SELLERSBURG — OK, so I made a big deal of how ... well, not good ... our teams were in Week 1. So I’m going to make an equally big deal of some of this week’s successes.

For example, after a disappointing loss in the opening week, Jeffersonville bounced back with a big 52-14 win over a Seymour team that one Hoosier Hills Conference coach told me might be the most improved in 2012.

Clarksville made a change at quarterback and the General offense did about anything it wanted in a 42-20 win over Eastern.

New Albany looked quite good in a deceptively one-sided 26-0 loss to Class 5A No. 7 Castle.

Despite losses of key personnel, Providence’s and Floyd Central’s offenses flew up and down the field on each other during the Pioneers’ deceptively low-scoring 27-19 victory.

Then there was Charlestown. The Pirates announced themselves firmly as a Class 3A state contender with a 41-3 blowout of sixth-ranked Brownstown Central.

On to this week’s much more upbeat picks.



CHARLESTOWN AT CLARKSVILLE

Before the season, I started asking myself if I was expecting too much of Charlestown. After last week’s win, I’m starting to wonder if I underestimated the Pirates.

Brownstown quarterback Clay Brown has been playing the position nearly his entire like in the Braves’ system and he was terrorized by Charlestown’s tenacious defense.

Clarksville quarterback Aidan McEwen is an extraordinary athlete, but he has been playing quarterback for a couple of weeks. Getting passes off against the Pirates is going to be insanely difficult for McEwen.

Unless the Generals are better prepared than Brownstown was, it’s going to be a long, long day for Clarksville

THE PICKS: Charlestown 54, Clarksville 12.



NEW ALBANY AT JENNINGS COUNTY

Besides Iyan Bass’s mother, no one was happier to see Bass graduate last spring than New Albany’s defense.

The Jennings County running back made a habit of running over New Albany’s defense for the past three seasons.

Bass is gone and so ends the Panthers’ dominance of New Albany.

The Bulldogs have been impressive during a 1-1 start. This year they’re likely to end somewhere around .500, but Charlie Fields could have a dangerous program in the coming years.

THE PICKS: New Albany 44, Jennings County 14.



BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE AT JEFFERSONVILLE

It’s never wise to count out a Bret Szabo coached football team, but the Stars are young and still trying to find their way.

On the other hand, Jeff has the look of a team that could challenge Columbus East’s Hoosier Hills dominance.

Look for more about this game in Friday’s News and Tribune.

THE PICK: Jeff 27, Bedford 21



PROVIDENCE AT HOLY CROSS

Providence ran up and down the field on Floyd Central on Friday, and Holy Cross still hasn’t stopped anybody.

Holy Cross is down — way down — after a spectacular 11-2 season. In fact, the Cougars dropped a 33-28 decision to a Louisville Moore team they beat by 50 points last season.

Still, you have to take into account the difference between Louisville and Southern Indiana football. As much as we want to wish the gap doesn’t exist, it’s a fairy tale to believe it doesn’t.

That formula tells you this game could go either way and an Indiana team just may come back from the other side of the river with a rare victory.

THE PICK: Providence 27, Holy Cross 26



MADISON AT FLOYD CENTRAL

Last week, I wrote that it would be a long season for Floyd Central if it couldn’t beat Providence.

Jennings County is still on the schedule, but if the Highlanders can’t manhandle Madison, there aren’t a lot of wins to be found on their schedule.

Don’t worry, they will.

THE PICK: Floyd Central 34, Madison 14.



CORYDON CENTRAL AT SILVER CREEK

Silver Creek has had trouble stopping Springs Valley and Salem. Corydon Central is at a different level from the Blackhawks and Lions.

THE PICKS: Corydon Central 51, Silver Creek 14.



Other games of interest:

• Salem 21, North Harrison 20: Looks like Mo Moriarty has the Lions headed in the right direction.

• At Columbus East 59, Jennings Count 0: Maybe the most lopsided game of the HHC season.

• At Brownstown Central 49, Eastern 7: Eastern caught the Braves on the wrong week.

• At Center Grove 27, Carmel 21: The No. 1 Greyhounds almost went down last week against Valparaiso. This week, it may actually happen against a really good Center Grove squad.