                                   (4) NY Giants vs. (5) Atlanta
Round 2: (5) Cincinnati vs. (1) Houston                        (5) Atlanta vs. (1) Green Bay
(3) New England vs. (2) Baltimore                               (3) New Orleans vs. (2) San Francisco

Championships: (5) Cincinnati vs. (3) New England        (1) Green Bay vs. (3) New Orleans

Superbowl: Green Bay over New England 38-27

Now for my week 10 picks:
San Diego over Oakland
Philadelphia over Arizona
Tennessee over Carolina
Miami over Washington
St. Louis over Cleveland
Buffalo over Dallas
Cincinnati over Pittsburgh
Jacksonville over Indianapolis
Denver over Kansas City
New Orleans over Atlanta
Baltimore over Seattle
Chicago over Detroit
San Francisco over New York Giants
New England over New York Jets
Green Bay over Minnesota


I have a bunch of good pictures from this weekend in Bottineau sports as well:

Jacks sophomore Will Kinsman tries to backhand the puck toward the net last Saturday against NDSU.

Jacks forward Brenden Cawston passes past a Bison defender last Friday.

Bottineau native Seth Serhienko backhands the puck for the Jacks first goal last Friday.

DCB's Nick Sutton tries to coral a puck.

Jonny Heidbrink slaps a shot toward the net.

Luke Cieklinski carries the puck down ice.

Doug Evans dumps the puck in the Bison zone.

Ryan Schaner tries to get past an NDSU defender to get a loose puck up against the boards.

Cole Reisenhauer looks for a lane to shoot through last Saturday.

Cieklinski prepares to shoot.

Schaner looks to shoot.

Jacks sophomore goalie Troy Chandler stops a Bison shot in the third period on Saturday.

Jacks center James Odneal goes up toward the hoop last Friday.

Freshman Colby Boyes attempts a shot with a CMU defender all over him last Friday.

Sophomore transfer Cameron Malzer floats a shot over Blazer defenders last Friday.

Odneal flushes one last Friday.

Freshman Kayla Nelsen attempts a trey last Friday against CMU.

Freshman Megan Green goes up for a hoop in the post last Friday.

Freshman Kalli Engh tries to drive past a CMU defender last Friday.

"Air" Odneal about to slam another dunk against Winnipeg last Saturday on a fast break.

Shakira Walker drives into the lane against CMU last Friday.

Malzer hits a three against the Wesman.

Sophomore Jeremy Chambers drives to the basket last Saturday.

Freshman Jayden McMillin goes strong to the hoop.

McMillin again goes up strong.

Who does this coach think he is? Jerry Tarkanian? Sit down and lose the towel.

Malzer calls out a play last Saturday.

Levi Tomlinson goes in for a lay up on a fast break.

Fans celebrate after "Air" Odneal strikes again.

Engh tries to drive past a Wesman defender.

Freshman Jordyn Sondrol drives to the hoop last Saturday.

Exit Music: For a Film

This week I chose the song "Exit Music: For a Film" by Radiohead as my song of the week. I did so because the Bottineau Braves heard the somber exit music as they lost 40-20 in the Class AA playoffs this past Saturday.

I also covered District 11 volleyball where the Newburg-Westhope Eagles fell points short of advancing to regions and the Bottineau Stars won their second consecutive district title.

Finally I made it to a few Dakota College at Bottineau Region XIII volleyball games. The Ladyjacks played some of their best volleyball and came away with a third place finish.

I had a pretty solid week again for NFL picks in week 8. I went 10-3 including upset picks of Minnesota over Carolina and Kansas City over San Diego. I am now 84-42 for the season. Following week 9 I will re-evaluate my playoff predictions and formulate some new ones.

My NFL picks for week 9:

Chiefs over Dolphins
Texans over Browns
Falcons over Colts
Cowboys over Seahawks
49ers over Redskins
Bills over Jets
Saints over Buccaneers
Bengals over Titans
Broncos over Raiders
Patriots over Giants
Packers over Chargers
Rams over Cardinals
Steelers over Ravens
Eagles over Bears

Here are pictures from all the playoffs this past weekend:

Presenting the football trophy is...Preston Kath of Wahpeton.

Matt Bowers gallops past a Wahpeton defender for a score in the first quarter.

Junior lineman Dalton Sivertson high fives students as he is introduced before last Saturday's game.

Braves senior Justin McCloud scoots past a Wahpeton lineman last Saturday in Bottineau.

McCloud delivers a pass toward Harrison Aide last Saturday.

Aide yells as he returns a punt.

Bowers looks for running room in the second half.

Junior Jeremiah Aberle sacks Kath in the second quarter.

Senior Jackson Bernstein wraps up Zayne Medhaug while Mark LaCroix looks to give a big hit.

Aide goes up to get a McCloud pass in the second half.

The Newburg-Westhope Eagles celebrate after Bailey Tofteland ends the game against Sawyer last Friday in the district tourney.

Eagles junior Hadlee Schell gets one of several kills in a win over Sawyer. Schell was named to the All-District 11 team.

Eagles freshman Molly Lodoen sets up a teammate last Friday against Sawyer.

Ladyjacks freshman Jordyn Sondrol receives a Gogebic serve last Saturday.

DCB freshman Jackie Miller bumps it to a teammate last Friday against Bismarck State.

Eagles senior captain Taylor Kersten lofts a set for a teammate.

Bottineau's Whitney Page partially blocks a Drake-Anamoose shot last Friday in a win.

Ashleigh Aufforth goes up and gets a big time block against the Raiders last Friday in the district tournament.

"They" work hard for no money

This week I spun the classic Donna Summer hit "She Works Hard For the Money" into a title that is apropos to the college and high school athletes that I cover.

The athletes will be working hard this weekend as playoffs begin in both Class AA football, District 11 volleyball and Region XIII college volleyball. I will be attending all of those, plus overtaking a few news writing and photographing details for my colleague, who is out of town this week.

As far as my NFL picks go, last week was a pretty decent week. I went 9-4 incorrectly predicting the outcomes of the Baltimore/Jacksonville game, the Buc's/Bears game, Seattle/Cleveland and Oakland/KC.

I am now 74-39 for the season. Now for the week 8 picks:

Giants over Dolphins
Texans over Jaguars
Titans over Colts
Vikings over Panthers
Saints over Rams
Ravens over Cardinals
Broncos over Lions
Bills over Redskins
Patriots over Steelers
49ers over Browns
Bengals over Seahawks
Eagles over Cowboys
Chiefs over Chargers


My pictures from last week's Bottineau/Belcourt football game, and the DCB men's basketball scrimmage:

Bottineau quarterback Justin McCloud scrambles in a 50-18 win over Belcourt last Tuesday in Belcourt.

Bottineau senior Matt Bowers runs past Belcourt defenders in the first half.

Bottineau's Trevor Wettlaufer cuts back to the inside last Tuesday.

Bottineau's Jeremiah Aberle attempts to sack Belcourt quarterback Chugger Davis as the sun sets.

Bottineau's Harrison Aide avoids a tackler during a punt return in the second half.

McCloud attempts to cut back during an interception return.

McCloud breaks into the end zone for a two point conversion in the second half.

(sorry for the bluriness) Bottineau senior Mark LaCroix makes a catch on a deep pass from McCloud.

Jacks freshman Jayden McMillin plays tough defense against an Assiniboine player last Monday at the Woodshed.

Jacks freshman Colby Boyes takes a shot last Monday in a scrimmage against Assiniboine Community College.

McMillin goes in for a layup. He is one of the first Jack players from Australia.

Jeremy Chambers, one of four returning sophomores for the Jacks, dishes a pass to an open teammate.

Chambers gets low to play defense.

Chambers goes up against a bigger opponent.

McMillin goes strong to the hoop.