{"id":198625,"date":"2025-10-22T20:48:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T01:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=198625"},"modified":"2025-10-22T20:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T01:48:15","slug":"pigskin-pickem-week-no-10-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2025\/10\/22\/pigskin-pickem-week-no-10-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Pigskin Pick’Em Week No. 10"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

Here we are \u2013 Week No. 10 of the high school football season, the regular season finale. League and conference titles are on the line, along with undefeated seasons and playoff spots. Some teams have other goals \u2013 sending seniors out with a win, getting victory No. 1, etc. Overall, it\u2019s been a fun season with some pretty memorable moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, I predicted three upsets. How did I do? 1-2, with Columbus Grove over Lima Central Catholice being the only correct one. With all due respect, I\u2019m still not sure that was really an upset. Overall, I managed to go 16-3 (84.2 percent), which took my overall season record to 162-33 (83 percent). 19 more games are on this week\u2019s slate, including six Games of the Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pigskin Pick\u2019Em will continue next week with predictions of any and all playoff games involving teams from the GMC, MAC, NWC, WBL, and Lima Sr.<\/p>\n\n\n

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

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

Antwerp (3-6) at Paulding (9-0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me be clear, Paulding is the favorite here. However, Antwerp has a chance to play spoiler, sort of. An Archer upset win would likely lead to GMC co-championship between Paulding and Fairview and of course, it would spoil Paulding\u2019s undefeated season. In a sense, Antwerp has nothing to lose. Having said that, I don\u2019t really see an upset happening here. My prediction is the Panthers will be celebrating a perfect regular season, an outright conference title and a home playoff game, perhaps even a first round bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Bluffton (8-1) at Columbus Grove (6-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s come to this, just as I thought it would with my preseason predictions. I didn\u2019t really think Columbus Grove would have three losses and I thought Bluffton would be undefeated, but I thought this game would be for the NWC title. If Columbus Grove wins, the Bulldogs are outright champions. If Bluffton wins, they\u2019ll share the title, perhaps with Lima Central Catholic as well, if the Thunderbirds beat Crestview. Columbus Grove really opened some eyes the last two weeks by shutting out Crestview, then rolling to a 33-13 lead and topping then No. 2 Lima Central Catholic 33-25 at Spartan Stadium. Bluffton has received a boost with the return of running back Parker Lovell from an injury and there\u2019s no doubt the Pirates have a very potent offensive attack. The Pirates also haven\u2019t beaten Bluffton since 2017, regular season and playoffs included. With that in mind, with the fact that Columbus Grove is the hottest team in the area and the fact that the game is at Clymer Stadium, I\u2019m going with the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The pick: Columbus Grove<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coldwater (6-3) at Marion Local (9-0)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s like Ohio State and Michigan of the MAC and it\u2019s a game that usually has a huge 50-50 jackpot. Coldwater is an uncharacistic 6-3 but closer examination shows the Cavaliers lost 14-7 games to powerful Clinton-Massie (8-1) and Anna (6-3), plus a 16-7 loss to New Bremen. This is still a very strong team, one that should make a long playoff run regardless of Friday night\u2019s outcome. Marion Local\u2019s winning streak is up to 74 games and the Flyers have been able to keep it going by working out of a couple of jams this season. Can Coldwater end the streak? I think they can. Will Coldwater actually do it? I don\u2019t think they will. I like the Flyers at home in this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Marion Local<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wapakoneta (9-0) at Bath (8-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very few people, if any, are surprised Wapakoneta is 9-0. Not many are surprised Bath is 8-1, as the Wildcats continue to turn things around. Bath\u2019s only loss of the year came to Shawnee, 31-21, in Week No. 4. If the Wildcats win, they\u2019ll share the WBL championship with the Redskins, so either way, Wapak will be league champions, co or outright, for the seventh consecutive time, not counting the 2020 COVID-19 season, when no champion was crowned. I think this will be an entertaining game but I also think Wapakoneta pulls away for the win and the outright league championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Lima Central Catholic (8-1) at Crestview (6-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After losing to Columbus Grove last week, will Lima Central Catholic be ready to roll? The Thunderbirds have already clinched a playoff spot and most likely, a first round bye, and they\u2019re still alive in the NWC title race. If Bluffton beats Columbus Grove and LCC tops Crestview, the T-birds get a share of the title. With a win, Crestview would share second place in the conference and the Knights would likely be playoff bound. My point is, there\u2019s plenty of incentive for both teams in this game. Lima Central Catholic appears to be very efficient on offense and is rock solid on defense, ranking No. 1 overall among conference teams. Do I think the Knights can pull off the upset? It\u2019s possible, but much to the chagrin of Crestview fans, I\u2019m picking the Thunderbirds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pick: Lima Central Catholic<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenton (1-8) at Van Wert (4-5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who remembers last year\u2019s wild game, 45-44, Van Wert? Could there be a repeat of that this year? It\u2019s certainly possible. I\u2019ll be surprised if the scoreboard at Eggerss Stadium doesn\u2019t get a workout in the finale for both teams. Both teams have proven they can move the ball throughout the season and both teams have struggled on defense. Turnovers could play a big role in this one. Van Wert had three critical turnovers in last week\u2019s loss to Shawnee. Kenton is -20 in the giveaway\/takeaway department this season. In the end, I like Van Wert to win and send the seniors out with a victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

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

Hicksville at Fairview: Fairview<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tinora at Edgerton: Tinora<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wayne Trace at Ayersville: Ayersville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Anna at Parkway: Anna<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delphos St. John\u2019s at New Bremen: New Bremen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minster at Fort Recovery: Minster<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Henry at Versailles: St. Henry<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Allen East at Fort Loramie: Allen East<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delphos Jefferson at Spencerville: Spencerville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TCL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toledo Scott at Lima Sr: Lima Sr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Defiance at Celina: Defiance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elida at St. Marys Memorial: St. Marys Memorial<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shawnee at Ottawa-Glandorf: Shawnee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent sports Here we are \u2013 Week No. 10 of the high school football season, the regular season finale. League and conference titles are on the line, along with undefeated seasons and playoff spots. Some teams have other goals \u2013 sending seniors out with a win, getting victory No. 1, etc. Overall, it\u2019s been […]<\/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-198625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-07 14:33:33","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\/198625","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=198625"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":198676,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198625\/revisions\/198676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}