High School Sports

I'm taking Week 1 of the Bird's Word (I'm still tripping off that title) high school football picks contest in the same fashion that the players and coaches are approaching their respective openers.

If I'm going to be serious about overthrowing sports editor Bran Strickland's rule over the competition, I've got to set the tone early on. That's why I've got my game face on. Well, at least I did when I was penning this bad boy. The powers-that-be make everyone flash a Kool-Aid smile for publication purposes.

But don't let the ear-to-ear grin that appears above these words fool you. I'm focused like a good camera going into this season's contest. Now, is that any guarantee of success? Absolutely not. But what it does mean is I've got to pick my conscience. My desire to dethrone Strickland is my motivation. I'd love to appease my readers. Really and truly I would, but you guys have to wait until you see me in common territory or take the effort to call me to rag on me.

My co-workers — Strickland in particular — don't have to rely upon chance or go to such lengths and inconvenience themselves to crack on me. And I can't have that. Besides the aforementioned points, I just prefer to win as opposed to losing, and if that means having a few less people who'd have me over for root beer floats, then so be it.

After the utter drilling I endured at the hands of my cohorts last season, I've learned a few things. Basketball success doesn't mean diddly on the gridiron. I'll never pick Douglas to win another football game, no matter whom they're playing. Home-field advantage matters, just not to Clay County. Picking Benjamin Russell to beat them in Alexander City wasn't exactly a shining moment for me. And going with you heart when your head is misinformed isn't too wise either.

I'll end my random ramblings with the typical disclaimer that'll probably fall upon deaf ears as soon as people get caught up in the rapture of football fever. This is what I do for a profession, not what I'm passionate about personally.

Here are the picks:

• ANNISTON AT ALEXANDRIA: If I could have it my way — and I can't — I wouldn't even pick this game. It's not that I mind doing it, or that I don't think it's worthy of the space (Just for the record, I don't mind and I do think it's worthy). It's just that I really don't have a good feeling about who'll come out on top. I've seen both squads practice and from what my untrained eye could see, they looked pretty evenly matched. I'm pulling an Al Musky with this one. When two county teams are up against one another, you go with the home team by a touchdown …Alexandria 21, Anniston 14.

• WELLBORN AT SAKS: Now to the second Calhoun County Thursday Night Special. But this one's not so tough to call, at least in my opinion. Now, don't get me wrong, I respect Wellborn. After last year's upset of Alexandria, everyone ought to know you can never sleep on the Panthers. But it seems as though, at least early on, they'll have a lot to overcome after losing stud running back Kevin Knox and 21 other seniors from the 2007 team that went 1-9. Saks should be solid on both sides of the ball…Saks 24, Wellborn 12

• OXFORD AT BENJAMIN RUSSELL: The Yellow Jackets should be raring to go after last week's scheduled exhibition against nationally ranked Prattville in the al.com Champions Challenge got tropical stormed out. Benjamin Russell might keep it close on the account of good old-fashioned toughness, and the Oxford defense could give up more points than usual after losing six starters from 2007. But the Yellow Jackets' offense is as potent and proficient as they come …Oxford 38, Benjamin Russell 20

• CHEROKEE COUNTY AT PIEDMONT: This game will feature two of the The Star's coverage area's best underclassmen quarterbacks in Piedmont junior Chase Childers and Cherokee County junior Coty Blanchard. Cherokee County is coming off a 5-5 finish, while Piedmont will take a 10-3 finish into the opener. The Bulldogs will have to learn to live without The Star's 1-3A Player of the Year D'Eric Jackson, now playing at West Alabama. However, Childers will likely look to find standout receiver Marquise Diamond down the field instead. Running back D.J. Fife will be a playmaker for the Warriors, but in the end I see the Bulldogs pulling it out…Piedmont 27, Cherokee County 19

• MUNFORD AT CLAY COUNTY: Munford got the short end of the stick by playing in Class 3A, Region 5 last year, which was home to four teams that advanced to the third round of the playoffs. At 6-4 they would've been a legitimate playoff team in any other region. Clay County has played in the state title game three consecutive seasons but lost a senior class that went 54-5 in four years, so the Panthers will look decidedly different. But let's be real — this is Clay County at home in a season-opener. They don't rebuild. They reload…Clay County 34, Munford 21

• T.C. CENTRAL AT RANBURNE: This one could be interesting. T.C. Central is coming off of its best season in school history after going 14-1 and reaching the Class 1A state title game and returns a top-notch signal caller in Dion Duncan. Class 2A Ranburne was a playoff team at 6-4 and is known for its versatile athletes. But I think Chris Mahan will have his Tigers ready to fight (wink). T.C. takes this one, unless they don't…T.C. Central 20, Ranburne 10

• OHATCHEE AT PLEASANT VALLEY: Pleasant Valley is out to prove that last year's playoff run — their first since the early 1980s — was no fluke. Ohatchee is trying to get out of the 5-5 rut they've been in as of late, and new coach Chad Cochran hopes his Tony Franklin-style spread offense could give the Indians the boost they need on offense. ...

• ETOWAH AT LINCOLN: Lincoln isn't scared that they're already in one of the toughest regions in the state — Class 4A, Region 4 — so they decided to haul off and schedule Class 5A Etowah for the opener. The crazy thing is the Golden Bears have enough talent pass the test…Lincoln 27, Etowah 6

• WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN AT RAGLAND: Ragland might breeze through a region which includes only one playoff team from last year, and Appalachia got blown out by Hazlewood in that one. So the Purple Devils have got to go hunting for a challenge in their non-region contests. I just don't know how good of a game Westbrook Christian is going to give them…Ragland 30, Westbrook Christian 16

• LINEVILLE AT CLEBURNE COUNTY: This was a doozy last year and could be again. I think Cleburne County will come out on top. You know Cleburne County will run it plenty, but expect to see big things from Tigers quarterback Brad Easley and wide receiver C.C. Watson…Cleburne County 23, Lineville 17

Oh yeah, if any of you didn't pick Gadsden City to down Hoover, that's terrible, seeing as it was a jamboree played last Friday and mistakenly included in the picks contest. But our goof is your gain. Everybody begins plus one.

As for the rest of them: White Plains 17, Donoho 16; Weaver 22, Jacksonville 6; ASD 17, Jacksonville Christian 7; Cedar Bluff 16, Sand Rock 13; Randolph County 25, Winterboro 7; Appalachian 14, Spring Garden 13; Smiths Station 33, Talladega 28; Wadley 44, Horseshoe Bend 12; Woodland 17, Bowden (Ga.) 7.