Fearless prognosticators back at it, making picks of the week

Just when you thought it was safe to pick up a Thursday paper and read some good, clean, no-nonsense local sports news, this happens.We'd apologize, but it was not totally our fault.It was a fairly quiet night in the newsroom. Then the bickering started. Sports editor Zach Baker mentioned something about the Vanlue/Leetonia football game. Sportswriter Dave Hanneman spouted off about something he'd read about the little school up in Northeast, Ohio, but he wasn't going to tell Baker what it was.Back and forth they went, neither one making a good case – or much sense – for the argument in the first place."Well, I'll just read about in your picks," Baker said, and so another edition of the Pigskin Picks was set in motion.Continuing the Pigskin Picks, which started with Dave Egbert's Inside the Huddle in 1985, is never guaranteed. Year after year there's some debate over whether it's an indispensable part of our football coverage. But people seem to like it. One nice lady even said she gets the paper those 10 weeks of the regular season just for the Pigskin Picks.So here we go again, another season and another version of the Pigskin Picks with Baker and Hanneman trying to predict each week's games. Hanneman, the ageless wonder, will be gazing into his crystal ball for the 40th season of Pigskin Picks. He'll also be looking to defend the title he won a year ago when he claimed the Norm Nutman Trophy with a 124-23 record. Baker was a close second at 121-36.One look at our fearless forecasters predictions offers a hint at why they were jawing away this week. Our pigskin prognosticators have disagreed on five of the 14 games on the schedule, with Hanneman going with Findlay, Ada, Ridgemont, Carey and Northmor, and Baker picking the other way by taking Pine-Richland of Pennsylvania, Upper Scioto of McGuffey, Riverdale of Mount Blanchard, Hopewell-Loudon od Bascom and Upper of Sandusky … sorry, Upper Sandusky. Hanneman's Picks2024 Record: 124-23THURSDAY'S GAMESColumbus Grove over PANDORA-GILBOA — Great opening matchup. I flipped a coin and a Bulldog came up.Leetonia over VANLUE — Bears are 0-30 since the end of the 2021 season, but from what I gathered they have three really good receivers and a number of lettermen back, while Vanlue graduated half of the players on last year's roster.FRIDAY'S GAMESFINDLAY over Pine-Richland, Pa. – I know its iffy, but I'm going with the Trojans at home against a very good Pine-Richards school.ADA over Upper Scioto Valley – Lots of speed and quickness on that Ada team. Plus, USV doesn't have NWCC Player of the Year Maddox Underwood anymore.ARCADIA over Cory-Rawson – Redskins return a ton of players who want to avenge last year's last-minute loss to Cory.Arlington over HARDIN NORTHERN – Devils get off to a good start heading into a four-game home stand.ELMWOOD over Lakota – Big chance for the Royals to end 12-game skid and flip the first page of a turn-around.Leipsic over LAKE – Vikings went 8-5 last year, and may have a better, more balanced attack this season.LIBERTY-BENTON over Ottawa-Glandorf – High expectations for L-B this season, and the Eagles have the talent and the experience to back it up.McComb over MONROEVILLE – Banking on Kris Age's ability to strategize for big games and Grady Schroeder's ability to implement those schemes.Ridgemont over RIVERDALE – Going with the Golden Gophers, who were one of the best teams in the NWCC last season and are pegged as contenders again this year.VAN BUREN over Fostoria – Van Buren won big a year ago. This round will be much closer.Carey over HOPEWELL-LOUDON – This won't count in any league standings, not 'til next season anyway. But there's bragging rights at stake, and a whole lot of Harbins down the road.Galion Northmor over UPPER SANDUSKY – Northmor went 14-1 last season and made the state semifinals. I'm guessing that program is pretty deep and sound.BLUFFTON over Benjamin Logan – I understand this Benjamin Logan guy is some noted "pioneer, soldier and politician" but it doesn't say if he can stop the off-tackle dive or defend a screen pass.NORTH BALTIMORE over Bucyrus – Bucyrus anxious to get off 21-game snide, but it won't happen here. Baker's Picks2024 Record: 121-26THURSDAY'S GAMESColumbus Grove over PANDORA-GILBOA – In preseason interviews, Grove stressed starting the season 3-0. P-G will pose a challenge, but the Bulldogs should prevail.Leetonia over VANLUE – Two teams that went winless last year, and two teams separated by 160 miles. That's a tough one to pick.FRIDAY'S GAMESPine-Richland Pa. over FINDLAY – Findlay might have a tough time with so many new players at key positions.Upper Scioto Valley over ADA—The Bulldogs lost some big time players off last season's team. USV is coming off one of its best seasons ever.ARCADIA over Cory-Rawson—Arcadia has a bigger roster than last year and it's at home.Arlington over HARDIN NORTHERN – Cavinee should make a difference in key games.ELMWOOD over Lakota – JT Bates and his staff and players have been working hard this offseason and they should have a decent shot at win No. 1Leipsic over LAKE – Could be a big season for Marc Kirkendall and his Vikings.LIBERTY-BENTON over Ottawa-Glandorf – Seth Elchert may prove unstoppable this season.McComb over MONROEVILLE – McComb will certainly have its work cut out for it with four consecutive road games to start the season. But the Panthers tend to thrive on adversity.RIVERDALE over Ridgemont— The Archie comics and the Sean Penn movie collide! The Falcons should have the edge.VAN BUREN over Fostoria – The Van Buren seniors have never been to the playoffs. To get there, the Black Knights need to win games like this.HOPEWELL-LOUDON over Carey—No matter what happens over the years, it's hard to pick against a Brian Colatruglio coached team in Week 1.UPPER SANDUSKY over Northmor – I never know why there isn't an 'e' at the end of "Northmor."BLUFFTON over Benjamin Logan – A good first test for the Pirates, who lost a number of starters off last year's state semifinal team.NORTH BALTIMORE over Bucyrus—A happy return to the Tigers for coach Greg Bishop. Home team in caps.

​Fearless prognosticators back at it, making picks of the week

Fearless prognosticators back at it, making picks of the week