He especially enjoys homecoming games and is proud he has been to one at every WPIAL school except Mapletown (Next year, he swears.). But football is the only thing he likes about homecoming.

This goes back to high school, when he escorted Marie Osmond to their homecoming game and dance. They were having a wonderful time; our future peerless prognosticator was smitten. Then, while gyrating to "Shout," performed by Otis Day and the Knights, she collapsed.

Young Marie was revived in minutes, but The Fumbler was gone, his heart instantly broken. He took it personally, and still does. Sitting at homecoming games since then has soothed him, made him wistful for that part of the evening decades ago. But anything else about homecoming weekends is too traumatic.

The Fumbler waltzed through his predictions last week, going 53-13 (.803 percentage). For the season, he is 412-113 (.785).

Here are his thoughts on this weekend's top matchups:

Highlands (7-1, 4-1) at Knoch (6-2, 4-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- A victory will give Knoch its first conference title since 1992. The Knights need to get some running room for Tim McNerney, who had only 45 yards on 18 attempts in a loss to Indiana last week. Winner: Knoch.

Beaver Falls (7-1, 6-1) at Beaver (8-0, 7-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- A victory gives Beaver its first conference title since 1987. But only one team has scored more than eight points on Beaver Falls. Beaver's defense also is staunch, allowing only 60 points all year. Winner: Beaver.

Penn Hills (4-4, 3-1) at Woodland Hills (3-5, 3-1), 7 p.m. today -- This game isn't as big as it has been in past years, but it's still for second place in the Big East Conference and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Winner: Woodland Hills.

Ringgold (4-4, 4-1) at Belle Vernon (4-4, 4-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- The winner finishes second in the Keystone Conference. Belle Vernon has scored 33 or more in its past four games. Winner: Belle Vernon.

Monaca (6-2, 4-1) at Rochester (6-2, 4-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- The winner of this game gets second place in the Big Seven Conference and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. Rochester has won four in a row in this rivalry. Winner: Rochester.

Fort Cherry (5-3, 4-1) at Chartiers-Houston (4-4, 4-1), 7:30 p.m. today -- This will decide second place in the Black Hills Conference. Fort Cherry's offense has been rolling lately, averaging 36 points the past four games. Winner: Fort Cherry.

And now the rest (home teams in capital letters).

This afternoon

City League -- Peabody over Oliver (Cupples Stadium).

Tonight

WPIAL CLASS AAAA -- (Quad East) PLUM over Fox Chapel; GATEWAY over Kiski Area. (Foothills) Central Catholic over CONNELLSVILLE; HEMPFIELD over Latrobe; Norwin over PENN-TRAFFORD. (Great Southern) BETHEL PARK over Baldwin; McKeesport over CANON-MCMILLAN; UPPER ST. CLAIR over Mt. Lebanon. (Northern Five) SENECA VALLEY over Butler; NORTH ALLEGHENY over North Hills; Shaler over ERIE MCDOWELL.

WPIAL CLASS AAA -- (Big Seven) CHARTIERS VALLEY over Keystone Oaks; TRINITY over Peters Township; Thomas Jefferson over WEST MIFFLIN. (Greater Allegheny) FRANKLIN REGIONAL over Greensburg Salem; Pine-Richland over HAMPTON. (Keystone) MOUNT PLEASANT over Derry; LAUREL HIGHLANDS over Uniontown. (Parkway) BLACKHAWK over Ambridge; Montour over HOPEWELL; WEST ALLEGHENY over Moon.

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) Ford City over FREEPORT; Kittanning over WEST SHAMOKIN; Shady Side Academy over DEER LAKES; Valley over BURRELL. (Century) BURGETTSTOWN over Charleroi; Seton-LaSalle over CARLYNTON; South Fayette over BRENTWOOD; STEEL VALLEY over South Park. (Interstate) WASHINGTON over McGuffey; Southmoreland over YOUGH; BROWNSVILLE over Waynesburg. (Midwestern) Aliquippa over CENTER; NEW BRIGHTON over Freedom; Sto-Rox over QUAKER VALLEY. (Tri-County North) MARS over Mohawk; UNION over Neshannock; Summit Academy over CORNELL.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) NORTH CATHOLIC over Bishop Canevin. (Black Hills) FRAZIER over Avella; BETH-CENTER over Bentworth. (Eastern) Apollo-Ridge over LEECHBURG. (Tri-County South) CALIFORNIA over Carmichaels; JEFFERSON-MORGAN over Mapletown; MONESSEN over West Greene.

NON-CONFERENCE -- INDIANA over Albert Gallatin; CLAIRTON over Avonworth; NEW CASTLE over Elizabeth Forward; RIVERSIDE over Ellwood City; SERRA over Geibel; South Allegheny over NORTHGATE.

Tomorrow afternoon

CITY LEAGUE -- Schenley over Carrick (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) Western Beaver over SOUTH SIDE BEAVER. (Eastern) Springdale over RIVERVIEW.

NON-CONFERENCE -- BRADFORD over East Allegheny.

Tomorrow night

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Tri-County North) Laurel over SHENANGO.