He’s already in a one Hall of Fame. This week, he takes a big step to become part of another.

 

Former Bridgeport resident and 1980 Bridgeport High School alumnus – and BHS Hall of Fame member – Curt Burner was the Week 7 winner of the Blue Dot Services Playoff Payoff contest. Burner had a strong week as he finished with a solid 30-4 mark for a crisp winning percentage of 88.24 percent.

 

Thanks to his showing, Burner takes home the weekly prize. He walks away with a gift certificate from Mountaineer World, which is situated just off Interstate 79 and below the Meadowbrook Mall as part of the Shops of Benny’s Place. Gillot needs to contact Hannah Cantrell by emailing hannah@connect-bridgeport.com to claim the prize. Cantrell will get in touch with Burner no later than Monday of next week, but likely prior to that.

 

Several individuals were on the cusp of being knotted up for the top spot, including some familiar names. JT Hilton and Doug Marquette were one game off, as both finished the week 29-5. There was also a three-way tie for fourth place with Chad Everson, Scott Strosnider and Kevin Carbacio all finishing 28-6.

 

The first of two huge deadlocks occur at the number seven spot where the computer randomly listed former Bridgeport Middle Football Coach Tom Fogg at the top of the list. Fogg was joined by 10 other individuals  - Dustin Vincent, Jordan Nuzum, Frank Brown, Michael Harki, Michael Hustead, Ryan Riley, Jeff Muller, Derrick Bramer, Gooch Holbert and Mike Ridgeway with identical 27-7 marks.

 

Rounding out the week’s top 25 was the biggest cluster of prognosticators with a 19-way tie. The group of Casey King, Delbert Leatherman, John Strovers, Sue Teter, Selina Herod, Bryan Albertson, Dan McNamee, Mary Beth Aman, Don Cumming, Matt Ash, Brent Kimble, Chris Nutter, Jeff Toquinto, Tony Masto, A.J. DeFazio, Chris Skidmore, Jimmy Coberly, Louis Aragona, and Michelle Leonard all finished 26-8.

 

For the third straight week, Bridgeport’s Louis Aragona has maintained the top spot with a 165-44 (78.95 percent) record. However, a fellow Bridgeport resident is right on his heels. Kevin Carbacio has closed the cap and is just one game behind – 164-45 (78.47 percent) – with more than half a season to go.

 

In third place, two former Bridgeport residents are tied. David Gillot and Dan McNamee both are 161-48 (77.03 percent). In the fifth place spot is Chris Nutter at 160-49 (76.55 percent), while John Pulice comes in by himself in the sixth spot at 159-50 (76.08 percent). Doug Marquette and A.J. DeFazio are tied for 7^th place at 158-51 (75.6 percent).

 

The ninth spot also features a two-way tie as Kelly Ayoob and Casey King are both at 157-52 (75.12 percent).  The first logjam comes in 11^th place as six individuals are all even. The group of Derrick Bramer, Eric Allen, Jeff  Toquinto, Danny Knight, Michael Mann, and two-time defending champion Hugh Gainer are at 156-53 (74.64 percent).

 

The biggest tie in the top 25 is the group rounding out the top 25 in the 17^th position. There are 11 individuals all even there with Jason Dodd, John Strovers, Bill Montgomery, Patsy Sabatelli, Mike Watkins, Michael Hustead, Michael Cross, James Stutler, Tom Fogg, Andrew Banko and Mike Nicewarner all looked together at 154-55 (73.68 percent).

 

For those that want to participate, it’s easy. If you are registered on Connect-Bridgeport.com, you can pick immediately by signing in and scrolling down the right side of the home page until you see the “Playoff Payoff” icon. If you are not registered go to the top of the page at www.connect-bridgeport.com and click on the "Sign Up" icon on the top right hand side of the home page. Once registered, you are free to pick.

 

Anyone can still enter and be eligible for the weekly prizes. The grand prize winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to the Meadowbrook Mall. There will be second and third place prizes as well. Remember, those picking will have their worst two weeks of the contest eliminated to help determine the winner.

 

As for the contest itself, each week, a story will detail the weekly winners as well as the overall leaders for the prizes. This year, the weekly winner will receive a gift card to either Mountaineer World or Mountaineer Grille (depending on the week). In the event of a tie, the winner will be chosen by a blind draw by a staff member working at the Benedum Civic Center.

 

Unfortunately, there are occasional schedule changes - usually on the prep football side - that staff does not catch; usually games moved to Thursday. 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.