Pigskin Pick’Em: playoffs & others

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Week No. 8 of the high school football season brings with it a mix of playoff and regular season games – playoff games for teams that won or had a bye last week and regular season games for teams lost their respective playoff openers.

Last week, my record was a very pedestrian 7-4, which dropped my overall season total to 96-29, or 76.8 percent. This week, 26 games are on the Pigskin Pick’Em plate. A number appear to be mismatches, but there are some games that should prove to be very interesting.

First five

Minster (2-5) at Allen East (4-2)

It’s a very interesting game in Division VI, Region 24 and it’s a classic case of me overthinking things. The No. 6 seed Mustangs had a bye last week and No. 11 seed Minster automatically advanced to the second round when Delphos Jefferson withdrew from the postseason.

Minster has had trouble scoring points this season. The Wildcats have scored 93 points in seven games, but 62 of those came against Parkway. 

While Minster has a rich postseason history, I think the Mustangs will gallop to a victory in this one.

The pick: Allen East

Port Clinton (4-3) at Van Wert (5-1)

After a bye week, No. 5 seed Van Wert is set to take on No. 12 seed Port Clinton, a team that beat Perkins 40-21 to advance to the second round in Division IV, Region 14. 

Port Clinton’s size up front concerns me a bit. The Redskins are a physical team, but Van Wert has faced some physical teams this year. I think the Cougars have a definite speed advantage, meaning this might be the fastest team Port Clinton has seen this year. 

As long as the Redskins can’t grind out long drives, I think Van Wert will be in good shape.

The pick: Van Wert

Crestview (4-2) at Tiffin Calvert (5-1)

It’s a matinee game in Division VII, Region 26, with a 1:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff. 

I’ve been going back and forth all week on this one. I really like the way No. 13 seed Crestview is playing right now. This is a team that’s playing well at the right time of the year. Meanwhile, No. 4 seed Calvert had an extra week to stew over a 35-10 loss to Hopewell-Loudon in Week No. 6. The Senecas are no slouch and they may have the best passing game the Knights have seen this season. 

I still think this is the most intriguing game around this weekend and it could be a track meet on the turf at Frost-Kalnow Stadium.

Having said all of that and after thoroughly overthinking it, I’m going with the Knights in a close one.

The pick: Crestview

Maumee (0-7) at Wayne Trace (3-4)

This is a regular season game between the Raiders and the Division III Panthers, a team that has scored 16 points all season. 

I do think Maumee may score a couple of touchdowns in this game, but I like Wayne Trace’s chances.

The pick: Wayne Trace

Paulding (1-6) at Hardin-Northern (2-3)

I really want to pick Paulding in this regular season game and while it has the potential to be a high scoring game, I think the Polar Bears will pull out a win.

The pick: Hardin-Northern

Best of the rest

Playoff games

Division III, Region 10

Defiance (1-6) at Bowling Green (5-1): Bowling Green

Division III, Region 12

Franklin (4-3) at St. Marys Memorial (5-2): St. Marys

Wapakoneta (3-4) at Hamilton-Badin (6-0): Hamilton-Badin

Division IV, Region 14

Ontario (5-2) at Kenton (3-3): Kenton

Division V, Region 18

Orrville (3-3) at Ottawa-Glandorf (5-1): Ottawa-Glandorf

Bath (2-5) at West Salem Northwestern (5-1): Northwestern

Division VI, Region 22

Ottawa Hills (5-2) at Columbus Grove (6-0): Columbus Grove

Hicksville (4-3) at Tinora (6-0): Tinora

Bluffton (4-2) at Fairview (4-2): Fairview

Division VI, Region 24

Triad (3-4) at Coldwater (6-0): Coldwater

Fairbanks (4-2) at Fort Recovery (2-4): Fort Recovery

Parkway (1-6) at Frankfort-Adena (6-0): Frankfort-Adena

Division VII, Region 26

Delphos St. John’s (2-5) at Lima Central Catholic (5-1): Lima CC

McComb (3-4) at Spencerville (3-3): Spencerville

Antwerp (1-6) at Leipsic (4-3): Leipsic

Edgerton (4-3) at Perry (6-0): Perry

Division VII, Region 28

Cedarville (2-5) at Marion Local (6-0): Marion Local

S. Charleston Southeastern (3-4) at New Bremen (4-2): New Bremen

Grove City Christian (4-2) at St. Henry (4-2): St. Henry

Regular season

Celina (3-4) at Greenville (0-7): Celina

Buckeye Valley (3-4) at Elida (4-3): Elida