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4 games on tap for grid playoffs

Four games.

Three days.

It’s gonna be fun.

This is what is known as crunch time in high school football playoff circles.

Only the best of the best remain.

Seneca Valley.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.

Karns City.

Grove City.

Four teams.

Three districts.

It’s gonna be fun.

Two are playing for district titles — kinda.

Karns City will battle Perry in a regional playoff game. The Gremlins are the only District 9 Class 3A team left standing.

Grove City is also playing for a District 10 Class 5A title in a rematch against Meadville, the only team to put a blemish on the Eagles’ record this season.

Four predictions.

Three Butler Eagle sportswriters making them (John Enrietto, Mike Kilroy and Derek Pyda).

It’s gonna be fun.

On to the picks:

North Allegheny 30, Seneca Valley 24 — The Raiders are coming off a win in a shootout over Mount Lebanon.

Jack Cook was, well, Jack Cook, throwing and running all over the field in the victory.

This week, Seneca Valley must get over the hump against a team that it hasn’t fared well against lately in North Allegheny.

The Raiders will keep this one close because of Cook, Hank Royal and the gang, but North Allegheny will be able to pull this one out.

Neshannock 32, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic 12 — This is a rematch of a game played all the way back in Week 1.

It didn’t go well for the Trojans.

It’s been an up and down year for North Catholic. The Trojans gutted out a win on the road at Burgettstown last week, but Neshannock is a whole different animal.

I have to believe Neshannock is going to again come out on top in this one.

Karns City 45, Perry 14 — The District 9 champs — sort of — play the City League’s Perry at Clarion University Thursday night.

The Gremlins had a week off to heal up and have an eclectic group of weapons.

Way too much for Perry to handle.

Meadville 37, Grove City 27 — Speaking of an eclectic group of weapons, both of these teams have them.

This Saturday game should be the game of the year so far. It certainly won’t be the lopsided affair we saw the last time these two teams played in October.

Kameron Patterson can wing it and Logan Lutz returns to the Eagles to join A.J. Turner as a receiving tandem.

But Meadville has Journey Brown and other backs in its Wing-T attack that can hurt you.

Grove City and Meadville will go down to the wire, but the Bulldogs will win their first-ever District 10 title.

Scoop was 5-1 last week and is 84-29 this season.

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