Prep Football: Week 3 Capsules, Polls & Predictions
By Space Coast Daily // September 13, 2013
ABOVE VIDEO: SpaceCoastDaily.com’s Matt O’Hern interviews MCC Quarterback Brandon Ziarno, who was selected as the Friday Night Locker Room Player of the Game for Week 2. Ziarno has completed 22 of 35 passes for 398 and 7 TDs thus far this season.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Space Coast Area high schools enter Week 3 of the 2013 Football Season and SpaceCoastDaily.com’s incomparable team of experts offer their insight and prognostications below on this Friday’s games.
SpaceCoastDaily.com’s team of prep football gurus includes recruiting expert Rae Kameka, Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong, Steve Wilson and Anthony Nachreiner, and SpaceCoastDaily.com’s Matt O’Hern.
WEEK 3 SCHEDULE: Friday, Sept. 13
Friday Night Locker Room – Mike Erdman Cadillac Nissan Games of the Week
• Astronaut (2-0) @ Cocoa (0-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff (WPIO 89.3/90.3 FM)
• Celebration (0-2) @ Space Coast (1-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff (WMEL AM 1300)
NOTE: CATCH THE LIVE STREAMS ON SPACECOASTDAILY.COM
FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 GAMES
Titusville (2-0) @ Port Orange Atlantic (0-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Seffner Christian (2-0) @ Merritt Island Christian (0-2) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Centennial (1-1) @ Merritt Island (2-0) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Rockledge (0-2) @ Heritage (2-0) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Viera (2-0) @ Cocoa Beach (0-2) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Satellite (0-2) @ Key West (0-2) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Holy Trinity (2-0) @ Victory Christian (1-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Eau Gallie (2-0) @ Gateway (1-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Melbourne CC (2-0) @ St. Pete Catholic (3-0) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Palm Bay (1-1) @ Melbourne (1-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
Bayside (1-1) @ Sebastian River (1-1) – 7 p.m. Kickoff
ROCKLEDGE VS. HERITAGE
Heritage will host Rockledge this week and the Raiders will look for their first win of the season against the No. 1 ranked Panthers.
Although Rockledge had a good showing against Bayside last week, it will be a tall task to stop the Panthers who are still riding the momentum of their win over Palm Bay. Heritage will win big in this one, as the offense and defense will be too much for the struggling Raiders.
PREDICTION: Heritage 35, Rockledge 0
ASTRONAUT VS. COCOA
Astronaut DE J.T Hassell (23 tackles) and company will look to do what has not been done since 11/2/2007 – that’s beat Cocoa High. Astronaut comes into the game 2-0 on the season and might catch Cocoa at the best time for a defeat.
Cocoa is coming off a loss to Gonzaga (Washington D.C.) and has only played one game this season factoring in weather cancellations in the Kickoff Classic and last week. Cocoa still has to fine tune their new offense and will face a tough War Eagle defense. The Astronaut defense must force the Tigers into turnovers for the upset. Cocoa has not lost to a Brevard County school since October 10, 2008.
UPSET WARNING! Strong defense and Brandon Wright could pull upset.
PREDICTION: Cocoa 20, Astronaut 17
CENTENNIAL VS. MERRITT ISLAND
Merritt Island defeated a good Melbourne team 14-7 last week on solid defense lead by Ty Schwab who leads the Space Coast in tackles with 35. Centennial defeated South Fork 10-9, but will have its hands full against the Mustangs. Look for QB Nick Smith (25 of 45, 2 TDs), Shaq Jones (6 catches, 66 yards) and John Batch (8 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD) to have a big game.
PREDICTION: Merritt Island 30, Centennial 3
BAYSIDE VS. SEBASTIAN RIVER
Both teams struggled in games they should have dominated last week. The loss of 13 starters from last season has not helped Sebastian’s efforts this season. After beating Westwood last week 28-14, the Sharks may have figured out its offensive problems just in time to host the Bears. Bayside and QB Austin Evarts will hope to get its offense going this week before they start District play against South Fork next week. Bayside with the blow-out victory.
PREDICTION: Bayside 28, Sebastian River 0
EAU GALLIE VS. GATEWAY
Eau Gallie is the surprise team this season and must deal with being the hunted as they play the favorites this week. Senior ATH Antoine Rutledge, Senior QB Torrence Brown and Junior RB Craig Dewberry will run wild in this game.
PREDICTION: Eau Gallie 27, Gateway 10
MELBOURNE CENTRAL CATHOLIC VS. ST. PETERSBURG CATHOLIC
After scoring over 50 or more points in consecutive weeks, MCC seems to have the offense firing on all cylinders. Brandon Ziarno (22 of 35, 398, 7 TDs) was the SpaceCoastDaily.com Player of the Week last week, and is proving to scouts and teams that he is one of the best in the nation at the QB position. This University of Miami recruit has thrown for 7 TD’s in just two games. The Hustler’s pro-style offense, with weapons like RB Alec LaFlore (224 rush yards, 3 TDs), WR Austin Perlman (8 catches, 132 yards, 3 TDs), WR Max Erdman (7 catches, 129 yards, 3 TDs), Chase Harris (166 rush yards, 3 TDs) and Kyle Taylor-Laird and will be to much to stop. MCC rolls in this one.
PREDICTION: MCC 45, St.Petersburg Catholic 14
PALM BAY VS. MELBOURNE
Both teams suffered a close loss last week, with the Pirates losing to rival Heritage. Palm Bay will have to get over it quick because Melbourne is a team that can beat any team in the county.
Strong defense and a good running game from both teams will keep this a low scoring game. Melbourne will look to feature backs Chris Singh (174 rush yards, 3 TD’s) and Bryson Hill (154 rush yards, 2 TDs), while Palm Bay will have to have good production from QB Brian Fallace (212 passing yards, 2 TDs) to keep Melbourne from stacking the box against the Pirate’s Sekai Lindsey (153 rush yards, 3 TDs). Bulldog QB Dwane Robinson (166 passing yards, 2 TDs) will be the difference in this game.
!UPSET ALERT! PREDICTION: Melbourne 17, Palm Bay 14
SPACE COAST VS. CELEBRATION
No Brevard County QB is playing better than Senior Space Coast QB Nick Rittenhouse – as we enter Week 3 he has already accounted for 11 TDs. Rittenhouse has passed for 642 yards with, 7 TD’s and rushed for 290 yards with 4 TD’s. He will be too much for Celebration to contain and the Vipers will win in a blowout.
PREDICTION: Space Coast 35, Celebration 7
EXPERT’S WEEK 3 POLLS
RAE’S TOP 10
1. Heritage (2-0)
2. Cocoa (0-1)
3. Merritt Island (2-0)
4. Astronaut (2-0)
5. Bayside (1-0)
6. Eau Gallie (2-0)
7. Melbourne Central Catholic (2-0)
8. Palm Bay (1-1)
9. Melbourne (1-1)
10. Space Coast (1-1)
STEVE’S TOP 5
1. Heritage
2. Cocoa
3. Palm Bay
4. Merritt Island
5. Melbourne
ORVILLE’S TOP 5
1. Cocoa
2. Heritage
3. Palm Bay
4. Merritt Island
5. Melbourne
ANTHONY’S TOP 5
1. Cocoa
2. Heritage
3. Merritt Island
4. Astronaut
5. Melbourne
MATT’S TOP 5
1. Merritt Island
2.Heritage
3. Cocoa
4. Palm Bay
5. Melbourne Central Catholic
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