With the final weeks at hand, those looking to make a move at the top of the annual Carder Motors Playoff Payoff Football Pick’em competition are doing just that. In week 15 of the contest a former champion made a move to possibly win another contest.

 

Kevin Carbacio, who has won the contest twice before, had another big week and was the leading picker this week with a 23-3 overall mark. Carbacio will need to choose his prize by contacting Hannah Edwards at hannah@connect-bridgeport.com. He has a choice between a $25 gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings and a small cheesecake from Almost Heaven Desserts.

 

Two individuals were tied for runner-up, but it was Andrew Banko – a Bridgeport businessman celebrating his birthday this week – that won the blind draw. Banko will also need to send his contact information to Edwards to receive the prize not chosen by Carbacio. Banko was tied with another two-time former champion Hugh Gainer as both went 22-4.

 

Four individuals were tied at No. 4 this week. The group of Sue Teter, Sharon Bolyard, Michael Judy and Craig Kelley all finished the week at 21-5.

 

The huge tie came at the No. 8 spot and rounded out the top 25. Twenty-three individuals had the same mark to come in at the eighth position. The group of Mike Lemley, Jeff Alastanos, Joey Kenney, Brian Cain, Chris Dolan, Jody Hinkle, Chris Bowman, Pat Boyles, Jeff Muller, Brian Martin, Jeff Wright, Zachary Markley, Carlos A. Davis, Chris Cleghorn, Jayson Nicewarner, Michael Andrew, John Oldaker, Delbert Leatherman, Steven Hastings, Matt Ash, Michael Mann, Jeff Toquinto and Lenora Montgomery all finished at 20-6.

 

In the overall standings, Kevin Carbacio increased his overall advantage. Carbacio is 327-87, while Michael Andrew is his next closest competitor at 318-96. The first tie comes in at No. 3 as Jeff Muller and Hugh Gainer have identical 317-97 marks. There is a three-way tie at No. 3 as Louis Aragona, Frank Blake and Jason Hartman all stand at 313-101 on the year.

 

In eighth place overall is Kelly Ayoob at 312-102. Adam Holbert and Vernon Louk round out the top 10 and hold down the ninth spot at 311-103. At No. 11 is Bill Montgomery at 309-105 and Matt Ash and Frank Cherubino are even at No. 12 thanks to a showing of 30-106. Lenora Montgomery is at No. 14 thanks to her picking at a 307-107 clip.

 

One of two four-way ties in the top 25 comes in at No. 15. Curt Burner, Mark Trippett, Chris Oliverio, and Clayce Spurlock are even at 306-108. At No. 19 is Michael Mann at 305-109. David Wagner and John Oldaker round out the top 20 with records of 304-110 at No. 20.

 

At No. 22 overall is Darren Snyder. Snyder has a record of 303-111. James Burton II, Mike Alastanos, Aaron Mann and Jeff Toquinto round out the top 25 with the same 302-112 record as they are all deadlocked at No. 23.

 

Someone from the field of the hundreds registered will walk away the winner of some serious prizes. The prize packages are still being put together for the year. However, one of the top prizes include a $500 gift certificate from the Meadowbrook Mall. The top three pickers will be awarded prizes at the end of the contest, which goes well into December. The overall winner has their choice of the three prizes, while the second place winner will have their choice then of the final two remaining prizes.

 

What makes the Carder Motors Playoff Payoff competition unique is that once the contest is over you don’t necessarily know who the winner is even though you will see your weekly overall ranking and Connect-Bridgeport will post the weekly and overall top 25 throughout the contest. At the end of the year, everyone that competes has their two worst weeks dropped and then the winner is announced based on the highest winning percentage.

 

For those entering late, you may not win the end-of-the-contest prizes, but you can still win weekly prizes. And it’s easy to do.

 

If you are a registered member of Connect-Bridgeport's Web site, all you have to do is make sure you're signed in and the click the Playoff Payoff icon on the home page that can be found by scrolling down to the left. If you're not registered, go to the top of the home page and register. It takes less than a minute.

 

Another unique aspect of the competition is that you can make changes to your picks leading up to games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Individuals can make their picks for Friday’s games and can change them until 6 p.m. Friday. Games that are listed on Saturday and Sunday can be entered and changed as many times as necessary until 11 a.m. each day of the picks.

 

Unfortunately, there are occasional schedule changes - usually on the prep football side - that staff does not catch; usually games moved to Thursday or a time change bumped up. There are also occasional mistakes with the proper teams playing each other. As has been the case in the past, each person will either be given a win for those games when there are schedule changes we miss or a mistake on our end or a or they will simply not be counted for the weekly and final standings. This week, one NFL game was eliminated as it was listed twice.

 

You must use your actual name to compete. Nicknames or aliases will not be recognized for weekly or overall prizes.