Week 5 Picks: Perfect week still eluding picker, 10 losses already
MANSFIELD — Four weeks in and a perfect week eludes me.
I have officially matched my loss total from all of last season. After going 7-2 last week, I am now 20-10 for an embarrassing record considering I follow high school sports for a living.
But, I will keep on trucking away and I think this week might be the week I don't suffer a loss. There are a ton of tough ones to pick so let's get to it.
Mental tougness: 'I'm never walking again': Will's promise turns into hot start to freshman cross country season
New Philadelphia (3-1, 1-0) at Mansfield Senior (2-2, 1-0)
The Tygers's first five weeks of the season is no joke. They finally get through the gauntlet with New Philadelphia coming to town for another key Ohio Cardinal Conference contest between two of the league favorites. If the Tygers can win this one, there may be no stopping them in their quest. But New Philly is no joke. Their lone loss came to state powerhouse Steubenville in Week 2 and in the last two weeks, they have outscored OCC opponents Wooster and Ashland a combined 50-13 including a 28-0 win over the Arrows last week. But the Tygers are playing some of their best football right now. After a 38-28 win over West Holmes where the defense and special teams scored 18 of those points, I think the Tygers will continue to be opportunistic on their way to an OCC title.
Pick: Mansfield Senior.
Ontario (4-0, 1-0) at Clear Fork (1-3, 0-1)
I fully expected Ontario to be in a close game with River Valley last week and it was 35-0 by the end of the first quarter. That tells me the Warriors are legit and deserve a ton of respect. I picked the Colts to win last week and a 35-3 loss to Galion had me scratching my head. Luke Schlosser going down early in that game didn't help and if he can't play Friday night, it's going to be another tough one. Ontario's Bodpegn Miller is emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in Richland County and I expect him to ball out again in Week 5.
Pick: Ontario.
Lucas (2-2) at Crestview (1-3)
The Cubs went back to their bread and butter and have now won two straight without even attempting a pass. Crestview took a tough loss to Monroeville for its first Firelands Conference loss since 2020. The Cougars are undergoing a bit of a youth movement, but it is a talented young group that just needs some time to bake. The Cubs are playing their best football right now and I think that will show on Friday.
Pick: Lucas.
Lexington (2-2, 1-0) at Wooster (2-2, 1-0)
Wooster gave up 181 yards rushing to Madison in Week 4 while Lexington racked up 309 yards on the ground against Mount Vernon. That tells me all I need to know when picking this game. Lexington might be the team that has shown the most growth in the last two weeks with wins over Clear Fork and Mount Vernon. Joe Caudill is blossoming and Markale Martin is playing very well. Seven Allen is lightning in a bottle and Bradyen Fogle is a touchdown machine. I really like the direction the Minutemen are moving and I think they go on the road and knock off the Generals for the second straight season.
Pick: Lexington.
West Holmes (2-2, 0-1) at Madison (0-4, 0-1)
The Rams had some bright spots in last week's loss to Wooster, especially with 181 yards on the ground. Khris Adkins-Tolbert had 153 of those yards and two touchdowns. That is encouraging especially when West Holmes gave up 139 yards on the ground to Mansfield Senior last week. If the Rams have any hope of winning this game, they have to control the clock, sustain drives and keep West Holmes's offense off of the field. But the Knights are coming in angry after losing their first OCC game in more than 1,000 days and that is enough to make me pick them.
Pick: West Holmes.
Plymouth (2-2, 0-1) at St. Paul (1-3, 1-0)
I think I say this every year when I pick this game. Plymouth hasn't beaten St. Paul since 1994 ... when I was 4-years old. St. Paul has run the Firelands Conference for more than two decades and the Big Red haven't won a league title since 1983.
Pick: St. Paul.
Around the links: Perfect practice: Hoffbauer earns medalist honors at Ontario City Tournament with clutch shot
Galion (4-0, 1-0) at Shelby (3-1, 1-0)
This might just be the game of the week. Galion is 4-0 and coming off of a dominant win over Clear Fork where the Tigers scored 35 unanswered points to win 25-3. Shelby had another offensive explosion with a 45-14 win over Marion Harding in which Brayden DeVito scored five touchdowns and nearly had 400 yards of total offense. So, far, he is the MVP of the first half of the season and I think he shows it again on Friday night.
Pick: Shelby.
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
X: @JakeFurr11
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Week 5 Picks: Jake Furr makes his high school football picks
