Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 14

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This won’t take long, as just three games involving area teams are on this week’s Pigskin Pick’Em list. One of them is Putnam County vs. Putnam County, while the remaining two are MAC vs. MAC. The winners of those games will be crowned regional champions and will move on to next Friday’s state semi-final round.

Last week I went 7-1 (87.5 percent), with the only misstep being the Columbus Grove vs. Lima Central Catholic game. I picked the Thunderbirds to win but Columbus Grove, for all intents and purposes, put the game away early. My apologies to the Bulldogs. My playoff record is now 27-4 (87 percent) and my overall season record is 198-40 (83.1 percent). Onto this week’s games.

Division VI Region 24

Coldwater (9-4) vs. Anna (10-3)

Not the records you usually see in a regional title game but there’s an explanation for it this time – both teams, of course, play in the powerful MAC. Coldwater’s losses have come to Anna (14-7 in Week No. 4), New Bremen (16-7), Marion Local (7-6), and perennial power Clinton-Massie 14-7 in a Week No. 2 non-conference game. Notice the theme? In those four losses, the Cavaliers scored one touchdown. Anna’s losses have come to Minster (24-14), St. Henry (28-7) and Marion Local (28-27, two overtimes). This game should be close and one can make a case for either team winning it. My first instinct was to go with Coldwater, but I can also see Anna winning this game. I also have a tough time seeing the defending state champions getting ousted in the regional finals but it very well could happen. As I’ve said before, rematches can be tricky and this is no exception. Time to make a choice – I’m going with the Cavaliers, knowing full well it’s probably a 50-50 game.

The pick: Coldwater

Division VII Region 26

Columbus Grove (9-3) vs. Leipsic (11-1)

The Putnam County vs. Putnam County game. The series between these two games stretches back to 1924, but there’s a pretty noticeable gap in there. The two teams didn’t play from 1964 until 2015. The last three games in the series were played when both were members of the Northwest Conference. History is on the side of Columbus Grove, as the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 31-12-1. For our younger readers, yes, there were ties back in the day. If the score was even at the end of the fourth quarter, that was it – the game was over and everyone went home. Leipsic’s only loss game to Liberty-Benton (52-0) in Week No. 8. However, I believe the Vikings are the underdog in this game. I like Columbus Grove’s current nine game winning streak and the program’s playoff history. I believe Columbus Grove is going back to the state semifinals.

The pick: Columbus Grove

Division VII Region 28

Marion Local (12-0) vs. St. Henry (11-1)

Let’s all be honest – we knew this would be the regional championship game. Why wouldn’t we think that? Marion Local has won 76 straight games, while St. Henry’s only loss came to the Flyers, 21-14 in Week No. 3. It’s another MAC vs. MAC rematch in the regional finals and it means that two MAC teams will be in the state semifinals in two different divisions. There are those who say this is actually the Division VII state championship game and I wouldn’t argue with them. Yes, there are some nice teams left in Division VII, but these two are 1-2 in every sense of the word. As for this game, I won’t beat around the bush. I think the Flyers are the favorite but I’m not sure what kind of game it’s going to be. Could it be a 14-7 game? Possibly, or could it be one of those games where Marion Local gets on a roll early and cruises to a win? They tend to do that in a lot of big games. Regardless, I’m picking the four time defending state champions to win again.

The pick: Marion Local