Friday Night Live: Third-round Playoff Staff Predictions
A 10-4 week allowed Frank DiRenna to extend his lead by one game to three as Andy Resnik went 7-7 to fall into third place in the ThisWeekSPORTS Predictions Panel standings. Second place now is held by Steve Blackledge, who also went 10-4. Scott Hennen, who is fourth at six games back, was the other member of the panel to go 10-4. Eric Frantz posted a week-best 11-3 record.
The staff went 0-2 in Lone Wolf picks with Scott Gerfen and Stephen Borgna both losing to drop our record to 3-12. We have five more picks in such games this week, two by Borgna, who was the only panelist to pick Tri-Valley to beat Hartley and Worthington Kilbourne to upset Olentangy. Also making Lone Wolf picks were Gerfen, who took Africentric to beat top-seeded Fort Frye, Andy Resnik, who took Danville over Newark Catholic and Hennen taking Olentangy Berlin to beat Westerville South.
Like last week, the staff has three unanimous picks: Pickerington Central over Hilliard Bradley, Massillon Perry beating Dublin Scioto and DeSales stopping Granville. It also should be noted the staff lost a unanimous pick last week when New Albany upset Pickerington North.
Enjoy the third week of the playoffs!
Third-round playoff predictions
Note: Seeds are in parentheses
7-1 Olentangy Liberty (4) at 8-0 Dublin Coffman (1)
Patriots: Baker, Gerfen
Shamrocks: Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
5-3 New Albany (10) at Westerville Central (3)
Eagles: Blackledge, Purpura, Stevenson
Warhawks: Baker, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Resnik, Ulrey
4-3 Watterson (6) at 6-0 Sheridan (3)
Eagles: Baker, Cochran, Frantz, Gerfen, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
Generals: Blackledge, Borgna, DiRenna, Hennen, Purpura
7-1 Heath (7) at 6-1 Licking Valley (2)
Bulldogs: Blackledge, Resnik
Panthers: Baker, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura, Stevenson, Ulrey
6-1 Harvest Prep (5) at 6-1 Columbus Academy (4)
Warriors: Baker, Cochran, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
Vikings: Blackledge, Borgna, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura
6-1 Liberty Union (7) at 7-0 Ridgewood (2)
Lions: Gerfen, Purpura, Resnik
Generals: Baker, Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Hennen, Stevenson, Ulrey
6-2 Ready (6) at 6-1 Wheelersburg (3)
Silver Knights: Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, Stevenson, Ulrey
Pirates: Baker, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik
5-3 Olentangy Berlin (11) at 6-0 Westerville South (3)
Bears: Hennen
Wildcats: Baker, Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
5-3 Worthington Kilbourne (12) at 5-2 Olentangy (4)
Wolves: Borgna
Braves: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
7-1 Tri-Valley (10) at 4-3 Hartley (2)
Scotties: Borgna
Hawks: Baker, Blackledge, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
4-3 Newark Catholic (5) at 5-2 Danville (4)
Green Wave: Baker, Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Gerfen, Hennen, Purpura, Stevenson, Ulrey
Blue Devils: Resnik
4-1 Africentric (8) at 7-0 Fort Frye (1)
Nubians: Gerfen
Cadets: Baker, Blackledge, Borgna, Cochran, DiRenna, Frantz, Hennen, Purpura, Resnik, Stevenson, Ulrey
3-5 Hilliard Bradley (13) at 8-0 Pickerington Central (1)
Jaguars:
Tigers: Unanimous pick
7-1 Dublin Scioto (8) at 7-0 Massillon Perry (1)
Irish:
Panthers: Unanimous pick
4-2 Granville (8) at 5-1 DeSales (1)
Blue Aces:
Stallions: Unanimous pick
Standings after seven weeks:
Frank DiRenna: 10-4 last week, 87-32 overall
Steve Blackledge: 10-4, 84-35
Andy Resnik: 7-7; 82-37
Scott Hennen: 10-4; 81-38
Ryan Baker: 8-6; 80-39
Eric Frantz: 11-3; 80-39
Jarrod Ulrey: 9-5, 78-41
Lee Cochran: 8-6; 76-43
Jeff Stevenson: 8-6; 75-44
Scott Gerfen: 7-7; 73-46
Dave Purpura: 7-7; 67-52
Stephen Borgna: 9-5; 64-55
Previous Predictions
Friday Night Live: Second-round Playoff Staff Predictions
Friday Night Live: First-round Playoff Staff Predictions
Friday Night Live: Week 6 Staff Predictions
Friday Night Live: Week 5 Staff Predictions
Friday Night Live: Week 4 Staff Predictions
Friday Night Live: Week 3 Staff Predictions