Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 11

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The 2023 regular season is in the books and playoff time is here already. 448 teams have qualified for the postseason, with 16 teams moving on in 28 different regions. Like the still new format or not, it’s here to stay. Congratulations and good luck to all area teams that qualified for the playoffs.

I wrapped up the regular season with an 18-2 week, with the only misses being Bluffton/Columbus Grove and Spencerville/Delphos Jefferson. That took my regular season record to 164-35, or 82.4 percent correct.

22 games are on this week’s Pigskin Pick’Em slate. The list includes all playoff teams from the Northwest Conference, Western Buckeye League, Green Meadows Conference and the Midwest Athletic Conference, plus Lima Central Catholic and Lima Sr. Pigskin Pick’Em will keep going as long as any of those teams are in playoffs, all the way to the state title games.

Games of the Week

Arlington (6-4) at Antwerp (9-1)

This could be a very close game in Division VII, Region 26. Three of Arlington’s losses came to teams with a combined record of 24-6. This team is no slouch. Of course, Antwerp is a formidable team as well and has a lot of great athletes. I’m going with the Archers but it may take a late score to put it away.

The pick: Antwerp

Wauseon (6-4) at St. Marys Memorial (6-4)

An intriguing Division IV, Region 14 matchup to say the least. Wauseon went 2-3 during the second half of the season, but those losses came to Patrick Henry, Archbold and Liberty Center, three teams with a combined record of 27-3. Meanwhile, St. Marys Memorial is probably the in-season turnaround team in the area. After an 0-4 start, the Roughriders have gone 6-0. I think the Wing-T offense utilized by St. Marys Memorial will prove to be too much for Wauseon.

The pick: St. Marys Memorial

Xenia (5-5) at Lima Sr. (8-2)

To be blunt, I think Xenia has played better competition this season and I think their 5-5 record is a bit deceiving. However, the Buccaneers lost five of their last six games while the Spartans have won seven straight. Lima Sr. is on a roll going into this Division II, Region 8 game and I believe that momentum will be just enough to get the Spartans a win.

The pick: Lima Sr.

Crestview (6-4) at Tiffin Calvert (8-1)

Let’s be honest here. Crestview is considered the underdog in this Division VII, Region 26 game. I know…the Knights are 2-0 against the Senecas in previous playoff games, but history doesn’t really factor into this one. Now, anyone who reads these picks on a regular basis knows I take it seriously. I’m not much for going out on a limb and picking huge upsets, but I’m going to do it here. This just feels like an upset game. If the Knights, who can be considered more battle tested team, can slow Calvert’s running game and avoid turnovers, they can pull off the upset.

The pick: Crestview

River Valley (4-6) at Van Wert (7-3)

Never mind River Valley’s record, this is a team that’s better than that mark would indicate. The Vikings spent much of the season playing bigger schools, but the game that stands out at me is the 28-24 win over Shelby in Week No. 7. That alone tells me this team can compete and is capable of pulling off an upset. Having said that, I can picture the Cougars pulling away for the win, so I’m going with the home team in this Division IV, Region 14 pairing.

The pick: Van Wert

Best of the Rest

Division III Region 10

Defiance at Bay Village Bay: Bay

Division III Region 12

Hillsboro at Celina: Celina
Elida at Vandalia Butler: Vandalia Butler
New Richmond at Wapakoneta: Wapakoneta

Division V Region 18

Spencerville at Edison: Edison
Indian Lake at Coldwater: Coldwater

Division VI Region 22

Lakota at Columbus Grove: Columbus Grove
Paulding at Bluffton: Bluffton
Wynford at Tinora: Tinora

Division VI Region 24

Parkway at Paint Valley: Paint Valley
Allen East at Anna: Anna

Division VII Region 26

Ayersville at Lima Central Catholic: Lima Central Catholic
Leipsic at Pandora-Gilboa: Leipsic

Division VII Region 28

Tri-County North at Marion Local: Marion Local
St. Henry at Riverside: Riverside
New Bremen at Cincinnati College Prep: New Bremen
Bradford at Minster: Minster