Pigskin Pick’Em – regional title games

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

If you’re going out to watch regional championship football games this weekend, bundle up – it’s going to be frigid. 

As the field continues to narrow, the matchups continue to get more intriguing. That’s not to take anything away from games already played because there have been some good ones, including Van Wert’s last two games. 

Last week was a rough one in terms of picks as I went just 6-4, too close to .500 for my liking. That took my playoff record to 36-6 (85.7 percent) and my overall record to 212-53 (80 percent). This week, five area games are featured and all are considered Games of the Week. 

Division VII Region 28

Fort Loramie (11-2) vs. New Bremen (10-3)

Let me say Fort Loramie is pretty good. The only losses this year have come to Versailles and Newark Catholic, two teams still alive in the playoffs. On top of that, Fort Loramie defeated Lima Central Catholic in the regular season finale. Despite all of that, a little voice keeps saying “MAC schools only lose to other MAC schools.” However, wise or not, I’m going to ignore that little voice, at least for this game.

The pick: Fort Loramie 

Division VII Region 26

Antwerp (13-0) vs. Lima Central Catholic (9-4)

After a 2-3 start, Lima Central Catholic has gone 7-1, with the only loss coming in the regular season finale, 35-34 to Fort Loramie. Meanwhile, Antwerp keeps setting school records with each victory. The Archers have had a couple of close calls and some injury problems, while the Thunderbirds are coming off an upset of No. 1 seed McComb. This could be a toss up game but I’m leaning toward the team from Allen County.

The pick: Lima Central Catholic 

Division VI Region 24 

Marion Local (13-0) vs. Allen East (12-1)

It’s been a great season for the Mustangs. The only loss came in Week No. 3 to Elmwood, a team playing for a championship in Division V Region 18. They’ve outscored three playoff opponents 131-7 but now they’re facing a Marion Local team that has been completely dominate all season. It’s a different level of football for the team from southern Mercer County. That’s not a knock on Allen East at all. I’m impressed by what they’ve done this season. But the Flyers are the clear favorite here.

The pick: Marion Local 

Division VI Region 22

Columbia Station Columbia (13-0) vs. Columbus Grove (11-2)

This one is a tough one. Columbia’s win over Ashland Crestview was impressive and somewhat unexpected. The Raiders have had some close calls this season but here they are, 13-0. The Bulldogs have quietly put together an outstanding position and it all starts with defense. Yes, the offense has come along but the defense has been key all season. My initial thought was to go with Columbia but now I’m feeling a Bulldog upset.

The pick: Columbus Grove 

Division IV Region 14

Van Wert (12-1) vs. Glenville (13-0) 

Some people weren’t too thrilled when I picked West Holmes to defeat the Cougars last week. It’s one of those times I was glad to be wrong. Now Van Wert gets the top team in Division IV in Glenville. I’ve talked to some people who covered their last playoff game and a coach who played them earlier in the playoffs and they all said the same thing – this is like a college team. 11 players have Division I college scholarship offers, which is an amazing number for any school in any division. Can Van Wert win this game? I think so. Will they? I’m not sure. At the risk of being quite unpopular, I’m going with the top ranked team with the hope I’m wrong again. 

The pick: Glenville