In the 1980s, he could be found during his high school days trying to help Washington Irving win games on the basketball court. In 2016, he can be found winning week four of the Carder Motors Football Playoff Payoff Pick’em Contest.

 

Clarksburg’s Tyrone Lockett walked away from the contest as the victor with a one-game margin in what was a tight week of individuals picking. Lockett finished the week 30-3 (78.26 percent) and now has the chance to choose his prize for the week. He has his choice of the two prizes for the week. He can choose a $25 gift certificate from Buffalo Wild Wings or a free small cheesecake from Almost Heaven Desserts.

 

There was a two-way tie for second place. John Strovers and Ron Sandreth both finished the week 29-4 (87.88 percent). While both were strong, Strovers also was lucky as he won the blind draw between the two on a pick by a staff member of Bridgeport Parks and Recreation.

 

Both individuals need to contact Hannah Edwards via email at hannah@connect-bridgeport.com. She will make arrangements to allow those individuals to pick up their prizes or receive them in another manner. She will get back to those individuals no later than the end of the week. In the event she does not hear from Lockett by Friday, Strovers will then be given his choice of the prize.

 

As for the rest of the field, it was crowded and close. In fact, there was a seven-way tie for fourth place. The group of Michael Andrew, Fred Spicer, Jay Garrett, Michael Mann, Jason Hartman, Logan Hoskinson, and Kyle Noble finished the week 28-5 (84.85 percent).

 

A bigger group of those in the field, 12 to be exact, were even at the No. 11 spot. The group finishing there included Michelle Reider, Chris Strogen, Vernon Louk, Rick Knicely, Rob Stallman, Brian Reider, Jason Jimmie, Rick Crowley, Ryan Riley, Zachary Markley, Pat Boyles, and Carol Hilton. They all had a 27-6 (81.82 Percent) mark on the week.

 

Incredibly 33 eligible individuals (one person not included per rules – must include full name and no single names or nicknames) finished tied for 23^rd place. The group features Dan Glover, Chris Byrd, Adam Holbert, Sue Teter, Harold Tate, Danny Hamrick, Patrick Coberly, Michael Harki, Patsy Sabatelli, Theresa Roush, Chris Bowman, Justin Stevens, Mitch Osbourn, Richard Houck, Adam Heaster, Tyler Furbee, Frank Blake, Jamie Guy, Hugh Gainer, Butch Elliott, Andrew Banko, A.J. DeFazio, Stephen Cromwell, Gary Lhotsky, Mike Alastanos, Chuck Cain, Ron Huffman, Dave Stingo, Tamie Arbogast, Justin Richter, Russell Carpenter, Joseph Elrod, and Craig Trippett.

 

As for the overall standings, there’s a new top dog in the rankings. However, the race at the top is extremely competitive.

 

Jason Hartman is the overall leader this week with a record of 92-23 (80 percent). He is followed by Jamie Guy and Patrick Coberly, both at 91-24 (79.13 percent). This week’s winner, Tyrone Lockett, is all alone in fourth place at 90-25 (78.26 percent).

 

The first big deadlock comes at the fifth spot. Rob Stallman, Aaron Mann, Adam Holbert and Tamie Arbogast are all at 89-26 (77.39 percent). Seven individuals – Mike Alastanos, Justin Stevens, Brian Reider, Andrew Banko, Gary Lhotsky, Michael Mann and Brent Kimble – are in the No. 9 spot with records of 88-27 (76.52 percent).

 

The top 25 closes with a 10-way tie in the No. 16 position. The group of Bill Montgomery, Mark Trippett, David Wagner, Kelly Ayoob, Kevin Carbacio, Patsy Sabatelli, Dan Glover, Gilbert Kelley, Mitch Osbourn, and Vernon Louk are deadlocked with 87-28 (75.65 percent) records.

 

Prizes at the end of the year will go to the top three finishers. Two of \the prizes have been finalized.

 

The prizes include a $500 gift certificate from the Meadowbrook Mall and a golf package trip. This year, that is a mid-week package at Oglebay Resort & Conference Center in Wheeling that features one (1) night’s lodging in the newly renovated West Family Wing of Wilson Lodge for up to two people sharing the same room, a breakfast buffet for two, 18 holes of golf with cart on the Robert Trent Jones Course for each and 18 holes of golf with cart on the Arnold Palmer Course for each. The final prize will be announced at a later date.

 

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.

 

As noted in previous stories, at the end of the year the individual with the top record isn’t necessarily the overall winner. What makes the Carder Motors Playoff Payoff competition unique is that once the contest is over everyone that competes has their two worst weeks dropped and then the winner is announced based on the highest winning percentage after that. Each week, however, Connect-Bridgeport will do a story highlighting the weekly top 25 and weekly winner as well as the leader of the overall contest.

 

With four weeks in the books, it will be difficult for anyone not registered to win the overall prizes. However, you can still enter and win weekly prizes.

 

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.