Matthew Sparks: Gobble up these gridiron picks
Nov. 25—Let's talk turkey.
I'm not referring to the large amounts of that delicious bird you consumed yesterday.
Three area teams remain with a shot at the ultimate prize — a trip to a state championship game.
Two teams from Louisville and a group from the Valley stand in their way.
Family and football are celebrated during the holiday, and we are thankful to have both in our lives. Yes, of course the former is more important, but we have state semifinals on the menu tonight.
I do love the leftovers. You spend the next few days cramming as much food into your mouth as you can until you can't look at another piece of turkey or spoonful of mashed potatoes without making yourself sick.
The same with football. You get a plethora of pigskin for your palate to savor this weekend. The rest are just appetizers. Tonight, we get the main course.
Let's try to devour as much food as these picks will hold until we are stuffed.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Are you ready for seconds?
State Semifinals Picks
Christian Academy of Louisville 35, Ashland 24. The Tomcats have been on a "roll" over the last two months and arrive in Louisville riding a seven-game winning streak. Ashland whipped Bell County like a bowl of "mashed potatoes" last week and now look to get their piece of the "(apple, pecan or pumpkin) pie" and get back to a state final. The Centurions offer a new challenge for the visitors. Quarterback Cole Hodge has thrown for 2,627 yards and 41 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He's also rushed for 606 yards and scored eight times. The Tomcats stay close, but CAL's athleticism and passing game prevail.
Raceland 32, Holy Cross 17. The Rams have earned and enjoyed the home cooking during the playoffs. Running back Noah Wallace has looked as smooth as "sweet potato casserole" during the postseason and the defense has been handing out the lumps that would resemble my attempt at "gravy." Raceland has never faced the Cougars on the gridiron, but they stand only in each other's way to achieving the sweet taste of a state championship game. You can throw on all the side dishes you want like "green beans, corn and broccoli casserole," but the Rams' buffet of weapons will be too much for Holy Cross's plate to hold.
Ironton 37, Valley View 21. The Fighting Tigers have beaten the "stuffing" out of their first four postseason opponents to claim another region title. Some might prefer "ham" on this holiday, but Ironton will get much of the same with its physicality on offense and its suffocating defense. The Spartans avenged their only loss of the season last week after defeating Milton-Union, but now face a totally different animal. For those who made multiple stops and had several meals yesterday, Ironton's night might look familiar with several end zone visits at Cincinnati Princeton High School. Valley View should pack antacids in its bags because you can only digest so much offense before it sours your stomach.
Don't Set Your Clocks
Due to our travel schedule, we will not be in the office for "Eleventh Hour" tonight. We know that news is disappointing, but we will be back in front of a camera soon. Check out our other weekly show "Halftime Prep Talk" with our guests this week, Raceland coach Michael Salmons and senior Conner Hughes, who were recently named Class A, District 6 Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association.
Listen Up!
Tonight's radio coverage:
Class A
Holy Cross at Raceland: koolhits1057.com
Class 3A
Ashland at CAL: WBVB 97.1 FM
Ohio Division V
Ironton vs. Valley View (at Cincinnati Princeton): WIRO 1230 AM
Reach MATTHEW SPARKS at msparks@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654. Follow @SparksWillFly35 on Twitter.
