Flint Journal Picks

VASSAR at MILLINGTON

Bill Khan: Vassar sprung one of the biggest upsets in the state last week by going to Buctown and putting a 28-0 whipping on unbeaten Beecher. Vassar adapted better that night to poor field and weather conditions than Beecher. It's too much to believe the Vulcans can pull off two upsets in a row and beat a Millington team that is playoff-tested. Pick: Millington

Dan Nilsen: Vassar’s Vulcans came out of outer space to torpedo fifth-ranked Beecher last week. Innovative offensive sets and strong blocking opened lanes for bruising Wildcat back Troy Hecht and warp-speed tailback Keif Vickers. And when the Vulcans are on defense, the shields are up. Eleventh-ranked Millington is the logical choice, but Vassar’s phasers are still set on stun. Pick: Vassar

Mark Spezia: Vassar just won its first playoff game last week, although it was a huge upset, knocking off unbeaten Beecher. However, Millington has tremendous edge in postseason experience, qualifying 16 of the past 19 years and the Cardinals have won 21 of the 23 meetings with the Vulcans. Pick: Millington

Greg Tunnicliff: Simple logic would dictate that I should take Vassar over Millington. The Vulcans upset fifth-ranked Beecher last week while the Cardinals downed eight-ranked Carrollton. Everything seems to point to Vassar except one thing — the intangibles. This is Tim Furno’s last season as Millington’s coach. Based on last week’s result, the Cardinals want to send him off with a long playoff ride. That said, Furno will live long and prosper. Pick: Millington

GENESEE at UBLY

Bill Khan: Genesee has an explosive offense, led by quarterback Garret Cook, that averages 41.2 points a game. Yet, the Wolves won't have the most prolific offense on the field in this game. Ubly averages 46.2 points. Oh, and there's the little matter of that 65-6 beat-down the Bearcats laid on Genesee last year. These teams are similar to the ones who met last year. It's hard to imagine Genesee closing a 59-point gap. Pick: Ubly

Dan Nilsen: Versatile Garret Cook gives Genesee a chance in any game, and the seventh-ranked Wolves beat Brown City (43-8) by almost the identical score that No. 3 Ubly did (44-8). But last year’s 65-6 loss to Ubly seems too large a gap for the Wolves to close. Pick: Ubly

Mark Spezia: Genesee to the place where it was stomped 65-6 in the first round of last year’s playoffs, but the Wolves are a much better team this season. The problem is, Ubly seems to have just as good of a team or better than last year’s squad which fell to Traverse City St. Francis in the Division 7 state title game. Ubly is a wing-T, run-first team that amassed 494 yards on the ground last week against Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest. Genesee might have a chance if its strikes quickly and builds a lead, but Ubly has the offense to keep the Wolves off the field and the Bearcats have outscored five playoff teams 233-64. Pick: Ubly

Greg Tunnicliff: Ubly is 23-1 the last two years with its only loss being a 41-13 setback to Traverse City St. Francis in last year’s Division 7 state championship game. Like Ubly, Genesee is also 10-0. The Wolves, however, have not played a team like Ubly, who has Ford Field experience. Who that say they gonna beat them Bearcats: Not Genesee. Pick: Ubly