Tanned but not exactly buff, The Fumbler has had a festive summer. But he nearly became The Stumbler a number of times while partying with two of his closest companions, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.

He dodged the trouble that enveloped them, and the paparazzi -- although, during one flight, he found himself on the grounds of a palatial estate in Virginia. It was the home of Michael Vick.

Another harrowing escape. Repulsed by the prospect of dogfighting, The Fumbler could not help but wonder whether Vick should be sentenced in dog years: seven instead of the one that is expected.

Now settled down and settling into the scholastic football season that begins tonight, The Fumbler aspires to be the top dog among scholastic prognosticators once more. He finished 590-142 last season, an .806 winning percentage, one of his best final marks in recent years.

Here is a look at this weekend's top matchups:

Gateway vs. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 5 p.m. tomorrow at Fawcett Stadium, Canton -- This is part of the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge. Cardinal Mooney has four players who already have made verbal commitments to Division I colleges. Gateway's defense, which was shaky at times last season, will be the key. Winner: Cardinal Mooney.

McKeesport at North Hills, 7:30 p.m. today -- The winner of this game has a leg up on getting into the top five rankings in WPIAL Class AAAA. Both teams have quarterbacks starting their first games -- McKeesport's James Echols and North Hills' Justin Heinauer. They will be the keys. Winner: North Hills.

Pine-Richland at West Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. today -- Pine-Richland is ranked No. 3 in Class AAA and West Allegheny is not in the top five. But The Fumbler doesn't think a West Allegheny win is really an upset because it has top five talent. Winner: West Allegheny.

Greensburg Central Catholic at East Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. today -- East Allegheny was 1-9 last season while Greensburg Central played in the WPIAL title game. But The Fumbler says the many players who came to East Allegheny from closed Duquesne High School will make a difference. Winner: East Allegheny.

Brother Rice (Mich.) vs. Penn Hills, 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at Upper St. Clair -- This is part of a Kickoff Classic doubleheader at Upper St. Clair. Penn Hills made it to the WPIAL Class AAAA final last year, but Brother Rice is a perennial power in Michigan. Winner: Brother Rice.

And now the rest (home team in capital letters):

Tonight

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny Conference) Burrell over NORTHGATE; KITTANNING over Deer Lakes; VALLEY over West Shamokin. (Century) SOUTH PARK over Brentwood; SOUTH FAYETTE over Burgettstown; Seton-LaSalle over SOUTH ALLEGHENY; Steel Valley over CARLYNTON. (Interstate) JEANNETTE over Brownsville; Washington over WAYNESBURG; MCGUFFEY over Yough. (Midwestern) Beaver over ELLWOOD CITY; Center over STO-ROX; BEAVER FALLS over New Brighton; FREEDOM over Quaker Valley. (Tri-County North) MOHAWK over Cornell; Mars over LAUREL; RIVERSIDE over Shenango.

NON-CONFERENCE -- ALIQUIPPA over Ambridge; APOLLO-RIDGE over Monaca; AVELLA over Geibel; BETH-CENTER over Carmichaels; BISHOP CANEVIN over Fort Cherry; BLACKHAWK over Hampton; CHARTIERS-HOUSTON over West Greene; CLAIRTON over Jefferson-Morgan. CONNELLSVILLE over Uniontown; FAIRVIEW over Schenley; Fox Chapel over HIGHLANDS; HEMPFIELD over Greensburg Salem; HOPEWELL over Carrick; INDIANA over Ringgold; Kiski Area over BUTLER; LATROBE over Derry; Leechburg over LANGLEY (Cupples Stadium). Mapletown over BENTWORTH; Monessen over CHARLEROI; Montour over KNOCH; Moon over CHARTIERS VALLEY; Mount Pleasant over ELIZABETH FORWARD; FRANKLIN REGIONAL over Plum; New Castle over ALBERT GALLATIN; NORTH ALLEGHENY over Bethel Park; North Catholic over SERRA. Norwin over SENECA VALLEY; PETERS TOWNSHIP over Laurel Highlands; ROCHESTER over Westinghouse; Shaler over BALDWIN; SOUTHMORELAND over Avonworth; SPRINGDALE over Oliver. Trinity over CANON-McMILLAN; THOMAS JEFFERSON over Belle Vernon; WEST MIDDLESEX over Neshannock; WEST MIFFLIN over Allderdice; Wilmington over FORD CITY; WOODLAND HILLS over Mt. Lebanon.

Tomorrow afternoon

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny Conference) SHADY SIDE ACADEMY over Freeport. (Tri-County North) SUMMIT ACADEMY over Union.

NON-CONFERENCE -- California over RIVERVIEW; Erie Cathedral Prep over PERRY; WILKINSBURG over Frazier; WESTERN BEAVER over Hickory.

Tomorrow night

NON-CONFERENCE -- Brashear over Keystone Oaks (Cupples Stadium); SHARPSVILLE over South Side Beaver; UPPER ST. CLAIR over Penn-Trafford.

Sunday afternoon

NON-CONFERENCE -- Central Catholic over Northmont, Ohio (University of Cincinnati).