Pigskin Pick’Em: Season opening edition

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

There’s nothing quite like the start of a new high school football season. The sounds of pads popping, whistles blowing, marching bands playing and fans cheering…it’s a special time of the year.

Pigskin Pick’Em is back for its seventh season on the Sports page of the VW independent. Each week, yours truly will try to pick winners of games involving WBL, NWC, GMC and MAC teams, along with Lima Sr. Each week’s results will be tallied and a weekly total will be published through the regular season. Picks will continue into the playoffs up to and including all seven state championship games and those totals will be added onto the regular season.

Here are picks for Week No. 1 of the 2022 high school football season.

Games of the Week

Parkway at Crestview

This is not an easy opener for Parkway. The Knights return a number of starters on both sides of the ball and should be competitive in most, if not all of their games this season. While I don’t necessarily think this will be a lopsided game, I think Crestview is capable of winning by a comfortable margin.

The pick: Crestview

Wayne Trace at Fort Recovery

These two teams met in the season opener last year and the Indians posted a 39-21 win. I want to go with the Raiders here and I do think they’ll have a good season but it’s tough to pick against a MAC team playing at home. Let me add that I won’t be too suprised if the Raiders pull off an upset.

The pick: Fort Recovery

Elida at Spencerville

The Bulldogs won 7-0 game last season, but I think the winner will need more than one touchdown to win this game.

While I think Spencerville is capable of pulling off a mild upset at home, I’m giving the nod to the Bulldogs. Make no mistake though, this is a good season opener for both teams.

The pick: Elida

London at St. Marys Memorial

A match up of two excellent teams and I fully expect this to be a low scoring slugfest just like 2021, when the Roughriders pulled out a 10-7 win.

While the Red Raiders have revenge on their minds, I like the Roughriders to get the win at home.

The pick: St. Marys Memorial

Bryan at Van Wert

The Golden Bears will have to slow the tempo if they want to win this one and with a number of returning starters up front, they’ll likely try to do just that. However, I think the Cougars simply have too many weapons and will pull away for a season opening win.

The pick: Van Wert

Best of the Rest

Pandora-Gilboa at Columbus Grove (Thursday): Columbus Grove
Shawnee at Lima Central Catholic (Thursday): Lima Central Catholic

Allen East at Upper Scioto Valley: USV
Bluffton at Cory-Rawson: Bluffton
Liberty-Benton at Leipsic: Leipsic
Waynefield-Goshen at Ada: Waynesfield-Goshen

Bath at New Bremen: New Bremen
Coldwater at Kenton: Coldwater
Defiance at Napoleon: Napoleon
Eastwood at Ottawa-Glandorf: Eastwood
Versailles at Celina: Versailles
Wapakoneta at Marion Local: Marion Local

Antwerp at Montpelier: Antwerp
Delta at Ayersville: Ayersville
Edgerton at Edon: Edon
Fairview at Wauseon: Wauseon
Hicksville at Patrick Henry: Patrick Henry
Paulding at Arlington: Arlington
Tinora at Liberty Center: Liberty Center

St. Henry at Covington: St. Henry
Minster at Fort Loramie: Fort Loramie
Anna at Indian Lake: Anna
Toledo Bowsher at Lima Sr.: Lima Sr.

Delphos St. John’s vs. Delphos Jefferson (Saturday): Delphos St. John’s