This week, I am thinking pink.

No, it is not Breast Cancer Awareness Month quite yet but that is not stopping me and it is certainly not stopping the Wawasee and Warsaw volleyball teams. Tonight the two rivals will square off in the Tiger Den for the 2013 DIG PINK game. Both teams will be wearing pink and all that plan on attending are encouraged to do the same. The efforts are to raise awareness of detecting breast cancer in its early stages and funds will also be raised for the Kosciusko Cancer Care Fund throughout the match. I will be covering the game and you better believe that I will be wearing pink so I hope to see a lot of fans doing the same tonight in Warsaw.

Tonight’s volleyball showdown really steals the show for my weekend picks but there are some other good games coming up this weekend that I know you are all dying to get my opinion on, so I will get right to it.

Last Week: 6-4
Overall: 33-16

High School Volleyball 9/26

Wawasee (14-7) at Warsaw (11-5), 6:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Obviously I have established why this game is important from the non-sports perspective and as important as tonight’s off the court intentions are, there is still a big match happening on the court. Last season Warsaw swept Wawasee 3-0 in the Hardwood Tee Pee but it was one of the better played matches by the Lady Warriors all season. Wawasee will need to step its game up again this year if it wants to grab its first NLC victory of 2013. Warsaw’s record is deceiving as they have played a tough schedule both in and out of conference to this point. Both team’s had good showings in the respective tournaments they played in last Saturday and are playing arguably their best volleyball of the season. The Tiger Den is the place to be tonight as both teams will have the gym rocking for great volleyball and a great cause.
The Pick: Warsaw in four games.

High School Football Week 6 9/27

Wabash (0-5) at Tippecanoe Valley (2-3), 7p.m.
The Scoop: Valley has managed to win two games but has really yet to dominate a game from start to finish, this is the week to change that. Wabash is currently riding a 23-game losing streak. The school has dedicated an eternal dumpster fire outside of the team’s locker room to commemorate the streak. Okay, that is a lie, but I do not feel bad because when a team has 23 consecutive losses, they are subject to some razzing. The Vikings should roll this weekend.
The Pick: Valley 49, Wabash 13.

Northfield (2-3) at Whitko (3-2), 7p.m.
The Scoop: Head coach Josh Mohr has people talking in South Whitley. Mohr and his Wildcats are tied with Rochester at the top of the TRC at 3-0 and have a favorable game again this week. Northfield will not be an easy win but if Tanner Hughes and the potent Wildcat run game can control the tempo of this game, then Whitko will control the scoreboard.
The Pick: Whitko 41, Northfield 20.

Warsaw (3-2) at Goshen (0-5), 7:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Trust me, Tiger fans, I too am still trying to figure out what happened last week against Northridge. I was not there so I have no answers but what worries me is the fact that Warsaw was shut-out at home on homecoming. That is a big red flag for where the second half of this season could be going. All of that is the bad news. The good news is that Warsaw is bound to be upset about that loss and looking to unload on the next team on its schedule which just so happens to be a hapless Goshen squad. The Redskins have surrendered 35 or more points in four of their five losses, this could be a big day for Tristan McClone and company.
The Pick: Warsaw 39, Goshen 10.

Triton (1-4) at New Prairie (5-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Well, I went to Bourbon and my presence made no difference for the Trojans in their game against John Glenn. Triton is just a team that is simply in a rebuilding stage right now and struggling to get by with a small roster. New Prairie is one of the best teams in state and should have no trouble getting a win this week. I can guarantee that Triton will make the Cougars earn every score they get but the Trojans just do not have the pieces to turn that heart and desire into victories this season.
The Pick: New Prairie 55, Triton 19.

Plymouth (4-1) at Wawasee (2-3), 7:30 p.m.
The Scoop: This pick is difficult for me to make because I love everything that Wawasee has shown in its past two games, this team is turning a corner and could make a deep sectional run yet again but Friday night is no easy task. I see this game as a similar one to the game Wawasee had against Concord. While I do not see the score of this one being anywhere near as lopsided as Warriors fans saw in Syracuse two weeks back, I expect Wawasee to be nipped by the same issues. Coach Josh Ekovich cited depth as a key reason the team could not run with Concord for an entire game and this weekend’s game against a very physical Plymouth squad will require depth to outlast a tough Rockies team.The Pick: Plymouth 31, Wawasee 27.

NCAA Football Week 5 9/28

Northern Illinois (3-0) at Purdue (1-3), 12 p.m.
The Scoop: Well, Purdue did not back up its nice game against Notre Dame with a good showing against Wisconsin. This team is still looking for an identity and is just very inconsistent across the board. The Boilers are an underdog to the the Huskies at home this week and that alone should motivate the team to win big to gain some respect but Purdue looks to still be a few weeks away from getting another win.
The Pick: Northern Illinois 24, Purdue 22.

No. 14 Oklahoma (3-0) at No. 22 Notre Dame (3-1), 3:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Let me just get this out of the way now, I do not think Notre Dame is a very good team. But, I do not think Oklahoma is that good either. Both teams have under-performed in match ups against big name schools as well as “cupcake” opponents this season. But my biggest gripe with Oklahoma is its quarterback issues. Blake Bell (a.k.a. “The Belldozer”) will be starting just his second game of the year and first on the road in what most consider to be a hostile environment. Bell appears to me to be “all bark and no bite.” He destroyed a bad Texas defense last season with four rushing scores and has done virtually nothing since then, especially not through the air. This weekend “The House That Rockne Built” will be filled with two overrated teams in an over-hyped game with an underwhelming result.
The Pick: Notre Dame 27, Oklahoma 21.

NFL Week 4 9/29

Chicago (3-0) at Detroit (2-1), 1 p.m.
The Scoop: I believe in the Bears. Their offense is a potent as their defense and their defense is one of the best in the league, as usual. I believe Chicago is for real at this point and should build upon its early success. But, this week is going to be a speed bump on that road to success. The Lions are a good team and simply need this win more than Chicago does. Being at home paired with the Lions style of play (not a compliment, Detroit fans) just seems like it will be too much for the Bears this weekend.
The Pick: Detroit 34, Chicago 24.

Indianapolis (2-1) at Jacksonville (0-3), 1 p.m.
The Scoop: I have never been so happy about being so wrong. The Colts absolutely dominated San Francisco last weekend and gave the NFL a glimpse at the monster that coach Chuck Pagano is trying to awaken in Naptown. This game is a trap game for the Colts as the Jaguars always seem to sneak out a tight victory over Indy. If the Colts can play half as good as they did last Sunday, they will have no problems.
The Pick: Indianapolis 28, Jacksonville 10.