What's this? For most, Thursday night football has come to be associated with a marginally competitive NFL game. So why is there a spate of high school games — 11 to be exact, all in the metropolitan area — scheduled for tonight?
The reason is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which begins at sundown Friday evening. The holiest day of the year for Jews, Yom Kippur is traditionally observed by 25 hours of prayer and fasting. Jews often spend much of the day in synagogue.
Not all schools shifted their games to Thursday. At least a dozen games have been scheduled for an earlier start Friday in the hope they end before sundown. And many schools have chosen not to alter their traditional Friday game time.
DAVID AND JIM'S THURSDAY PICKS
After a perfect 3-0 week, Jim Paulsen (10-5) is feeling a little fat and sassy, taking a two-game lead over compadre David La Vaque (8-7). They agree on all three games this week but a season of unpredictability could throw them both for a loss.
st. paul highland park (3-1) AT SMB Wolfpack (3-1), 7 P.M.
Jim says: For my money, the best single individual performance this season was by Highland Park's Josh Aune. The future Gopher rushed for 334 yards and six TDs, made 12 tackles, had two sacks and recovered a fumble in a victory over Fridley on Sept. 8. Not sure even the Scots' superman is enough to hold off Jalen Suggs and the Wolfpack, however.
Pick: SMB 38, St. Paul Highland Park 28
David says: Suggs, the fine sophomore quarterback, gets the ball most often to Alexey Koeckeritz (11 catches, 279 yards) and Terry Lockett Jr. (19-308). Both receivers have three TD catches. SMB ranks seventh in Class 5A with 184.2 passing yards per game and is tied for third with 10 touchdowns. I'll "air" on the side of the Wolfpack.
