Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 4

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Week No. 4 is here and that means all area high school football teams, except for Lima Sr., will be playing league or conference games. There are a handful of games on the schedule that could go either way but many others, at least on paper, probably won’t be so close.

Last week, I managed to go 21-4 (84 percent), which takes my overall season record to 67-15 (81.7 percent). This week, 19 games are on the Pigskin Pick’Em slate.

Games of the Week

Edgerton (3-0) at Antwerp (1-2)

Fun fact: these two teams played the exact same opponents during the non-conference portion of the schedule – Montepelier, Edon and Hilltop. That’s something you don’t see every season. Both teams shut out Hilltop, Edgerton 42-0 and Antwerp 36-0. Both teams had tough games against Montpelier, with Bulldogs winning 29-28 and the Archers losing 24-16. I do think this one has a chance to be a very competitive game but I’m giving the edge to the visitors.

The pick: Edgerton

Defiance (2-1) at St. Marys Memorial (1-2)

An intriguing matchup to be sure. Defiance ran into a buzzsaw against Wapakoneta last week while St. Marys Memorial churned out a boatload of rushing yards against Celina. The Bulldogs won their first two games, while the Roughriders lost their first two games, but the offense came alive in the second half against Bath in Week No. 2. I liken it to trying to stop a moving train. This game could be fairly low scoring and it should be a competitve one, but I’m going with the Roughriders at home.

The pick: St. Marys Memorial

Kenton (1-2) at Elida (1-2)

Kenton has given up 104 points in three games, while Elida has scored 62 points through three games, but 38 of those came in the season opener. Something has to give here. Elida has lost back-to-back heartbreakers by a combined eight points. Behind a 596 yard performance by freshman quarterback Xavier Gammon, who made his first varsity start last week, the Wildcats surged by Ottawa-Glandorf 38-27. My first instinct is to pick Kenton in this one. Remember last year, when the Wildcats won a 37-0 stunner? Everything inside me is screaming to pick Kenton, but for some reason I’m not listening.

The pick: Elida

Fort Loramie (0-3) at Crestview (2-1)

This isn’t what it seems, because Fort Loramie’s record is very decieving. Yes, the Redskins have some younger players in the lineup, but they’ve been battle tested in a big way after three game. My point is, Fort Loramie is better than 0-3. Crestview’s only loss is to Marion Local. This is a game I can see going back and forth, as both teams are very capable of moving the football. In the end, I think the Knights have a bit too much firepower on the offensive side of the ball, so I’m going with them in this one.

The pick: Crestview

Celina (0-3) at Van Wert (2-1)

Celina’s first three games have been challenging to say the least. The Bulldogs have some younger players manning key spots and it’s been a bit of a bumpy road so far. Make no mistake though, Celina will play hard from start to finish. The Bulldogs aren’t the flashiest team around but they’re fundamentally solid. Van Wert pushed Bath to the limit but mistakes came back to haunt the Cougars last week. Still, the Cougars did some good things in the game, including, for the most part, bottling up Bath’s explosive offense. Here’s how I picture this game going – close for a while, with the Cougars pulling away for the win.

The pick: Van Wert

Best of the Rest

GMC

Fairview at Ayersville: Fairview

Hicksville at Tinora: Tinora

Paulding at Wayne Trace: Paulding

MAC

Coldwater at Anna: Coldwater

Delphos St. John’s at Marion Local: Marion Local

Minster at Parkway: Minster

New Bremen at Versailles: Versailles

St. Henry at Fort Recovery: St. Henry

NWC

Allen East at Lima Central Catholic: Lima Central Catholic

Delphos Jefferson at Bluffton: Bluffton

Spencerville at Columbus Grove: Columbus Grove

WBL

Shawnee at Bath: Bath

Wapakoneta at Ottawa-Glandorf: Wapakoneta

Non-conference

Lima Sr. at Anthony Wayne: Anthony Wayne