If you’re able to successfully predict games inside the Buckeye 8 South Division you’re a smarter person than I am.

Last weekend gave area football fans a taste of what the remainder of the season in the South Division may feel like when Union Local held on to knock off Martins Ferry, while Bellaire rallied to get past Harrison Central.

I will eat crow and admit that I missed both of those games in last week’s ‘Pick Parade.’ I would like to point out, however, that both games could have definitely worked out to be victories in my record, but it is what it is.

Regardless of my record, the games are certainly entertaining, which is great for the fans and I am guessing the players would much rather take part in one of those than some 50-point beatdown, regardless of what end of the scoreboard they’re on. However, the coaches may be aging quickly because of the high intensity and drama-filled games.

I don’t think those kinds of games are just a fluke. I think it’s the beginning of a wild and crazy season that still has seven weeks to play out before our very eyes.

Take a look at this week’s card. St. Clairsville welcomes Martins Ferry and Union Local plays host to Harrison Central. To me, both of those games are ultimate coin-flip style games. Quite simply, there doesn’t appear to be that one super, dominant team that some schools have had in recent memory.

Basically, all of the teams are on a similar playing field and that’s being proven each week on the scoreboard.

St. Clairsville head coach Brett McLean summed it up perfectly when I spoke with him on Monday. He said, “it’s going to be wild all year. Every game is going to be a battle royale.”

It’s safe to say that both of the Buckeye 8 South games last weekend fell into that category.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out. While it’ll make for exciting Friday nights and Saturday afternoons, it could take a nasty toll on my Pick Parade record.

Because of the topsy-turvey season, following playoff positioning could become quite interesting, too. Regardless of what angle you’re looking at, this season is already interesting and only going to get better in the coming weeks.

RIVER FLOWING

Friday marked the first time I had covered a River football game since 2014. I came away more than impressed. The Pilots are sound in all three facets. It was their offense that was the most impressive. While everyone knows what kind of athlete and player junior quarterback Lukas Isaly is, they may not realize that the Pilots are no one-man band.

Isaly makes it go, but he’s by no means alone. I think that’s the part that impressed me the most. Head coach Mike Flannery did an exceptional job of spreading the wealth to all of his playmakers. Drew Wagnild might not be the most household name on a football field, but he could be very well become one. He’s a solid mix of speed and power. Braden Whetsell is a big-play threat as are Parker Caretti and Dakota Smith.

When you factor in that many playmakers with a veteran offensive line and you realize why the Pilots are 3-0 entering this week’s game with cross-river rival Magnolia.

After Magnolia, the Pilots host the Columbus Crusaders in a game that won’t count in the OHSAA’s playoff ratings and then welcome Shadyside to Flannery Field. That game has a chance to be one of the best of the season in the Ohio Valley.

KILLER B’s

Barnesville was expected to be one of the premier teams in the Ohio Valley this season and thus far the Shamrocks have done nothing to change anyone’s opinion. Actually, the way the Shamrocks have peformed in their three straight wins, they may have strengthened the belief.

While most expected and knew senior running back Caide Bunfill would be one of the Shamrocks’ top options on offense, some didn’t realize that Matthew Burkhart would take on such a prominent role. Obviously, Burkhart is a veteran and knows the system inside and out, but in the last couple of years he’s been more of a game manager.

Burkhart is becoming much more than a secondary option or game manager. Take last week at Magnolia for instance. Burkhart did it with his arm and his legs in helping to lead the Shamrocks to a victory. He rushed 9 times for 120 yards and a touchdown and he completed 8-of-14 passes for 90 yards and a score. He also shined on defense.

Don’t think that Bunfill didn’t play a role, too. He was up to his usual tricks. He rushed 23 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Bunfill is over the 500-yard plateau through three games.

Another ‘B’ you can add to the swarm is Butch Holskey. While Burkhart and Bunfill are posting the yards, Holskey is a punishing lead blocker and also a key component to the Barnesville defense.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

St. Clairsville found itself in an unfamiliar position entering last week’s game at Meadowbrook. For the first time since Brett McLean has been at the helm, the Red Devils were 0-2.

Thanks to a solid ground game provided by senior running back Joey Maroon and Zach Bigelow having some time to operate in the passing game, the Red Devils got their first victory and avoided their first 0-3 start since 1996.

St. Clairsville has been hit hard by injury, but it’s also played three quality squads. On top of those factors, they had a boatload of graduation losses to replace and plenty of players gaining their first experience at the varsity level. The Red Devils are going to be a team that continues to get better as the season goes along.

The Red Devils face another stiff test this week when Martins Ferry comes calling.

Head coach Brett McLean isn’t exactly sure when he will have a firm grasp on his team because there are so many new faces.

“It may take all 10 games,” McLean said. “We have developed some depth. I actually can’t believe how many different players we’ve played.”

SPEED TO BURN

No matter the sport, speed is a necessary requirement for success. Bellaire has plenty of it and it was on full display last Saturday when the Big Reds handed first-year head coach Mark Spigarelli his first victory.

Bellaire was consistently able to get its playmakers the ball for big gains. Quarterback Mason Ramsay and wide receivers D’endonre Burney and Justyn Keyser had games to remember. Ramsay threw for 365 yards on just 16 completitions.

Burney, who was simply uncoverable against the Huskies, finished with 8 receptions for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns, including the game winner with 16.4 seconds to go. Keyser hauled in 5 passes for 142 yards and a score.

On top of those three, senior running Tyson Camsky rushed for just shy of 100 yards, finishing with more than 10 yards per carry and a touchdown.

The key for Bellaire was providing just enough time for Ramsay and the passing game. When he’s able to survey the field and give his receivers a chance to get into their routes, it was basically pitch and catch for big gains.

With those three skill players surrounding Ramsay, Bellaire has arguably the fastest three players on the field most every week.

When looking at the schedule, it’s not conceivable that Bellaire could get on a little run. It hosts winless John Marshall and Buckeye Local the next two weeks before heading to Steubenville Central to open October.

CHECKING IN ON THE LOCALS

LEVI NELSON has his Rittman Indians at 2-1 after they suffered a 34-26 loss to Mapleton. Nelson is a St. Clairsville High School graduate.

JOHN MAGISTRO, the former Bellaire High head coach, recorded his first victory of the season at Westerville Central by virtue of a 48-0 victory over University Prep from Pittsburgh last weekend.

MIKE ORLANDO, the Steubenville Central graduate, saw his Cincinnati McNicholas squad drop to 0-3 on the season thanks to a 40-10 defeat to Cincinnati Wyoming.

FRED RAY, the Martins Ferry High graduate, has his Fairvew, Ky. squad at 2-2. It was on the short end of a 62-12 count to Pikeville last Friday.