2019 Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 1

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

The 2019 high school football season is upon us and it brings with it the third year of Pigskin Pick’Em.

Each Thursday during the regular season, I’ll go head-to-head with a guest selector, predicting winners of Western Buckeye League, Northwest Conference, Green Meadows Conference and Midwest Athletic Conference teams, along with Lima Sr. and Lima Central Catholic. A running total of wins and losses will be kept and will be updated each Thursday.

Last season, I was 152-43 (78 percent), while the guest selectors were a combined 142-53 (73 percent).

The first Pigskin Pick’Em guest selector of the new season is Tracy Keber, Sr. Branch Office Administrator at Edward Jones, assistant volleyball coach at Lincolnview and an avid fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

28 games are on the Week No. 1 schedule, and we differ on the outcome of seven of those games.

The picks

Lima Senior vs. Lima Central Catholic: This game will be played tonight at Spartan Stadium and it’s the first ever meeting on the gridiron between the two schools.

It’s certainly an intriguing matchup. Lima Sr. is a Division II team that went 2-8 last season, with one of those wins coming against a non-OHSAA school, COF Academy, while Lima Central Catholic is a Division VI school that went 9-2 and qualified for the playoffs in 2018.

I’m very tempted to take Lima Central Catholic, but I’m picking Lima Sr., as is Keber.

Truxell: Lima Sr.; Keber: Lima Sr.

Van Wert at Bryan: Keber is going with Van Wert in this one and said “I can’t go against the Cougs! We lost a great class to graduation but we have a good core group back and Owen Treece is a winner! He makes things happen and I believe he will lead the Cougs to a win.”

It’s tough to argue with that, although I believe this has the potential to be a very interesting game.

Truxell: Van Wert; Keber: Van Wert

Crestview at Parkway: I have a feeling this is going to be a close one, but I think the Knights will find a way to win.

Keber is going with Parkway and said “My favorite cousin is coaching at Parkway this year, I’m picking the Panthers. Is that a legitimate enough reason?”

We’ll find out Friday night.

Truxell: Crestview; Keber: Parkway

Delphos Jefferson at Shawnee: Shawnee will have a new quarterback after the graduation of multi-sport star Johnny Caprella, but we believe the Indians will have too much for the Wildcats.

Keber said it should be closer than last year’s game (49-0), but not enough for a Jefferson win.

Truxell: Shawnee; Keber: Shawnee

Delphos St. John’s at Elida: It’s strange that Stadium Park will be empty on Friday night, but that’s how the schedule worked out.

Elida has the potential to be a real bear this season and while it’s usually hard to bet against a MAC school, both of us think the Bulldogs will win this one.

Truxell: Elida; Keber: Elida

Wayne Trace at Paulding: It’s the 2019 edition of the Black Swamp Bowl between these Paulding County rivals, and it’s another game that has the potential to be a close one. In fact, it could be considered a toss up game.

However, both of us are going with the Raiders in this one.

Truxell: Wayne Trace; Keber: Wayne Trace

Best of the rest

Spencerville at Perry

Truxell: Spencerville; Keber: Spencerville

Columbus Grove at Pandora-Gilboa

Truxell: Columbus Grove; Keber: Columbus Grove

New Bremen at Ada

Truxell: New Bremen; Keber: New Bremen

Cory-Rawson at Bluffton

Truxell: Bluffton; Keber: Bluffton

Celina at Versailles

Truxell: Celina; Keber: Versailles

Kenton at Coldwater

Truxell: Coldwater; Keber: Coldwater

Allen East at Bath

Truxell: Bath; Keber: Allen East

Bellefontaine at Wapakoneta

Truxell: Wapakoneta; Keber: Wapakoneta

St. Marys Memorial at Sidney

Truxell: St. Marys; Keber: St. Marys

Napoleon at Defiance

Truxell: Napoleon; Keber: Napoleon

Ottawa-Glandorf at Eastwood

Truxell: Ottawa-Glandorf; Keber: Ottawa-Glandorf

Montpelier at Antwerp

Truxell: Antwerp; Keber: Antwerp

Archbold at Hicksville

Truxell: Archbold; Keber: Archbold

Wauseon at Fairview

Truxell: Fairview; Keber: Wauseon

Edgerton at Hilltop

Truxell: Edgerton; Keber: Edgerton

Ayersville at Waynesfield-Goshen

Truxell: Waynesfield-Goshen; Keber: Ayersville

Liberty Center at Tinora

Truxell: Liberty Center; Keber: Tinora

Marion Local at Woodlan (IN)

Truxell: Marion Local; Keber: Marion Local

Covington at St. Henry

Truxell: St. Henry; Keber: St. Henry

Fort Loramie at Minster

Truxell: Minster; Keber: Minster

Lehman Catholic at Fort Recovery

Truxell: Fort Recovery; Keber: Fort Recovery

Bishop Fenwick at Anna

Truxell: Bishop Fenwick; Keber: Anna

If you would like to be a future guest selector, simply email sports@thevwindependent.com.