The Playoffs are here so let’s have one more dive into weekly picks for this season. While I was pretty consistent over the regular season you already know that the playoffs are a whole different animal. Let’s get into the picks!
Record this season: 110-26 overall, 14-1 in week 10
Holy Name vs Tiffin Columbian - Columbian gets a home game for the second straight season after going winless two seasons before that.
Columbian looks to be peaking at the right time. Only a few close games with the others being blow outs.
Holy Name has some nice wins over Bay and Buckeye, but somewhat strange losses to Elyria Catholic and Padua Franciscan.
I’ll take the Tornadoes in this one.
Carey vs Western Reserve - Kudos to Carey for being able to rally and make the postseason thanks to an overtime win over Seneca East. Those kudos won’t help them against Western Reserve.
Going with the Roughriders
Norwayne vs Seneca East - Second straight season the Tigers open up with a 5-5 team that somehow made the postseason. Norwayne actually opened the season going 0-4 and still found a way to make it to week 11. The only team they beat worth a damn was Hillsdale.
Taking the Tigers over the Bobcats.
Mohawk vs Leipsic - How the tables have turned from a year ago! Last year Mohawk was the top ranked team in the state along with being the top team in Region 26. This year Leipsic is the top seed in the region with Mohawk finding a way to sneak in.
The biggest difference is that last year Leipsic got in at 9-1 with a loss to the eventual state champions for the second time. This Mohawk team is 6-4 with their biggest win being over Lakota or Hopewell-Loudon.
Going with Leipsic big in this one.
Edgerton vs McComb - Well, well then. Yet another rematch. This time from last year’s regional finals. Last year Edgerton dominated Pandora-Gilboa and it made us (all the people I talked with in the media before the game last year) expect they would do the same to McComb. McComb dominated that game from the moment the clock started.
McComb is banged up and clearly not the same team as last season, but they still managed to put up 35 on a pretty good Liberty-Benton defense last week. Oh, and they want another shot at Leipsic after losing to them for the first time in six year.
Give me the Panthers.
Arlington vs Patrick Henry - Now this should be a fun one. Arlington very easily could be 9-1 right now. If they had any semblance of a better offense against Liberty-Benton they beat them and don’t need to go into overtime.
They were up big on McComb in the first half before they got too conservative and let them back in the game in the later part of the second quarter.
Meanwhile Patrick Henry looks similar to last year’s team. They bring back QB/NG TJ Rhamy. They lost to three really good teams in Archbold, Wauseon and Liberty Center. All of which made the playoffs.
But I believe in the Arlington defense. And I believe in Connor Foust running the ball.
Give me the Red Devils over the Patriots.
Edon vs Norwalk St. Paul - I have to show some love to the one school from the TAAC making the postseason (I don’t want to talk about Northwood not making the playoffs. Leave me alone)
But Edon is a year ahead of schedule making the postseason this year. They start a crap ton of sophomores. Their losses came to three pretty good teams. Two of those made the playoffs (I SAID I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT IT)
St. Paul seemingly rested their starters in their Saturday tilt against Monroeville. Why else would they have randomly lost to a two win team? When their starters have played they’ve done pretty well. Aside from that loss to 9-1 Western Reserve points have been hard to come by.
Edon will score some points but won’t win the game. Taking the Flyers.
Liberty-Benton vs Eastwood. I won’t pick this game since it’s the game I’m calling. It should be a fun one! Join Matt Cotman and I live on Mix 96.7 WBVI and online here
