I’m sorry, Mars football fans.

I’m sorry because I picked against your team last week.

My bad.

The Planets proved me wrong by taking care of West Allegheny 29-3 in the second round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

My hat, if I could wear one, is off to Mars.

And as I wrote in my column last week, I will make it up to the potent Planets this week for picking against them.

I’m a bird of my word.

It has come to my attention, though, that some of you out there would rather I pick against mighty Mars this week, believing that I, a mere prognosticating bird, have magical power over the fate of high school football games on Friday nights.

Some believe my picks are a curse, right up there with the covers of Sports Illustrated and Madden football video games.

The fact is, however, only three of my 21 losses have come from picking against Mars.

I lost one game by picking the Planets to beat Moon in Week 1.

My record — 89-21 — speaks for itself.

On to the picks:

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Mars 19, Montour 17 — I’m sold.Austin Miele is a beast, the Mars defense is about as sound as they come and there is no doubt who the hottest team in the WPIAL playoffs is right now.That would be the Planets.Mars has won 10 consecutive games after the season-opening stumble against Moon. Miele is healthy and already has rushed for a billion yards in the playoffs.The Planets also broke their second-round playoff curse with a dominating performance.Who can pick against these guys?I can’t, no matter what you say.I hope I’m right.

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Grove City 32, Corry 10 — The Eagles have put together an amazing season.Their rush offense is averaging 332 yards per game and nearly 8 yards per carry.The quarterback is averaging 23.9 yards per completion and the defense has shut down just about everyone.Grove City has punted seven times in 10 games.But Corry was the only team to force the Eagles to punt more than once in a game when the teams played in Week 2, and after a 2-2 start, the Beavers have won seven straight.Corry’s spread-option offense could give the Grove City defense some trouble.Still, it had two weeks to prepare for Corry, which needed double overtime to beat an average Meadville team last week in the first round of the District 10 playoffs.All signs point toward a sound victory for the Eagles in this one.Scoop tried out to be the next kicker for the Steelers, but the Heinz Field turf was too loose for his enormous plant talon.