In a week that saw several upsets in the NFL, it showed in Week 14 of the Dyer Group Playoff Payoff. However, it didn’t impact 1986 Bridgeport High School graduate Jody Hinkle.

 

Hinkle walked away the solo winner with a 22-5 record to pace the field. Hinkle now needs to provide contact information (street mailing address in particular) to Ben Queen by emailing him at ben@benqueenphotography.com. Hinkle has a choice between a gift certificate from Buffalo Wild Wings and a small cheesecake from Almost Heaven Dessert that needs to be listed in the email as well.

 

The runner-up spot was more cramped. Six individuals were even with a 21-6 mark, but it was a former area baseball coach that managed to get the luck of the draw. Clarksburg’s Jeff Yoho was the individual with the picking skills and the luck to earn the prize. He will need to contact Queen via email as well and will receive the prize not taken by Hinkle.

 

Joining Yoho in second place this week are Jason Hartman, Kelly Ayoob, Michael Harki and Jeff Muller. Eleven individuals are tied for seventh place with Patsy Sabatelli, Michael Ferrari, Curt Burner, Anthony Maholic, Tyrone Lockett, Chuck Cain, Gilbert Kelley, Jason McCall, David Marshall, Brandon Price, and Tim Bailey all at 20-7.

 

Rounding out the top 25 is a 19-way tie for the No. 18 spot. The group of Alex McLaughlin, Rick Douglas, Eric Jefferies, Jim McCracken, Gerald Hull, Carlos A.  Davis, Jeff Weimer, Brian Martin Chris Cleghorn, WJ Bramer, John Satterfield, Andrew Banko, Sharon Stutler, Jimmy Stutler, Chris Oliverio, Jason Dodd, Pat Boyles, Ryan Riley, and Matt Duez all came in a 19-8.

 

In the overall standings, former champion Jason Hartman increased his lead as the contest wears down. Hartman stands at 318-75 on the year with Clayce Spurlock in second with a record of 311-82. Jimmy Stutler is in third place with a mark of 309-84.

 

There is a three-way tie for fourth place. Hugh Gainer, Aaron Williams, and Jeff Muller all stand at 308-85. In seventh place is Aaron Mann at 306-87, while Brian Martin is in eighth at 305-88 and Patsy Sabatelli is ninth at 304-89.

 

David Gillot, James Burton II and Timmy Thompson all come in at 303-90 for a tie in the top 10. Four individuals – Stacy Greely, Michael Mann, Adam Holbert and Scott Price – are all at 302-91 on the year and knotted up at No. 13.

 

Five in the field are even at No. 17 as Michael Wilhelm, Louis Aragona, Anthony Maholic, Gary Romano and Adam Starkey come in at 301-92. That group is followed by a trio tied at No. 22 as Kalie Kossar, Amber Gaines and Jason Jimmie have 300-93 marks. Joseph Pecarro is at No. 25 at 299-94.

 

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 usually goes 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 Dyer Group 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.

 

If you haven’t entered at this point, you won’t be able to win any of the grand prizes. However, you can still enter and be eligible for weekly prizes and bragging rights with friends.

 

If you are a registered member of Connect-Bridgeport's Web site, all you must 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.

 

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