Pigskin Pick’Em: Week Nine

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

It’s Week No. 9 of the 2017 high school football season, and some interesting games dot this week’s schedule. Some have league/conference title and/or playoff implications, while others could turn out to be entertaining games.

It’s a bit different than last week’s schedule, which consisted of many mismatches. For the record, I was 17-3 last week (85 percent) and my overall record is 132-52 (71.7 percent).

Here are my predictions for Week No. 9 (projected winner in bold):

Celina (5-3) at Van Wert (4-4): As much as I want to pick the Cougars, I’m going with Celina. An option attack is difficult to prepare for, especially in a week’s time. I hope I’m wrong here. I’d love to see Van Wert win and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Delphos Jefferson (6-2) at Crestview (7-1): This has the potential to be a very good game between two teams tied for second in the NWC. Brenen Auer (over 1,100 yards rushing) is one of the area’s better running backs, and he can give any team fits. On the other hand, Crestview’s offense can be explosive, and the Knights can score on special teams as well. I’ll pick Crestview in a high-scoring game.

Delphos St. John’s (4-4) at Parkway (1-7): I believe Parkway is better than 1-7, but look for the Blue Jays to snap a two-game losing streak. The Blue Jays are out of the MAC title race, but remain a lock to advance to the playofffs.

Wapakoneta (5-3) at Ottawa-Glandorf (3-5): The Redskins have rebounded from an 0-2 start, and have won five of their last six. They seem to be on a roll. While the Titans have struggled at times this season, they are good enough to pull an upset. Even so, I’ll pick Wapakoneta.

Allen East (1-7) at Columbus Grove (2-6): Neither of these teams has a sparkling record, but this is a game that should be close. In fact, one could argue it’s a coin flip. Columbus Grove gave Delphos Jefferson all they could handle last Saturday. I predict they’ll edge the Mustangs on Friday.

Hicksville (6-2) at Wayne Trace (6-2): This one is huge. The Aces have a one-game lead over the Raiders in the Green Meadows Conference title race. If Hicksville wins, the Aces will be crowned NWC champs, and will basically clinch a playoff spot. If the Raiders win, there could be a tie for the conference title, and it would increase the team’s chances of hosting a playoff game in Week No. 11. I’ll give the nod to the Raiders.

Bluffton (3-5) at Ada (5-3): This should be a good one, and the Bulldogs need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Don’t be fooled by Bluffton’s record, as the Pirates have played a very tough schedule. In a mild upset, I’m picking Bluffton.

Other games: Defiance at St. Marys, Shawnee at Bath, Kenton at Elida, Paulding at Spencerville, Tinora at Antwerp, Edgerton at Ayersville, Fairview at Holgate, Lima Central Catholic at Troy Christian, Toledo St. John’s at Lima Sr., Versailles at Minster, Marion Local at St. Henry, Fort Recovery at New Bremen, Anna at Coldwater.