For the opening week of the season, the ThisWeekSPORTS.com Predictions Panel was in midseason form, as all but two of the 15 panelists posted at least 10 victories. They were led by Frank DiRenna, who went 13-2.
As for our Lone Wolf picks – games in which one panelist has picked against the other 14 – the staff went 0-3, with Steve Blackledge, Scott Hummel and Patrick Dolan all coming up short on those longshots. There is only one Lone Wolf pick for Week 2, and it will be renamed for one week because John Hulkenberg is going Lone Ranger in taking the Cowboys of Columbus West to topple the Centennial Stars.
This will be an interesting week because we can’t recall the staff being so divided. Two games had an 8-7 split and five others had a 9-6 vote.
Enjoy Week 2!
HILLIARD DAVIDSON at HILLIARD DARBY
Wildcats: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Purpura, Stevenson
Panthers: Baker, Dolan, Hummel, Resnik, Thompson, Ulrey
BIG WALNUT at BUCKEYE VALLEY
Golden Eagles: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Resnik, Stevenson, Thompson, Ulrey
Barons: DiRenna, Purpura
CENTRAL CROSSING at BEECHCROFT
Comets: Baker, Blackledge, DiRenna, Frantz, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik, Thompson, Ulrey
Cougars: Cochran, Dolan, Gerfen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Stevenson
COLUMBUS WEST at CENTENNIAL
Cowboys: Hulkenberg
Stars: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Thompson, Ulrey
DELAWARE vs. MARYSVILLE
Pacers: Baker, Blackledge, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Ulrey
Monarchs: Cochran, DiRenna, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Thompson
DESALES at DUBLIN JEROME
Stallions: Baker, Dolan, Hulkenberg, Resnik, Ulrey
Celtics: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Hummel, Purpura, Stevenson, Thompson
DUBLIN SCIOTO at NEW ALBANY
Irish: Cochran, DiRenna, Resnik, Stevenson
Eagles: Baker, Blackledge, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Thompson, Ulrey
EASTMOOR ACADEMY at ST. CHARLES
Warriors: Cochran, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Ulrey
Cardinals: Baker, Blackledge, DiRenna, Hennen, Stevenson, Resnik, Thompson
FRANKLIN HEIGHTS at HARVEST PREP
Falcons: Baker, Hennen
Warriors: Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Dolan, Frantz, Gerfen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Thompson, Ulrey
HILLIARD BRADLEY at OLENTANGY ORANGE
Jaguars: Baker, DiRenna, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Purpura, Resnik, Thompson, Ulrey
Pioneers: Blackledge, Cochran, Dolan, Frantz, Hummel, Stevenson
MARIA STEIN MARION LOCAL at WATTERSON
Flyers: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, Dolan, Frantz, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Resnik, Thompson, Ulrey
Eagles: DiRenna, Gerfen, Purpura, Stevenson
MIAMISBURG at OLENTANGY
Vikings: Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Hummel, Thompson, Ulrey
Braves: Baker, DiRenna, Dolan, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson
THOMAS WORTHINGTON at WESTERVILLE NORTH
Cardinals: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Dolan, Gerfen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson
Warriors: Frantz, Hennen, Thompson, Ulrey
WEST JEFFERSON at READY
Roughriders: Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson
Silver Knights: Baker, DiRenna, Dolan, Gerfen, Thompson, Ulrey
WESTLAND at MARION-FRANKLIN
Cougars: Baker, DiRenna, Dolan, Gerfen, Hennen, Hulkenberg, Hummel, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
Red Devils: Blackledge, Cochran, Frantz, Thompson
STANDINGSFrank DiRenna 13-2 last week
Eric Frantz 12-3
Ryan Baker 11-4
Scott Hennen 11-4
Steve Blackledge 11-4
Scott Hummel 11-4
Andy Resnik 11-4
John Hulkenberg 10-5
Jeff Stevenson 10-5
Scott Gerfen 10-5
Neil Thompson 10-5
Jarrod Ulrey 10-5
Patrick Dolan 10-5
Lee Cochran 9-6
Dave Purpura 7-8
sporst@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekSports