Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 2 predictions

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Week No. 2 of the high school football season features several games that are very intriguing and should be entertaining contests. It’s also the start of Western Buckeye League games and there are a couple of games that could go either way.

Last week, I managed to go 23-6 (79.3 percent), just shy of my weekly goal of 80 percent. There was one error made in the editing process, where I listed USV over Allen East. I picked the Mustangs to win but inadvertently typed USV. Nevertheless, it counts as a loss on my part, although it turned out to be an interesting game.

There are 27 area games on this week’s schedule…onto the picks.

Games of the Week

Archbold (1-0) at St. Henry (1-0)

What an intriguing matchup this is.

Anyone who has read this feature on regular basis knows I don’t like to pick against MAC schools at home and I have misgivings about doing it here. This has the potential to be a close entertaining game and one could easily argue the winner will get it by a touchdown or less.

After some back-and-forth, I’m going with the visiting team here.

The pick: Archbold

Columbus Grove (1-0) at Liberty-Benton (1-0)

This one could turn out to be the game of the week.

Columbus Grove is riding a 23-game regular season winning streak and hasn’t lost a regular season game since September 20, 2019, 14-11 to Allen East. Liberty-Benton is 21-2 in that same span.

My mind is telling me Liberty-Benton deserves a slight advantage at home, while my gut says go with Columbus Grove. Either way, it should be a close one.

The pick: Columbus Grove

Crestview (1-0) at Hicksville (0-1)

There was a time that this game was a barnburner and it may get back to that point, but probably not this year.

Hicksville is well coached and plays hard every game but I believe the Knights simply have too much firepower for the Aces to handle.

The pick: Crestview

North Central (1-0) at Parkway (0-1)

The Panthers are 1-16 in their last 17 regular season games. Here’s hoping better days are ahead. North Central is playing its first year of varsity football and the Eagles beat Woodmore, a team that was winless in 2021, 24-0 in last week’s opener.

Something tells me the Panthers will be able to pull out a win this week, so I’m going with the home team in this one.

The pick: Parkway

Van Wert (1-0) at Celina (0-1)

Celina may have the toughest opening two games of any team around the region – defending Division V state champion Versailles last week and Van Wert this week.

I said in my preseason poll that I believe Celina will be improved this season and I still believe that. After this game, there’s a stretch of at least four games that the Bulldogs can be competitive in and perhaps even win. But this Friday night will belong to the Cougars.

The pick: Van Wert

Patrick Henry (1-0) at Wayne Trace (1-0)

Hats off to the Raiders for going to Fort Recovery and picking up a win last Friday night. That’s a big win for Matt Holden and his program.

Another stiff challenge awaits the Raiders, this time Patrick Henry, a program that’s accustomed to winning seasons and playoff spots. My first instinct was to go with the Patriots but after some thought, I’m not so sure that’s the way to go.

After some thought, the Raiders will hang in there but Patrick Henry gets a narrow win on the road.

The pick: Patrick Henry

Best of the rest

WBL

Bath at Shawnee: Shawnee
Elida at Kenton: Elida
Ottawa-Glandorf at Wapakoneta: Wapakoneta
St. Marys Memorial at Defiance: St. Marys Memorial

Non-conference

Allen East at Perry: Allen East
Arlington at Ada: Arlington
Bluffton at Pandora-Gilboa: Pandora-Gilboa
Delphos Jefferson at Ayersville: Ayersville
Leipsic at Fairview: Leipsic
Spencerville at Paulding: Spencerville

Edon at Antwerp: Antwerp
Hilltop at Edgerton: Edgerton
Wauseon at Tinora: Wauseon

Anna at Brookville: Anna
Coldwater at Bellefontaine: Coldwater
Delphos St. John’s at Lima Central Catholic: Lima Central Catholic
Fort Loramie at Vesailles: Versailles
McComb at Marion Local: Marion Local
New Bremen at Lehman Catholic: New Bremen
St. Paris Graham at Minster: St. Paris Graham
Lima Sr. at Toledo Rogers: Lima Sr.