It wasn't a good week for the Prophet. He picked the winner in threeof six games, but two didn't cover his exclusive point spread, so I believe that comes out to a crummy 1-5.
Can you believe that?
The rage of a sage had been on a roll and was closing in on that coveted 70 percent accuracy rating at .691 until this 1-5 disaster that leaves the Prophet at .676 (144-69).
Chesapeake's girls lacrosse team, a club that has become a Prophet favorite, was the only one to come through. Coach Jim Buchan's Cougars hammered Annapolis, 13-6, Tuesday to more than cover the one-point spread.
St. Mary's boys stick team and the Northeast softball team weren't as considerate. St.Mary's dropped an 11-10 overtime cliffhanger to top-ranked Loyola ofTowson last Saturday. The Prophet said the Dons would beat the Saints by at least two goals so that one goes in the "L" column.
And the Prophet took the Northeast softball powerhouse by two runs over upset-minded North County. So what do you think happened?
Well, Northeast gave up its first run of the season and only won by 2-1. That's what happened.
Three dead misses were suffered by the sage, two inboys lacrosse and one in baseball. Severn's boys stick team upset Boys' Latin, 7-6, Saturday in the rain, which was an equalizer in the Prophet's opinion, and he has no control over the weather, and Annapolis ripped Broadneck, 6-1.
In baseball, the Prophet went with the consensus favorite in Old Mill over Severna Park by two runs, but instead it was the Falcons, 7-5. Severna Park is a much better club than the Prophet thought.
Despite the slump, the Prophet is not down, just disappointed, and he promises not to let last week's effort affect this week's picks. The Prophet always bounces back.
BASEBALL
Northeast vs. Old Mill
7 p.m. Friday at Joe Cannon Stadium: The very first high school baseball game played at the new Joe Cannon Stadium tomorrow night should be a good one with these two excellent teams.
Northeast is having the better of it at 10-0, while Old Mill, at 6-3, has been inconsistent but certainly capable of dealing the Eagles their first loss.
The Eagles of Coach Harry Lentz made it 10 in a row Tuesday with a 16-3 rout of Meade, as senior right-hander CharlieBuckheit notched his fifth win. It's likely that Lentz will bring Buckheit back Friday night.
It's interesting to note that Buckheit was the starting pitcher for the Oriolelanders against the Arundel Suns in the 11th annual Anne Arundel County Sun All Star Baseball Game on Sept. 16 in what was the very first game played at the new stadium.
Tomorrow night he takes the hill for his high school team that isripe to get beat in the Prophet's opinion. It's been on a roll and meets a good club that has been struggling. Old Mill is due to get going.
Look for the Patriot bats to come alive in this one.
Old Mill plus 1 over Northeast.
ARUNDEL AT CALVERT HALL
3:45 p.m. Friday: This game matches one of Anne Arundel's best against one of the Maryland Scholastic Association's best and its defending A Conference champion. Also, it's a matchup of the fifth-ranked team in Arundel (8-1) against the No. 4 in Calvert Hall (10-2).
The game is at the Hall in Towson, where those Cardinals are extra tough and where they seem to hit that baseball very well.
While the game is important to Arundel, it's really not as important as yesterday's game with Chesapeake and Monday's showdown with Severna Park. Coach Bernie Walter has to be more concerned about his pitching for the two county games thanthis non-league affair.
The Cats will make a good showing but bowon the road in a close one.
Calvert Hall plus 1 over Arundel.
SEVERNA PARK AT ARUNDEL
3:45 p.m. Monday: Severna Park (6-1) already has beaten defending county and 4A Region IV champion Old Mill (7-5) and now gets a chance at the other main contender in Arundel (8-1).
This game could go a long way to determining who ends up with the top seed and home-field advantage in the region playoffs. Led by junior pitcher/shortstop Rob McCandless, the visiting Falcons have their best club in more than a decade, but unfortunately for them this firstone against the Wildcats is at Arundel.
The Prophet has a hunch that Arundel shortstop Scott Young will sparkle for the 'Cats in this one and catcher Dusty Oldfather will whack one out of the park and have a big day with the bat. Young has played in the shadow of McCandless and Old Mill's shortstop Eric Scott, and now it's his time to shine.
Arundel plus 1 over Severna Park.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Chesapeake at Severna Park
5:30 p.m. Friday: Here it is, the "Upset of the Week," as the upstart Chesapeake Cougars (7-0) of Coach Jim Buchan terminate the Falcons' incredible 57-game winning streak.
Severna Park(6-0) has not lost in four years, while Chesapeake has a streak of its own dating back to last year. The Cougars have won 12 in a row, including Tuesday's 13-6 victory over Annapolis, in which they held thePanthers scoreless in the second half.
"Our defense has been playing well, especially our midfield, and our goalie Michelle Julian hasplayed wonderful for us," said Buchan. "We are looking forward to Severna Park, and we will have to play aggressive and go after it."
What they are going after is the streak of girls lacrosse dynasty, and the Falcons have guns like Hillary Kuker and Holly Roessler who putthe ball in the net. Chesapeake's defense will have to be at its best and on offense get big games from Diane McBee, Julie Henne and Julie Smith.
The Prophet believes the Cougars are ready to do just that and end The Streak.
Chesapeake plus 1 over Severna Park.
BOYS LACROSSE
Gilman vs. St. Mary's
3:45 p.m. tomorrow at Weems WhelanField: Coming off its big 8-4 win over archrival Severn on Tuesday, Coach Jim Moorhead's Saints (7-1) face off with a very good Maryland Scholastic Association A Conference team looking for revenge in Gilman (5-2).
Back on April 9, the Saints humbled the Greyhounds, 10-4,and are hoping for an encore. Moorhead's guys will be fighting that "letdown after the big showdown" syndrome and not be overconfident nor unenthusiastic against this eighth-ranked Baltimore team.
After the way the Saints came back against Severn Tuesday, overcoming a 4-3first-half deficit and scoring five unanswered goals in the second half, the Prophet feels they are ready to go on a long winning streak.
St. Mary's plus 3 over Gilman.
ARUNDEL AT NORTH COUNTY
7 p.m. Friday: Can the first-year Knights (8-0) keep this thing going and make it 9-0?
Coach Paul Shea's North County squad faces the first ofat least four games with the Class 4A big boys on their schedule. After Arundel (5-3), the Knights will play Broadneck (5-3), Annapolis (7-2) and Severna Park (5-2) in its last six games.
"We've played these teams in the past (as Class 3A Andover before merger with Brooklyn Park), so it's not like we're jumping into a whole new league," said Shea. "It's just unfortunate there are so many good 4A teams with some very good ones not making the playoffs."
Shea's team gets to show how good it is and will tomorrow night taking a squeaker over the Wildcats. Look for big nights from Bob Wolfe and James Meyer scoring and Tim McGeeney in the cage.
McGeeney, who has a knack of beingexceptional in big games, will have to play great for the Knights tostay unbeaten.
North County plus 1 over Arundel.
The Prophet to date
Right... Wrong... Pct.
144.. ... 69 ... .676