Little known fact -- it used to be a trio, Rodgers and Hammerstein and The Fumbler. That was before The Fumbler got the boot and those other two guys, well, they went on to decent success.
But, The Fumbler still picks up his song-writing pen every once in a while, and he thought this week would be a good time to do so. So he spun a tale -- sung to the tune of 'Jingle Bells' -- about this weekend's PIAA title games.
Here goes:
(First verse)
Dashing through the snow
Crazy Cherpak wearing shorts
To Chocolatetown we go
The crowning jewel of keystone sports
Chasing a shiny ring
Liberty's had stage fright
What joy it'd be for Metheny
To hoist that trophy high!
(Chorus)
Oh, Hersheypark, Hersheypark
One more team to slay
With a vic-to-ree this week
You'll be the best team in P-A.
(Second verse)
The Fumbler is no Poe
But he can write all right
Clairton better know
Steel-High runs the ball all night
Wilmington might get drilled
West Catholic is that good
Dreams will be fulfilled
It'll be cold, so wear a hood!
(Chorus)
Not, bad, right? But The Fumbler will stick to prognostication. He was 5-3 last week in the PIAA semifinals and is 60-16 in the playoffs. His overall record is 559-136 (.804 percentage). Here are his thoughts on the PIAA championship games this weekend:
Bethel Park (15-0) vs. Bethlehem Liberty (14-1), 7 p.m. tomorrow -- If Bethel Park's defense is strong against the run, it will be a Black Hawks victory. A WPIAL team has breezed to easy wins in the championship game the past four seasons. This one won't be easy, but it will be another WPIAL win. Winner: Bethel Park.
Archbishop Wood (13-2) vs. Thomas Jefferson (14-1), 7 p.m. today -- It seems just about everyone thinks this might be a cakewalk for Thomas Jefferson. But The Fumbler believes the Jaguars better be careful. Archbishop Wood comes from the Philadelphia Catholic League and that league produces some pretty good teams. Plus, The Fumbler doesn't like going against anyone with "bishop" in its name. Winner: Thomas Jefferson.
West Catholic (15-1) vs. Wilmington (15-1), 1 p.m. tomorrow -- Did you know Wilmington played in the first PIAA Class AA championship in 1988 and lost to Bethlehem Catholic? Twenty years later, Wilmington will lose to another Catholic school, but this one is from Philadelphia. West Catholic's offense will be too much for Wilmington. Winner: West Catholic.
Steelton-Highspire (15-0) vs. Clairton (15-0), 1 p.m. today -- Much of the talk in this game is around Steelton-Highspire running back Jeremiah Young, and whether he will play because of an ankle injury. But The Fumbler thinks the key to this game is whether Clairton can crack Steelton-Highspire's defense. Clairton needs at least one big play from Kevin Weatherspoon. Winner: Steelton-Highspire.