SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
Three rematches highlight this week’s Pigskin Pick’Em games, as we get ready for Week No. 12. It’ll be interesting to see how those rematches and other games go and we’ll see how, if at all, the bye week has/had any affect on teams that are seeded 1-4.
Last week I went 9-2 (81.8 percent), with the misfires being Bluffton and Minster. The Pirates were stunned by Western Reserve and Minster lost a 50-48 shootout to Lehman Catholic. My overall season record is now 180-38 (82.5 percent). This week, regional quarterfinal games involving area teams don’t seem to be the most competitive, at least on paper. We’ll see how it turns out.
Games of the Week
Division III Region 10
Shawnee (8-3) at Wapakoneta (10-0)
These two WBL teams met in Week No. 7 and Wapakoneta cruised to a 42-14 win. I’m not sure if the margin will be that big this time but I don’t think Shawnee can keep up on the scoreboard. The Indians have had a fine season and as I’ve mentioned before, are the most improved team in the WBL, but it would be a big upset if they won this game. Yes, upsets happen but I don’t see it in this game.
The pick: Wapakoneta
St. Marys Memorial (8-3) at Medina Buckeye (10-0)
An exciting 36-34 win over Copley in the opening round has earned the Roughriders a matchup against the No. 1 seed Bucks, on the road. I have mixed feelings about Buckeye. On one hand, they’ve won four of their games by one score. On the other hand, they’ve played “up” most of the year, with five Division II teams on the schedule, along with a Division I team. Because of the No. 1 seed, I know some people believe Buckeye will cruise in this game but I’m not buying it. I think the Roughriders will keep this one close and will be right there at the end. However, I’m giving a slight edge to the Bucks at home.
The pick: Medina Buckeye
Division IV Region 14
Bellevue (8-3) at Bath (9-1)
In their last three games, the Bellevue Redmen have allowed a total of 15 points. In seven of their 11 games, they’ve allowed 14 or less. On the flip side, Bellevue hasn’t scored a ton of points. In six games, the Redmen have scored 16 or less and in their last three games, they’ve scored a combined 40 points. Bath has scored 34 or more in nine of their 10 games and in the other one, they scored 21. The Wildcats have given up a lot of points as well, but I can’t see them losing this game. Bellevue is a QB run heavy team that likes to eat time off the clock but for that to work in this game, they’ll have to finish off every drive with a touchdown, which is something they’ve struggled to do. Bath is the favorite in this game and I see no reason to pick against the Wildcats.
(more…)POSTED: 11/05/25 at 9:45 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
This week’s installment of Random Thoughts includes congratulations, rematches in the football playoffs, College Football Playoff rankings, and a career reflection.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the Crestview boys’ cross country team – Division IV state champions. Entering the season, the consensus seemed to be this team would be something special and those thoughts were indeed correct. What a season it was, with plenty of personal and school records set, victories, a No. 1 ranking in the coaches poll and the ultimate – a state title, the first cross country title in school history and in Van Wert County history.
As head coach Randy Grandstaff noted – the stage was set in 2024, when the Knights finished second in Division III. That was enough motiviation and all of the hard work paid off.
Congratulations to all local cross country runners that made it to state. Lincolnview’s Brynleigh Moody qualifed for four straight years and Van Wert sophomore Symphony Schuerman has qualified twice.
Overall, Van Wert County was able to boast some talented distance runners this season and that trend is expected to continue with up and coming talent. Van Wert’s girls’ team is a prime example, with a sophomore and three freshmen among the top five runners. Look out Division III.
More congratulations
Congratulations to Crestview’s Kaci Gregory, named Division VI second team All-Ohio by the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association. It won’t be long before we see her on the basketball court.
Rematches
Three rematches are on tap in this week’s football regional quarterfinals.
- In Division III, Region 10, Wapakoneta will host Shawnee.
- In Division VI, Region 22, Paulding will entertain Fairview.
- In Division VII, Region 28, St. Henry will host New Bremen.
Wapak and Shawnee met in Week No. 7, with the Redskins posting a decisive 42-14 win. When Paulding and Fairview met in Week No. 6, a late long pass gave the Panthers a 36-31 win. New Bremen and St. Henry met in Week No. 9 and the Redskins posted a very business-like 20-0 win over the Cardinals.
(more…)POSTED: 11/03/25 at 9:44 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
Alexander Eby, an eighth grader at Van Wert Middle School recently bowled a perfect 300 game during the Youth City Tournament at Olympic Lanes in Van Wert. Photo submitted
POSTED: 11/03/25 at 9:43 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
Crestview’s boys’ cross country team has made history. The Knights became the first team in school history and in Van Wert County to win a cross country state championship. The team accomplished the feat during Saturday’s OHSAA cross country state championships at Fortress Obetz & Memorial Park. Wyatt Richardson/Van Wert independent
POSTED: 11/02/25 at 6:24 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
OBETZ — A year after finishing as the Division III state runner-up, Crestview High School is adding a state championship trophy to its trophy case.
For the first time in school history, the Knights are cross country state champions. Competing in Division IV this season, Crestview earned 2025 title during Saturday’s OHSAA cross country state championships at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park near Columbus. The Knights, who also finished No. 1 in the Division IV OATCC (Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches) poll, finished with 86 team points, enough to outdistance runner-up and NWC foe Columbus Grove (99). The team also became the first Van Wert County cross country team to win a state title.
“Last year we had unexpected success at the Division III level, being state runners-up and after that we were completely focused once we stepped off the podium last year,” Crestview head coach Randy Grandstaff said. “Their hard work and dedication to be No. 1 this year was all that needed to be done and they did it today.”
“These boys came into the season with a state championship as their top goal,” he continued. “Each week, I would set the bar a little higher with the workouts and all they did was exceed them week after week. They came into the season running fast and kept getting faster. We had two boys run in the 15s this year and go past a school record that stood for a long time.”
Lincoln Smith led Crestview with a 17th place finish and a time of 16:07. Derek Young (16:22) and Hudson Perrott (16:23) finished 25 and 26, followed by Kale Vining (43rd, 16:38), and Andrew Heth (63rd, 16:53). Caleb Thomas (73rd, 17:32) and Ian Owens (150th, 17:54) also competed for the Knights.
“The top five of this team are among the 10 fastest runners in 5K at Crestview,” Grandstaff said. “Saturday’s race was tight for most of the race. The first 400 (meters) we were in second to Rittman, at the mile we were in first, but at the two mile we were well behind Columbus Grove. Between mile two and three our boys really ran a great last mile.”
Bennett Lehman of Ansonia won the individual title with a time of 15:17.
(more…)POSTED: 11/02/25 at 6:23 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
From a Division III state runner-up finish last year to a Division IV state championship this year, the Crestview Knights were able to celebrate their accomplishments immediately after Saturday’s OHSAA cross country state championships. Wyatt Richardson/Van Wert independent
POSTED: 11/02/25 at 6:22 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
Submitted information
COLUMBUS – The 51st Annual Ohio High School Athletic Association girls volleyball state tournament begins Thursday at three sites in the Dayton area. The Nutter Center at Wright State University will once again host the state championship matches and some semifinal matches, while Wittenberg University and Vandalia Butler High School will also host semifinals.
OHSAA Girls Volleyball State Tournament Pairings
Home team listed first. Pairings include state rank from final regular-season OHSVCA coaches poll. All matched streamed live on NFHS Network.
Division I
No. 2 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (24-2) vs. Mentor (21-5), Saturday, noon at Vandalia Butler High School
Loveland (N/A) vs. Cincinnati No. 1 Seton (26-0), Saturday, 2 p.m. at Vandalia Butler High School
Championship Match: Sunday, 11 a.m. at Wright State University, Nutter Center
Division II
No. 5 Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame (17-9) vs. Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (25-1), Saturday, 4 p.m. at Wittenberg University
No. 2 Rocky River Magnificat (22-4) vs. No. 3 Avon (25-1), Saturday, 6:30 p.m. at Wittenberg University
Championship Match: Sunday, 3 p.m. at Wright State University, Nutter Center
(more…)POSTED: 11/02/25 at 6:21 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports/submitted information
COLUMBUS — The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced the pairings for the second round of the football playoffs. The top four seeds in each region earned a bye last week and will host the first-round winners this week in the regional quarterfinals on Friday, November 7. All games kick off Friday at 7 p.m. 14 area teams will be competing Friday.
The better seeded team will serve as the host through the first three rounds of the playoffs. The regional playoffs follow bracket format. Rebracketing will occur for the state semifinals.
The regional semifinals (third-round) games will be played on Friday, November 14. Neutral sites will be used beginning in the Regional Finals on Friday, November 21. The state semifinals will be on Friday, November 28, with the state championship games then hosted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton December 4-6.
OHSAA football regional quarterfinal playoff pairings
Pairings shown with regional seed. All games on Friday, November 7, at 7 p.m., unless indicated otherwise. NWC, WBL, GMC and MAC teams, along with Lima Sr. are listed in bold.
Division I
Region 1
No. 8 Berea-Midpark (7-4) at No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward (8-2)
No. 7 Massillon Jackson (6-5) at No. 2 Mentor (10-0)
No. 11 Medina (4-7) at No. 3 Canton McKinley (8-2)
No. 5 Perrysburg (9-2) at No. 4 Toledo Whitmer (8-2)
Region 2
No. 8 Lebanon (8-3) at No. 1 Middletown (8-2)
No. 7 Hilliard Bradley (6-5) at No. 2 Troy (8-2)
No. 6 Huber Heights Wayne (7-4) at No. 3 Findlay (6-4)
No. 5 Springfield (7-4) at No. 4 Springboro (7-3)
Region 3
No. 8 Delaware Olentangy Berlin (6-5) at No. 1 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (10-0)
No. 10 Groveport Madison (6-5) at No. 2 Pickerington Central (9-1)
No. 6 Upper Arlington (9-2) at No. 3 Pickerington North (9-1)
No. 5 Powell Olentangy Liberty (7-4) at No. 4 Lewis Center Olentangy (8-2)
(more…)POSTED: 11/02/25 at 6:20 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports
Here are scores of area high school football playoff games played on Friday, October 31.
Division II Region 8
Lima Sr. 62 Cincinnati Aiken 20
Division III Region 10
Shawnee 19 Parma Heights Holy Name 10
St. Marys Memorial 36 Copley 34
Division VI Region 22
Fairview 42 Tinora 6
Western Reserve 36 Bluffton 31
Division VI Region 24
Anna 54 Cincinnati Deer Park 15
Coldwater 48 Covington 0
Division VII Region 26
Edon 28 Edgerton 21
Division VII Region 28
Fort Recovery 34 Cincinnati College Prep 8
Lehman Catholic 50 Minster 48
New Bremen 36 Ansonia 8
POSTED: 10/31/25 at 9:12 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports
Van Wert head football coach Keith Recker said it best – the 2025 regular season was kind of a blur. It’s now in the books and the playoffs are upon us. Congratulations to WBL champion Wapakoneta, NWC champion Columbus Grove, GMC champion Paulding, MAC champion Marion Local and TCL champion Lima Sr. and all area teams that qualified for the postseason.
This year’s playoff format is different. Instead of the top 16 teams per region, the top 12 teams per region have qualified. The OHSAA made the decision to reduce the field after the results of the 16 team format were, well, very predictable in the opening two rounds. The top four seeds in each region have an opening round bye, and seeds 5-12 are in action Friday night, with the higher seeds hosting.
Last week I went 16-3 (second consecutive week, 84.2 percent), which left my final regular season record at 178-36 (83.1 percent). This week, 11 area playoff games in different regions are on the Pigskin Pick’Em slate. There would be more but seven teams – Wapakoneta, Bath, Paulding, Lima Central Catholic, Columbus Grove, Marion Local and St. Henry each have a first round bye. Pigskin Pick’Em will continue as long as there are area teams in the playoffs and will conclude with picks in all seven state championship games, regardless of who is playing.
Games of the Week
Division III Region 10
Holy Name (6-4) at Shawnee (7-3)
Holy Name out of Parma Heights, close to three hours away from Lima, is the No. 10 seed and the Green Wave don’t exactly light up the scoreboard. After scoring 55 points in the season opener against 1-9 Normandy, Holy Name averaged 14 points per game in the remaining nine games. On the flip side, the Green Wave allowed 13 points or less in six games. No. 7 seed Shawnee is the WBL’s most improved team, going from 2-8 in 2024 to 7-3 this season, and the three losses came to teams with a combined 26-4 record. This is Shawnee’s first playoff appearance since 2021, while Holy Name has been in the playoffs five of the last six seasons. If you go strictly by seeds, Shawnee is the favorite but for some reason I feel an upset brewing. Nonetheless, I’ll go with the Indians at home.
The pick: Shawnee
Copley (7-3) at St. Marys Memorial (7-3)
(more…)POSTED: 10/29/25 at 8:34 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
