{"id":169870,"date":"2023-09-07T03:47:39","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T08:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=169870"},"modified":"2023-09-07T03:47:40","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T08:47:40","slug":"pigskin-pickem-week-no-4-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2023\/09\/07\/pigskin-pickem-week-no-4-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Pigskin Pick’Em: Week No. 4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s just say last week wasn\u2019t a banner week in terms of correctly picking games. In fact, it was downright brutal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there were a couple of true upsets, it doesn\u2019t explain going 11-9 during Week No. 3, my worst Pigskin Pick\u2019Em week ever. The average week pulled my record down to 56-22, or just 72 percent, which means there\u2019s work to be done if I want to get back to my stated goal of 80 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To boot, this week isn\u2019t an easy one to get back on track. Out of 20 games, as many as six can be considered tossup games. It\u2019s also the week when the Northwest Conference and Green Meadows Conference begin playing conference games. Here\u2019s hoping things go better in terms of picks. 20 area games are on this week’s slate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Games of the Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ada (2-1) at Crestview (2-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really think this game will be an entertaining one, just like last year, when the Bulldogs upset the Knights 34-26. Obviously Crestview hopes the results are different this time around. If the Knights can reduce penalties and turnovers, I think they\u2019ll leave with a win in the home opener on Friday night. In fact, I think Crestview has the potential to make some real noise in the NWC this season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Crestview<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celina (2-1) at Shawnee (0-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A letdown game for the Bulldogs after last Friday\u2019s win over Van Wert? Perhaps, but I don\u2019t think so. However, it\u2019s fair to point out that the Indians have dropped their last two games by a combined seven points, meaning Shawnee is probably a bit better than an 0-3 record would suggest. I think this game has the potential to be fairly close but I\u2019m going with the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Celina<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Bremen (2-1) at Versailles (3-0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After scoring seven points in the opener at Bath, New Bremen has put up a combined 78 points the past two weeks. Meanwhile, Versailles hasn\u2019t allowed a point all season and has outscored the opposition 102-0. I usually like to side with the defense and that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Versailles<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van Wert (2-1) at Defiance (3-0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve wrestled with this one since Monday. My first instinct was to go with the Bulldogs, who have been solid but maybe not spectacular in each of their three games. One can argue on paper that perhaps Defiance is a slight favorite. But something sticks in my mind. Van Wert has lost just one regular season game each of the last three seasons, but bounced back the following week. Combine that with the fact that the Cougars have won six straight against Defiance and history seems to favor Van Wert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Van Wert<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wayne Trace (1-2) at Edgerton (1-2)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An intriguing GMC opener\u2026Edgerton\u2019s two losses have come by a combined eight points, while Wayne Trace is two points from a 2-1 record. In other words, both of these teams are better than their respective records indicate. To me, it feels like the Raiders are due for a win and I believe this is the week they get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Wayne Trace<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best of the Rest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WBL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bath at Kenton: Bath
Ottawa-Glandorf at Elida: Elida
St. Marys Memorial at Wapakoneta: Wapakoneta<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NWC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen East at Leipsic: Leipsic
Delphos Jefferson at Bluffton: Bluffton
Spencerville at Columbus Grove: Columbus Grove<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GMC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antwerp at Hicksville: Antwerp
Ayersville at Paulding: Ayersville
Tinora at Fairview: Tinora<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MAC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coldwater at Anna: Coldwater
Delphos St. John\u2019s at Marion Local: Marion Local
Minster at Fort Recovery: Minster
St. Henry at Parkway: St. Henry<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bishop Ready at Lima Central Catholic (Saturday): Bishop Ready
Sylvania Northview at Lima Sr.: Lima Sr.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent editor Let\u2019s just say last week wasn\u2019t a banner week in terms of correctly picking games. In fact, it was downright brutal. While there were a couple of true upsets, it doesn\u2019t explain going 11-9 during Week No. 3, my worst Pigskin Pick\u2019Em week ever. The average week pulled my record down to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-02 02:34:01","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169870"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169872,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169870\/revisions\/169872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}