Sports editor considering extreme measures to improve his record in picks

This is only Week 4 of the Pigskin picks, and already we are sensing a bit of desperation on the part of sports editor Zach Baker.It started late Friday night when Baker, Dave Hanneman and part-timer Riley Dickinson were wrapping up their game stories and starting on other write-ups for the area roundup. Of key interest were results of the games Baker and Hanneman had disagreed on in their weekly picks.Arlington's win over Ada drew a noticeable groan from Baker. Arcadia's victory over Riverdale triggered another. And when the stat sheet came in showing North Baltimore had beaten Elgin, Baker realized the sweep was complete.He'd lost all three games, he'd gone 9-6 for the week, his overall record stood at 30-17, and his two-game deficit in the picks entering the night had mushroomed to five.We sensed a note of desperation in his voice as the new week started."I've been so horrible at picking games this year that I'm considering alternative strategies," he said."Picking teams out of a hat, using an ouija board, consulting palm readers, everything is on the table …"He even offered an ace-in-the-hole stop-gap measure."If all that fails," he said, "I may ask my 12- and 14-year-old nieces to pick the games. They live near Akron and they don't know anything about nor care about football. But at this point, I'm sure even they could get a better record than the one I've got right now."While his won/loss record is uncertain this week, one thing we do know is that Baker will definitely not lose any ground in the standings because he and Hanneman, in a rare example of prognostication duplication, have agreed on all 13 games on the schedule. Hanneman's PicksLast week 12-3; overall 35-12 Findlay over SYLVANIA SOUTHVIEW – Cougars have been shut out the past two games, but that doesn't mean this one will be easy.ADA over Elmwood – Bulldogs return home and rebound from last week's loss to Arlington.McComb over ARCADIA – When's the last time Arcadia had the better record when these two teams squared off?ARLINGTON over Van Buren – Knights are in a brutal stretch of games where the last, current and next teams they face are a combined 8-1.PANDORA-GILBOA over Leipsic – BVC game of the week in my humble opinion. Vikings haven't lost, but they haven't been winning comfortably, either. And the game is at P-G, where the Rockets have won eight straight and 11 of their last 12.LIBERTY-BENTON over Riverdale – Right now, the first five teams Liberty-Benton will face this season are a combined 1-14. That's not a comment on the schedule; that's just the way it is some years. If those same five schools were a combined 14-1, I don't think it would make a difference, not this year anyway.Carey over UPPER SANDUSKY – Last time Carey came out on the short end of this battle was 2015. I think that's also the last season the Blue Devils, off to an 0-3 start, had a four-game losing streak. Will history repeat itself?BLUFFTON over Delphos Jefferson – Jefferson has already been mauled by two 3-0 teams. Now they face another 3-0 team that is ranked No. 2 in the state poll and may be the best of the bunch.COLUMBUS GROVE over Spencerville – Grove has done so well for so long, people think an 0-3 start is the end of the world. Trust me, it's not.NORTH BALTIMORE over Cory-Rawson – All the talent in the world and all the Xs and Os on the whiteboard can only do so much. At some point things like self confidence and a belief in a system that is working well starts to take over and I think that's the direction the Tigers are headed.OAK HARBOR over Fostoria – Math was never my favorite (or best) subject. But when I see that 3-0 Oak Harbor is averaging 44 points a game and 0-3 Fostoria has been giving up an average of 44.7, heck, even I can crunch the numbers on that one.Wapakoneta over OTTAWA-GLANDORF – It's been a tough start for the Titans, who are pretty banged up and now have to face the Western Buckeye League big dog riding a 21-game regular season winning streak.LUCAS over Vanlue – Second straight road trip for the Wildcats, and they'll be going up against a pretty good program in Lucas. The Cubs, who will be joining Carey and Upper Sandusky as a member of the Northern 10 Conference next school year, have made 11 straight playoff appearances. Baker's PicksLast week 9-6; overall 30-17Findlay over SYLVANIA SOUTHVIEW – Southview has been outscored 62-0 over the last two weeks, and Findlay's defense appears to be rounding into form.ADA over Elmwood – Ada gets back on track after tough loss to ArlingtonMcComb over ARCADIA –McComb hasn't lost much, period, over the years. But it rarely gets beat the way it did last week. Look for the Panthers to come out ready.ARLINGTON over Van Buren – Through three weeks, Arlington is outscoring opponents 109-14. It feels like the Red Devils have found another gear.PANDORA-GILBOA over Leipsic – Should be a fun game between two of the area's top quarterbacks: the Vikings' Marc Kirkendall and P-G's Cory Gerten. I'll take P-G in a barnburner.LIBERTY-BENTON over Riverdale – Seth Elchert has always been a standout player and a top receiver. But this year with the Eagles, he appears to have gone from excellent to unstoppable.Carey over UPPER SANDUSKY – The Blue Devils pick up their first win of '25BLUFFTON over Delphos Jefferson – I may not put too much thought into whether to pick Bluffton until the Grove game.COLUMBUS GROVE over Spencerville – I don't think I recognized how much the Bulldogs would miss Trent Barraza. But even with a tough start, it's hard not to see Columbus Grove rolling again and being a force come playoff time.NORTH BALTIMORE over Cory-Rawson – Hornets gave Hardin Northern all it could handle last week, but I have to believe North Baltimore will start 4-0 for the first time in this millennium.OAK HARBOR over Fostoria – When considering Fostoria's plight – being 0-3 and facing the formidable Rockets – one is reminded of the opening lyrics to Bruce Springsteen's "Cover Me": "The times are tough now, just getting tougher…"Wapakoneta over OTTAWA-GLANDORF – O-G has had some close calls in trying to record its first win of the season. Keeping the game close against the unbeaten Redskins would be impressive in itself.LUCAS over Vanlue – Lucas has a lopsided win over Plymouth. Cubs should roll here.Home team in caps.