Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 8

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

When you look at this week’s area high school football schedule, there are questions abound. Will the Van Wert Cougars pick up their first home win of the season? Will the Crestview Knights snap a fairly lengthy streak against Columbus Grove? Will an upstart WBL team continue its rise in the standings? I could go on, but you get the picture as we enter Week No. 8 of the season.

Last week I went 16-3 (84.2 percent), which takes my overall season record to 132-25 (84 percent). 19 more games are this week’s Pigskin Pick’Em list of games.

Games of the Week

Defiance (3-4) at Elida (4-3)

Defiance snapped a four-game losing streak with an exciting 43-42 overtime win over Kenton last Friday. It appeared the Bulldogs would be runaway winners in that one, as they led 28-7 early on. A two point conversion in the extra session turned out to be the difference. Meanwhile, Elida has won three of its last four games and has scored 122 points in that four game span. This has the potential to be an entertaining game but I think the Bulldogs are on a bit of a roll, so I’m picking them. The eastern Bulldogs that is.

The pick: Elida

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

I’ve wrestled with this game more than any other this week. Watching St. Marys Memorial’s ground game vs. Van Wert last week was a real eye opener. Very impressive. To many, Shawnee has been the surprise team in the WBL this year. In fact, Shawnee’s two losses have come to two state ranked teams – No. 2 Lima Central Catholic and No. 4 Wapakoneta, and the Indians had LCC on the ropes in the season opener. My first instinct was to go with the Roughriders, and I do think they can win this game if they play their game and finish, but after thoroughly overthinking this, I’d decided to go with the visitors in this one.

The pick: Shawnee

Wayne Trace (2-5) at Antwerp (2-5)

On paper, the records don’t jump out but it’s a Paulding County rivalry game. The Raiders opened the season 0-4, then won back-to-back games over Edgerton and Hicksville, then gave Tinora all they could handle before falling 10-7 last week. Antwerp’s two wins have come against Hilltop and Hicksville, so the Archers are 2-0 against “H” teams. I have a feeling this game will be closer than some people think but I also think the Raiders will leave northern Paulding County with a win.

The pick: Wayne Trace

Crestview (5-2) at Columbus Grove (4-3)

Both teams are still very much in the NWC title race. Columbus Grove controls its own destiny in that regard. Three wins in three weeks would give the Bulldogs yet another conference title. Easier said than done those, because those games are against Crestview, Lima Central Catholic and Bluffton. The Knights suffered their first NWC last week but if they can win out, they’ll get at least a share of the title. First things first though, let’s focus on this game. No. 1 rushing defense (and top overall defense) vs. leading rusher Braxton Leeth, who’s averaging 260 yards per game. Something has to give. Both teams are more than capable of scoring points. According to Columbus Grove stat man extraordinaire Ned Stechschulte, the Bulldogs have won seven straight against the Knights and are 11-2 all-time against Crestview when playing at Clymer Stadium. Perhaps it’s the wrong thing to do, but I’m leaning on the side of history here and picking the Bulldogs.

The pick: Columbus Grove

Ottawa-Glandorf (0-7) at Van Wert (3-4)

Let’s just agree to agree that Ottawa-Glandorf isn’t really an 0-7 team. According to fantastic50.net, the Titans have played the third toughest schedule in all of Division IV. It’s also important to note that Van Wert has played the eighth toughest schedule in Division IV. These two teams have seemingly gone down to the wire in their last nine matchups and I have no reason to think Friday night will be any different. Last year, it seemed like O-G did everything but win the game, as the Cougars snuck out of Putnam County with a 35-34 overtime win. Will I be shocked if O-G leaves with a win this time? No. The Cougars are 0-3 at home this season, however, I like their chances on homecoming Friday. If you’re keeping track at home, I’ve picked all five home teams in WBL games this week.

The pick: Van Wert

Best of the Rest

GMC

Fairview at Edgerton: Fairview

Hicksville at Paulding: Paulding

Tinora at Ayersville: Tinora

MAC

Anna at Marion Local: Marion Local

Coldwater at New Bremen: Coldwater

Fort Recovery at Parkway: Fort Recovery

Minster at Versailles: Versailles

St. Henry at Delphos St. John’s: St. Henry

NWC

Allen East at Delphos Jefferson (Saturday): Allen East

Fort Loramie at Bluffton: Bluffton

Spencerville at Lima Central Catholic: Lima Central Catholic

TCL

Toledo Bowsher at Lima Sr.: Lima Sr.

WBL

Celina at Bath: Bath

Kenton at Wapakoneta: Wapakoneta