Note: the DIVISIONAL Champion predictions are near the bottom of this page.

Section 4 Championships Predictions
Last week: 16-4 (0.800)
Season: 155-41 (0.791)
Season Goal: 0.800...can't attain it now, even with a 5-0 this weekend...

Bet The Farm
Not risking any farms this week.

Bet The Tractor
No tractors neither.

Bet The Plow Mule
Owego 24, Chenango Valley 16 [22-32]
Our only final that is not a rematch of a regular season game, this has the makings of a great and intense game for the fans. Plus not being a rematch, it is the most intriguing game of the five to me, if not most Section 4 fans.

I figure the communities for these two combatants are by far the hungriest, as they are the only two of the ten Section 4 Finalists who have not advanced at least to the state semi-finals this decade and as a matter of fact,  they have but one Section 4 Championship between then, that being CV's title in 1989 before the "State" playoffs began. So you know BOTH the communities and the teams want this one really bad.

I'll be honest, I'm rooting for the ol' neighborhood rival Warriors in this one - I can picture a HUGE sea, er, make that Valley Of Red in the Dome seats should they win their next three games - but, I feel Owego is just a little stronger on both sides of the ball and will give the Indians their first Section 4 title.

CalPreps ratings has CV as a hypothetical 2.7 point favorite.

Chenango Forks 37, Sidney 22 [44-16]
The shootout vs Sidney a few weeks ago was a surprise to me. Not a shock, but certainly a surprise. I was expecting a game with three TDs less by each team. The reason is simple. Even with a new cast of players each year, at least a dozen times this decade I have seen the CF defense - including several times in the state playoffs - hold an offense that has been putting up 35+ points a game to two or three TDs, most often two at most. I figured the game in Sidney would be no different. Call it the system, call it tradition, call it whatever. All I know is it seemed to be a quite reliable pattern. Death...taxes...the CF defense dampening a powerful offense. You can't blame me, can you?

That's basically why and how I figure "the Forks" to get "back to normal" and do it (hold the potent offense down) this time around on Saturday, especially with the #@&% weather forecast. I see CF's coaches and "system" coming up with a scheme that will befuddle the Sidney O. Those looking forward to and expecting another shootout, well, all I can say is that in most levels of football you rarely see a shootout in a re-match of a previous shootout. Don't have any idea why neither.

CalPreps ratings has CF as a hypothetical 8.3 point favorite.

Oh, and I could be very wrong too. Trust me, I will not be shocked if Sidney rings up 35+ again this weekend. Very little shocks me in this game of high school football.

Flip A Cow Pie
Elmira Free Academy 28, Maine-Endwell 22 [6-14]
The first game between these two, at EFA, went the Blue Devils way by a 26-20 count. I'm seeing just about the same outcome this time around. M-E has struggled recently, going 2-3 in it's last five games while EFA has rolled with a 4-1 mark in it's last five. Sure, M-E though has played a seemingly tougher schedule in those five weeks, but I see EFA's winning ways of late being more to their advantage as a confidence intangible.

CalPreps ratings has M-E as a hypothetical 3.8 point favorite.

Binghamton 37, Corning 34 [13-32]
Yeah, I'm going with the upset in this one, that is if Binghamton QB Wayne Bonsell plays. In the first match up Corning whipped the Binghamton defense for 53 points in a 53-29 victory. The question is, since we all know Binghamton too can score a lot of points and Corning has been giving up a fair amount, if healthy can Binghamton's offense make up the difference and manage to outscore the Hawks attack? I say yes they can and will pull out a barnburner victory, even with the horrible weather forecast we've been saddled with.  

CalPreps ratings has Corning as a hypothetical 12.7 point favorite.

Delhi 16, Walton 14 [0-42]
Delhi reminds me a lot of the 2003 Chenango Forks squad that brought home their first "state" title. Forks ran the table that year, but seven of their wins were by two TDs or less, another three by 19 points or less. This year, the 8-1 Bulldogs have 7, 2, 2, 5 and 1 point wins, including the 20-18 road victory earlier this season over their arch-nemesis Walton. So the Bulldogs ARE battle-tested. Walton has two other losses, but they were to the two Class C finalists, Chenango Forks and Sidney. While Walton has a rather large lead over Delhi in the series in the "Kelly vs Hoover" era, Delhi has a 3-1 edge over Walton in playoff games - all since 1999 - and I look for it to become a 4-1 edge Saturday afternoon. 

CalPreps ratings has Delhi as a hypothetical slim 0.4 point favorite.

Week 9 and Playoff Semifinals Predictions 18 right, 1 wrong

Home team in CAPS, else neutral site game.
Playoff games in bold.

Bet The Farm
Sidney 54, Newark Valley 22 [66-16]
Chenango Forks 48, Trumansburg 13 [55-7]

Bet The Tractor
CORNING 48, Ithaca 24 [57-19]
ELMIRA FREE ACADEMY 41, Southside 19 [38-22]
CHENANGO VALLEY 32, Johnson City 13 [18-14]

Bet The Plow Mule
OWEGO 24, Norwich 15 [32-6]
Delhi 22, Candor 14 [20-13]
WINDSOR 20, Dryden 12 [16-6]
Harpursville 21, UNATEGO 12 [14-24]
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY 24, Whitney Point 12 [20-8]
DEPOSIT/HANCOCK 22, Newfield 12 [37-6]

Flip A Cow Pie
BINGHAMTON 28, Union-Endicott 21 [40-14]
MAINE-ENDWELL 26, Vestal 22 [8-3]
Tioga 24, Walton 20 [6-16]
UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON 21, Sherburne-Earlville 20 [6-26]
SPENCER-VAN ETTEN 26, Odessa-Montour 20 (OT)  [25-0]
GREENE 39, Bainbridge-Guilford 33 [36-18]
ONEONTA 24, Waverly 17 [20-27]
Groton 16, SETON-CATHOLIC CENTRAL 12 [28-20]
MORAVIA 19, Oxford 14 [40-6]

Week 8 Predictions 18 right, 1 wrong
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
DELHI 46, Deposit/Hancock 12 [48-6]
CHENANGO FORKS 39, Unadilla Valley/Edmeston 7 [67-15]
TIOGA 52, Notre Dame 14 [46-20]
CANDOR 39, Newfield 14 [44-6]
Chenango Valley 32, WINDSOR 6 [39-6]
Ithaca 34, HORSEHEADS 8 [43-14]
GROTON 47, Moravia 22 [21-6]

Bet The Tractor
SIDNEY 48, Greene 24 [48-0]
BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD 34, Unatego 14 [31-15]

Bet The Plow Mule
Walton 33, SETON CATHOLIC CENTRAL 18 [64-26]
ELMIRA FREE ACADEMY 33, Southside 23 [50-22]
Binghamton 35, MAINE-ENDWELL 21 [28-20]

Flip A Cow Pie
Whitney Point 19, NEWARK VALLEY 17 [20-8]
Owego 24, JOHNSON CITY 23 [30-13]
HARPURSVILLE 24, Oxford 20 [27-6]
ODESSA-MONTOUR 28, Thomas Edison 26 [8-6]
Waverly 38, DRYDEN 33 [52-14]
Norwich 21, ONEONTA 20 [15-12]
Vestal 22, UNION-ENDICOTT 20 [19-35]

Week 7 Predictions 17 right, 4 wrong
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
SIDNEY 60, Unatego 12 [42-7]
Tioga 54, NEWFIELD 6 [48-6]
CORNING 57, Horseheads 15 [61-2]
CHENANGO VALLEY 48, Waverly 8 [28-21]
Chenango Forks 38, GREENE 6 [33-14]
JOHNSON CITY 42, Dryden 12 [42-28]

Bet The Tractor
Candor 30, THOMAS A. EDISON 6 [36-6]
Seton Catholic Central 34, DEPOSIT/HANCOCK 13 [26-14]
Moravia 18, ODESSA-MONTOUR 0 [28-0]

Bet The Plow Mule
Walton 26, OXFORD 13 [28-7]
Norwich 15, WINDSOR 0 [19-8]
Groton 35, NOTRE DAME 20 [26-0]
UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON 33, Harpursville 22 [12-20]
VESTAL 28, Southside 13 [47-0]
Delhi 21, BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD 12 [14-12]
Trumansburg 29, NEWARK VALLEY 20 [13-20]

Flip A Cow Pie
Oneonta 21, SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY 20 [8-40]
Maine-Endwell 20, OWEGO 14 [32-6]
ITHACA 23, Elmira Free Academy 20 [22-14]
Binghamton 27, UNION ENDICOTT 24 [40-10]
Whitney Point 20, SPENCER-VAN ETTEN 13 [6-7]

Week 6 Predictions 17 right, 5 wrong
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD 34, Deposit/Hancock 6 [41-28]
CANDOR 26, Odessa-Montour 0 [32-14]
Groton 34, NEWFIELD 0 [34-0]
Corning 55, VESTAL 23 [49-20]

Bet The Tractor
Chenango Valley 33, SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY 12 [28-12]
Seton Catholic Central 29, HARPURSVILLE 12 [22-30]
Union-Endicott 38, HORSEHEADS 14 [21-0]
Owego 32, DRYDEN 8 [48-22]

Bet The Plow Mule
Newark Valley 27, SPENCER-VAN ETTEN 13 [14-12]
Notre Dame 26, THOMAS A. EDISON 12 [26-6]
Chenango Forks 27, SIDNEY 14 [44-36]
SOUTHSIDE 28, Waverly 13 [40-13]
Tioga 29, MORAVIA 21 [60-20]
ONEONTA 21, Windsor 6 [22-8]

Flip A Cow Pie
Maine-Endwell 20, ELMIRA FREE ACADEMY 14 [20-26]
Unadilla Valley/Edmeston 29, UNATEGO 22 [42-35]
TRUMANSBURG 22, Watkins Glen 20 [33-0]
WHITNEY POINT 20, Lansing 13 [38-0]
Johnson City 21, NORWICH 14 [24-21]
Ithaca 26, BINGHAMTON 20 [23-40]
Oxford 26, GREENE 19 [14-44]
WALTON 20, Delhi 14 [18-20]

Week 5 Predictions 17 right, 5 wrong
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
No deeds to be risked this week

Bet The Tractor
CHENANGO FORKS 27, Walton 8 [32-0]
BINGHAMTON 32, Horseheads 8 [64-6]
MORAVIA 34, Thomas A. Edison 14 [28-6]
Sidney 42, UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON 19 [56-6]
Corning 37, UNION-ENDICOTT 21 [41-21]

Bet The Plow Mule
Candor 21, NOTRE DAME 13 [33-18]
ONEONTA 23,  Dryden 8 [58-22]
JOHNSON CITY 33, Southside 22 [37-54]
Owego 33, WAVERLY 18 [28-0]
GREENE 26, Unatego 12 [35-15]
Tioga 28, GROTON 19 [6-18]

Flip A Cow Pie
ITHACA 31, Maine-Endwell 25 [27-12]
OXFORD 23, Bainbridge-Guilford 16 [6-24]
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY 13, Windsor 6 [36-14]
DELHI 24, Seton Catholic Central 17 [24-19]
ODESSA-MONTOUR 14, Newfield 8 [36-26]
Trumansburg 23, WHITNEY POINT 19 [12-0]
LANSING 21, Spencer-Van Etten 14 [0-20]
VESTAL 24, Elmira Free Academy 17 [32-36]
Chenango Valley 23, NORWICH 22 [12-0]
Harpursville 32, DEPOSIT/HANCOCK 26 [38-8]
Newark Valley 21, WATKINS GLEN 16 [43-20]

Week 4 Predictions - 17 right, 5 wrong
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
WALTON 47, Harpursville 12 [42-8]
Chenango Forks 42, UNATEGO 0 [48-7]
Oxford 36, DEPOSIT/HANCOCK 6 [35-0]

Bet The Tractor
OWEGO 28, Windsor 6 [28-6]
TIOGA 29, Candor 13 [38-14]
NOTRE DAME 24, Odessa-Montour 0 [30-14]

Bet The Plow Mule
NORWICH 28, Susquehanna Valley 14 [33-6]
Greene 22, UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON 14 [7-14]
Groton 20, THOMAS A. EDISON 12 [35-0]
NEWARK VALLEY 28, Lansing 15 [35-10]
Vestal 22, MAINE-ENDWELL 14 [14-30]
CORNING 40, Binghamton 25 [53-29]

Flip A Cow Pie
Sidney 30, DELHI 23 [50-26]
CHENANGO VALLEY 28, Oneonta 22 [35-14]
Moravia 20, NEWFIELD 14 [52-8]
TRUMANSBURG 19, Spencer/Van Etten 12 [35-6]
Elmira Free Academy 28, DRYDEN 24 [58-14]
SOUTHSIDE 27, Horseheads 20 [22-26]
Johnson City 31, WAVERLY 27 [31-16]
WHITNEY POINT 14, Watkins Glen 8 [34-6]
Bainbridge-Guilford 23, SETON CATHOLIC CENTRAL 16 [20-25]
ITHACA 23, Union-Endicott 22 [21-24]

Week 3 Predictions - 22 right, 1 wrong (my best week ever)
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
MONROE-WOODBURY 48, Binghamton 23 [33-7]
WALTON 32, Deposit/Hancock 7 [48-8]
TIOGA 36, Thomas A. Edison 8 [39-7]

Bet The Tractor
Delhi 32, OXFORD 15 [22-21 in OT]
Owego 29, TRUMANSBURG 13 [41-26]
GROTON 24, Odessa-Montour 0 [38-0]

Bet The Plow Mule
VESTAL 24, Norwich 14 [20-12]
Sidney 16, WHITNEY POINT 8 [52-8]
Bainbridge-Guilford 34, HARPURSVILLE 19 [18-12]
Seton Catholic Central 27, WATKINS GLEN 14 [30-8]
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY 22, Unatego 7 [38-14]
Maine-Endwell 34, SOUTHSIDE 19 [21-14]

Flip A Cow Pie
Chenango Forks 28 , CHENANGO VALLEY 21 [20-0]1
Corning 34, ITHACA 24 [47-24]
Candor 28, MORAVIA 22 [29-20]
Notre Dame 26, NEWFIELD 21 [34-6]
Johnson City 33, ONEONTA 26 [34-24]
Greene 7, WINDSOR 0 [27-0]
Union-Endicott 24, NEWBURGH 17 [24-21]
WAVERLY 15, Newark Valley 8 [29-22]
Unadilla Valley/Edmeston 13, SPENCER-VAN ETTEN 12 [13-6]
DRYDEN 15, Lansing 14 [30-26]
HORSEHEADS 14, Elmira Free Academy 7 [34-38]

Week 2 Predictions - 12 right, 11 wrong (my worst week ever)
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
MAINE-ENDWELL 53, Waverly 6 [58-34]
Corning 48, ELMIRA FREE ACADEMY 22 [49-12]
Tioga 44, ODESSA-MONTOUR 0 [35-6]
BINGHAMTON 41, Vestal 13 [14-20]

Bet The Tractor
CHENANGO FORKS 20, Norwich 0 [26-6]
ITHACA 30, Massena 6 [40-0]
DELHI 34, Harpursville 13 [46-22]
Greene 28, LANSING 6 [41-21]

Bet The Plow Mule
Unadilla Valley/Edmeston 15, DEPOSIT/HANCOCK 7 [24-16]
Whitney Point 22, WINDSOR 7 [0-6]
Trumansburg 15, DRYDEN 7 [13-12]
Oneonta 27, SIDNEY 12 [20-38]

Flip A Cow Pie
BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD 18, Walton 16 [26-30]
SETON CATHOLIC CENTRAL 28, Oxford 24 [7-15]
Monroe-Woodbury 22,  UNION-ENDICOTT 15 [53-7]
Johnson City 28,  CHENANGO VALLEY 22 [27-31]
OWEGO 20, Horseheads 13 [28-7]
NOTRE DAME 7, Moravia 0 [20-24]
Groton 15, CANDOR 8 [7-22]
SPENCER/VAN ETTEN 22, Susquehanna Valley 15 [12-42]
UNATEGO 15, Newark Valley 13 [14-30]
THOMAS A. EDISON 13, Newfield 7 [28-16]
Southside 3, TOWANDA 2 [15-40]

Week 1 Predictions - 19 right, 5 wrong
Last year: 175-46 (0.792)
Opening Week Goal: 0.700
Home team in CAPS

Bet The Farm
Bainbridge-Guilford 34, UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON 6 [22-13]
MAINE-ENDWELL 38, Dryden 13 [48-16]
OXFORD 33, Newfield 16 [41-16]
Corning 38, OWEGO 12 [40-27]

Bet The Tractor
Susquehanna Valley 38, MORAVIA 19 [28-20]
CHENANGO FORKS 22, Windsor 0 [53-16]
ELDRED 29, Deposit/Hancock 13 [20-18]
NORWICH 33, Whitney Point 14 [6-0]
TIOGA 34, Newark Valley 15 [32-0]
Delhi 30, UNATEGO 7 [42-7]

Bet The Plow Mule
SETON CATHOLIC CENTRAL 28, Notre Dame 13 [26-22]
TRUMANSBURG 27, Thomas A. Edison 13 [27-12]
HARPURSVILLE 28, Livingston Manor 19 [38-44]
St. Francis 28, UNION-ENDICOTT 13 [17-23]
JOHNSON CITY 28, Horseheads 14 [26-8]
Newburgh 33, BINGHAMTON 22 [21-26]
Vestal 28, WAVERLY 13 [41-14]
GROTON 21, Lansing 7 [26-7]

Flip A Cow Pie
ELMIRA FREE ACADEMY 22, Chenango Valley 21 [8-34]
WATKINS GLEN 21, Odessa-Montour 14 [24-8]
CANDOR 15, Spencer/Van Etten 14 [21-14]
SOUTHSIDE 28, Ithaca 22 [21-65]
Oneonta 37, GREENE 34 [40-27]
Sidney 28, WALTON 21 [28-24]