Carrick and Brashear played last week. Did you know Carrick coach Jeff McCafferty and Brashear coach Rick Murphy teach at CAPA, the City's Creative & Performing Arts High School?

It got The Fumbler thinking back to his acting career, when he played Toto in the Wizard of Oz during his high school days at Berlin-Brothersvalley.

Seems the drama teacher didn't trust an adolescent Fumbler with a speaking part, so when the curtain fell on that seven-day stint of the Wizard of Oz, so, too, did The Fumbler's acting career. The Fumbler thought he was talented and deserved a much bigger part than some mangy little dog that had to follow Dorothy around.

But, hey, he's top dog in this endeavor of football prognosticating, as last week he went 48-9 (.842 percentage). For the season, he's no mutt, either, going 286-83 (.775 pct.). Here are his thoughts on this weekend's top games:

Chartiers Valley (5-1 overall, 4-0 in conference) at Thomas Jefferson (5-1, 3-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- Since a season-opening loss to West Allegheny, Chartiers Valley has won five in a row. But Thomas Jefferson hasn't lost a conference home game since 2001, when they lost the Keystone Oaks. Need The Fumbler say any more? Winner: Thomas Jefferson.

Fox Chapel (4-2, 2-0) at Woodland Hills (2-4, 1-1), 7 p.m. today -- Fox Chapel in a big game? What's next, the Pirates having a winning season? Coach Bryan Deal has done a marvelous job in making Fox Chapel respectable, and the Foxes have a chance to win five games in a season for the first time since 1997. But can they win at the vaunted Wolvarena? Winner: Woodland Hills.

Gateway (6-0) at Erie McDowell (4-2), 7 p.m. today -- Gateway needs to be careful. McKeesport, the No. 2-ranked WPIAL Class AAAA team, went to McDowell earlier this season and had to battle for a 19-13 victory. Winner: Gateway.

Uniontown (4-2, 2-1) at Yough (4-2, 4-0), 7:30 p.m. today -- Yough moved up from Class AA to AAA and things are looking up for the Cougars, as a win clinches first place in the Keystone Conference. Uniontown must slow down a Yough team that has averaged 36 points the past four games. Winner: Yough.

Valley (5-1, 5-1) at Shady Side Academy (6-0, 6-0), 2:30 p.m. tomorrow -- Coach Dave Havern quietly has turned around a Shady Side Academy program that was 11-35 from 2001-05. A win would just about sew up Shady Side's first conference championship since 1998. But Valley has allowed only 29 points all season. Winner: Shady Side Academy.

CITY LEAGUE -- Perry over Westinghouse (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS AAAA -- (Big East) Central Catholic over PLUM; PENN HILLS over Kiski Area. (Foothills) HEMPFIELD over Connellsville; PENN-TRAFFORD over Latrobe; McKeesport over NORWIN. (Great Southern) UPPER ST. CLAIR over Baldwin; Bethel Park over PETERS TOWNSHIP; CANON-McMILLAN over Mt. Lebanon. (Northern Six) NORTH HILLS at Butler.

WPIAL CLASS AAA -- (Big Seven) RINGGOLD over Belle Vernon; TRINITY over West Mifflin. (Greater Allegheny) HIGHLANDS over Franklin Regional; MARS over Hampton; INDIANA over Knoch. (Keystone) LAUREL HIGHLANDS over Albert Gallatin; Greensburg Salem over SOUTHMORELAND. (Parkway) Blackhawk over MONTOUR; WEST ALLEGHENY over Hopewell; New Castle over MOON.

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) Ford City over APOLLO-RIDGE; Freeport over WEST SHAMOKIN; Kittanning over BURRELL. (Century) Bishop Canevin over NORTHGATE; KEYSTONE OAKS over Quaker Valley. Seton-LaSalle over STEEL VALLEY; South Fayette over CORNELL; STO-ROX over South Park. (Interstate) GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC over Brownsville; MCGUFFEY over Charleroi; MOUNT PLEASANT over South Allegheny; JEANNETTE over Washington; EAST ALLEGHENY over Waynesburg. (Midwestern) Aliquippa over NEW BRIGHTON; Center over ELLWOOD CITY; BEAVER FALLS over Mohawk; Riverside over FREEDOM.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) MONACA over Laurel; Rochester over NESHANNOCK; Western Beaver over UNION. (Black Hills) Bentworth over AVELLA; CLAIRTON over Burgettstown; SERRA over Chartiers-Houston; FORT CHERRY over Frazier. (Eastern) SPRINGDALE over Brentwood; AVONWORTH over Leechburg; CARLYNTON over Wilkinsburg. (Tri-County South) Beth-Center over CALIFORNIA; CARMICHAELS over Geibel; Monessen over JEFFERSON-MORGAN; MAPLETOWN over West Greene.

NON-CONFERENCE -- Beaver over AMBRIDGE; ELIZABETH FORWARD over Derry.

CITY LEAGUE -- Brashear over Peabody (Cupples Stadium).

WPIAL CLASS AAAA -- (Northern Six) SHALER over Seneca Valley.

WPIAL CLASS AA -- (Allegheny) Deer Lakes over SUMMIT ACADEMY.

WPIAL CLASS A -- (Big Seven) SOUTH SIDE BEAVER over Shenango. (Eastern) North Catholic over RIVERVIEW.

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