2024 Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 1

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Pigskin Pick’Em is back for its eighth season on the Sports page of the VW independent. Each Thursday during the 2024 high school football season, predictions will be made for games involving Western Buckeye League, Northwest Conference, Green Meadows Conference and Midwest Athletic Conference teams, along with Lima Sr. As always, predictions will be broken down into two categories – “Games of the Week” and Best of the Rest.”

My goal each season is to pick 80 percent of games correctly. During the regular season and playoffs last season, I managed to go 212-46, or 82.1 percent. As in past years, I’ll tabulate and share the results each Thursday.

Without further delay, here are picks for the opening weekend of the high school football season.

Games of the Week

Pandora-Gilboa at Columbus Grove (Thursday)

What a way to kick off the 2024 season. These two teams hooked up in a dandy last year and the Rockets scored with one second left to claim a 25-22 win. Both teams have a good number of starters back and this should be a very good game. A big factor in my pick – the game is at Clymer Stadium, where the Bulldogs have won 19 straight, including playoff games and by my count, 24 straight regular season games.

The pick: Columbus Grove

St. Henry at St. Marys Memorial

These two teams played in the season opener last year and the Redskins won 17-0. The Roughriders got off to an 0-4 start then suddenly became one of the hottest teams in the area, winning seven straight before falling to Perkins in the playoffs. It should be noted that St. Marys Memorial gave the heavily favored Pirates a run for their money in that game. I think the Roughriders are a true contender for the WBL title this year and I’ll be shocked if they start 0-4. Riders roll.

The pick: St. Marys Memorial

Valley View at Coldwater

Who remembers that Valley View made it to the Division V state semifinals last year, losing to Liberty Center and finishing 13-2? Coldwater also had a fine season, going 12-2 before losing to the same Liberty Center team in the regional championship game. Now, Valley View and Coldwater will knock heads in the season opener. Valley View is replacing Kenton on Coldwater’s non-conference schedule and this should be a good one. I usually don’t pick against MAC teams at home and I’m not changing course here.

The pick: Coldwater

Parkway at Crestview

After a 2-2 start last year, Parkway lost seven straight, including an opening round playoff game to Paint Valley. The Panthers have a new head coach in Brian Schmidt, the former head coach of the Billings, Montana Outlaws professional indoor team. Crestview has a number of starters back, especially on defense. I think the Knights will get off to a fast start in this one.

The pick: Crestview

Bryan at Van Wert

Both teams suffered heavy graduation losses, especially Van Wert. There’s also the unknown factor, because Bryan has a new head coach in Scott Staten, who was last year’s offensive coordinator. Still, it’s a new regime. One could easily argue this game is a toss-up and one could also argue that Bryan is actually the favorite. Fun fact: Van Wert hasn’t lost to a team that was .500 or below since 2017. Bryan was 5-5 last year, 5-6 with a playoff loss. How does that translate to this game? I’m not sure, but I’m giving a slight edge to the Cougars.

The pick: Van Wert

Best of the Rest

Anna at Indian Lake: Anna

Antwerp at Montepelier: Montepelier

Bath at New Bremen: New Bremen

Bluffton at Benjamin Logan: Bluffton

Cincinnati North College Hill at Delphos Jefferson (Thursday): College Hill

Columbus South at Celina: Celina

Defiance at Napoleon: Defiance

Delta at Ayersville: Ayersville

Eastwood at Kenton: Eastwood

Edgerton at Edon: Edon

Elida at Toledo Rogers: Elida

Hicksville at Patrick Henry: Patrick Henry

Lehman Catholic at Delphos St. John’s: Delphos St. John’s

Liberty-Benton at Ottawa-Glandorf: Liberty-Benton

Marion Local at Linton-Stockton (IN): Marion Local

Milton-Union at Versailles: Versailles

Minster at Fort Loramie: Minster

Paulding at Swanton: Paulding

Piqua at Lima Sr.: Lima Sr.

Ridgemont at Spencerville: Spencerville

Shawnee at Lima Central Catholic (Thursday): LCC

Tinora at Liberty Center: Liberty Center

Toledo Scott at Allen East: Allen East

Toledo St. John’s at Wapakoneta: Wapakoneta

Wauseon at Fairview: Wauseon

Wayne Trace at Fort Recovery: Fort Recovery