Football picks: Previewing and predicting the Week 3 slate of Bayside South football
It's time for Week 3 of Bayside Conference football, meaning it's also time for the weekly preview and predictions column here at Delmarva Now.
Once again, there will be a Thursday night showdown at Wicomico County Stadium, as Parkside hosts Cambridge-South Dorchester to kick off the week. And Stephen Decatur and Snow Hill will try to remain unbeaten, as one Worcester County team hosts a Bayside South battle, while the other travels to Virginia's Eastern Shore for a road game. The most notable game looks to be Wi-Hi on the road against Queen Anne's as two of the Bayside's best from the last two seasons face off in Centreville.
Here are previews and picks for Week 3 of Bayside South football:
Cambridge-South Dorchester (1-1) at Parkside (0-2)
Sept. 14 | 6 p.m. | Wicomico County Stadium
Last week was a rough one for Parkside as it moved to 0-2 on the season after a shutout loss to North Caroline on the road. Now, the Rams head to Wicomico County for a Thursday night matchup with Cambridge-South Dorchester.
Even though it's early in the season, both of these teams have a common opponent they've faced in the first two weeks, as they've each fallen to a North Caroline team that looks to be one of the Bayside's top teams this year. Other than that, it's still very early in the season as both Parkside and Cambridge try to establish themselves in the conference's hierarchy this year.
Parkside is the home team, and definitely won't want to leave the field Thursday without their first victory of the season. Parkside gets back on track and in the win column on Thursday.
Pick: Parkside
Snow Hill (2-0) at Arcadia (VA) (3-0)
Sept. 15 | 6 p.m.
Few teams in the Bayside, if any, have gotten off to a more impressive start to this season than the Snow Hill Eagles this year, winning their first two games of the season against Annapolis Area Christian and Nandua.
Now, they'll face another Eastern Shore of Virginia team as they hope to move to 3-0, as they travel to Virginia to face Arcadia. Arcadia is also undefeated coming into this game, having won their first three games in dominant fashion over Windsor, Charles City and Kent County. It'll be another tough test for Snow Hill on the road in this one.
In this battle of unbeatens, Snow Hill's ability to force turnovers could be key, as they've shown that in each of their two wins this year. And they've got an experienced core group of playmakers that can make something happen when needed with the ball in their hands. I think Snow Hill wins and moves to 3-0.
Pick: Snow Hill
Wicomico (1-1) at Queen Anne's County (0-2)
Sept. 15 | 6 p.m.
After grabbing their first win of the season last week over Easton, Wi-Hi is back on the road this Friday to face Queen Anne's County.
Queen Anne's has gotten off to a tough start this season, having to forfeit their first game of the season to Stephen Decatur, and following that up with a home loss to Chesapeake in their first official game. Queen Anne's has been one of the Bayside's top teams over the last few seasons, and they'll be motivated to knock off Wi-Hi for their first win.
Wi-Hi had arguably the most impressive win in the Bayside football slate last week, completely shutting down Easton's offense en route to a 17-3 win. They'll still have to figure out some things on the offensive side of the ball, as they've only found the end zone once on offense in their first two games. But with a defense as stifling as what Wi-Hi displayed last week, they should be able to hang with and beat any team they face.
Pick: Wicomico
James M. Bennett (1-1) at Stephen Decatur (2-0)
Sept. 15 | 6 p.m.
Fresh off of their first win since 2019, the Bennett Clippers are headed to Berlin for a Bayside South clash with Stephen Decatur under the Friday night lights.
The matchup with Decatur has been a tough one for Bennett over the last few seasons, as the Seahawks have beaten Bennett by a combined score of 108-13 over their last two matchups as Decatur has risen to the top of the Bayside, while Bennett has struggled. After last week's win, Friday's game could be an opportunity for the Clippers to turn over another new leaf on the football field.
The Seahawks looked like a team on a mission last week in their win against Randallstown, hungry to get on the field for the first time after their scheduled opening game against Queen Anne's was taken off the schedule. Once again, the Decatur offense will be too much for Bennett as the Clippers notch another win under the belt.
Pick: Stephen Decatur
Washington (0-2) at Delmar (DE) (1-1)
Sept. 15 | 7 p.m.
Last week's loss to Bennett was a tough one for the Jaguars, as they fell behind big early before the game was called in the second quarter with Bennett leading 32-0. Now, the Jaguars will be back on the road Friday night and will face another tough opponent.
Washington will make the short trip up to Delaware to face Delmar Friday night, a team that has had an up-and-down first two weeks. Delmar won their first game in a blowout win over John Dickinson before falling to Delaware Military Academy last week by 14. Delmar is a tough place to play for a road team, and Washington will likely end up having to prolong the search for their first win of the season into next week.
Pick: Delmar
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Previewing and predicting the Week 3 slate of Bayside South football
