It was a rough Week 4 as far as picking winners.
Tennessean high school sports coordinator Tom Kreager
How rough? I only picked 69 percent correctly. That comes a week after bragging in the office that my average had climbed to 73 percent. Several helped humble me, pointing out my miscues.
However, things will be different this week.
Lock of the week
Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens
There was a time I couldn’t accurately pick the winner between Oakland and Blackman. It was a running joke in Murfreesboro that whoever I chose in this game, the opposite would win.
In fact at one point some coaches asked me to pick against them.
However, those days are over.
The Patriots, led by LSU recruit JaCoby Stevens and Mississippi State recruit Kaleb Oliver, will get their third straight win over the Blaze.
The pick: Oakland 28, Blackman 10
Best of the rest
Macon County’s Seth Carlisle
Perhaps the most intriguing game now in The Tennessean’s top 10 games for Week 5 is Macon County’s Region 5-4A at Maplewood.
Junior quarterback Seth Carlisle leads Macon County (3-1, 0-1). The Tigers are averaging 36.3 points a game. However, Maplewood (3-1, 1-0) is giving up just 14.8 points per contest.
The pick: Maplewood 28, Macon Co. 14
Wildcats rolling
Battle Ground Academy is off to a 4-0 start for the second straight year.
Defense has been a key to the Wildcats’ hot start. Opponents are averaging just 7.8 points a game thus far. But that will be challenged Friday when BGA travels to University School of Jackson.
USJ is averaging 39.8 points a game.
The pick: BGA 35, USJ 28
Battle for No. 1
Brentwood Academy quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall
Chattanooga Baylor (4-0) is ranked No. 1 in Division II in the current Associated Press’ statewide poll. A win over the Red Raiders would give third-ranked Brentwood Academy a valid argument for being the top-ranked program in Division II.
The pick: Brentwood Academy 28, Baylor 24
Best in 3-6A
Franklin coach Donnie Webb
It’s been four years since Franklin defeated Ravenwood. That includes a 24-7 defeat in 2015.
However, Donnie Webb’s offense is beginning to fire on all cylinders after scoring 41 points against rival Brentwood a week ago.
The pick: Franklin 27, Ravenwood 17
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager.
The rest
MBA over McCallie
Independence over Summit
Hendersonville over Hillsboro
Cane Ridge over Beech
Marshall Co. over Giles Co.
Stratford over White House Heritage
Columbia Academy over Summertown
Nashville Overton over Antioch
Centennial over Clarksville Northeast
Hillwood over Clarksville Northwest
MTCS over Clay Co.
Collinwood over Houston Co.
Forrest over Community
Cookeville over Siegel
DCA over King’s Academy
Brentwood over Dickson Co.
Cascade over Eagleville
Sycamore over East Hickman
Ensworth over Pope John Paul II
Ezell-Harding over Zion Christian
Father Ryan over ECS
FRA over Mt. Juliet Christian
Lincoln Co. over Franklin Co.
Knoxville Webb over Friendship Christian
Gallatin over Glencliff
Trousdale Co. over Gordonsville
East Nashville over Greenbrier
Camden over Harpeth
Station Camp over Hunters Lane
Huntland over Mt. Pleasant
Watertown over Jackson Co.
Kenwood over Montgomery Central
Page over Lawrence Co.
Lipscomb Academy over Creek Wood
Clarksville Academy over McEwen
Franklin Grace over Moore Co.
Mt. Juliet over Lebanon
Nashville Christian over Jo Byrns
Huntingdon over Perry Co.
Pearl-Cohn over Portland
Monterey over Red Boiling Springs
Fayetteville over Richland
Riverdale over Coffee Co.
Clarksville over Rossview
Shelbyville over La Vergne
DeKalb Co. over Smith Co.
Springfield over White House
Cheatham Co. over Stewart Co.
Stewarts Creek over Columbia
Stone Memorial over Livingston Academy
Spring Hill over Tullahoma
Smyrna over Warren Co.
Waverly over Hickman Co.
Wayne Co. over Hollow Rock-Bruceton
Henry Co. over West Creek
Westmoreland over East Robertson
Goodpasture over Whites Creek
Wilson Central over McGavock
Cannon Co. over York Institute
Riverside over Loretto
Lewis Co. over Scotts Hill
Last week: 47-21
Season: 196-77 (.718)
