With a record number of participants, a new “Guy” has emerged in the leader spot after week one of the Playoff Payoff football pick’em contest sponsored by Bridgeport's Blue Dot Services. Jamie Guy is in the front position with an impressive 22-2 mark to top every individual in the field or more than 200.

 

Thanks to the showing, Guy takes home the weekly prize. Guy 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. Guy needs to contact Hannah Cantrell by emailing hannah@connect-bridgeport.com to claim the prize. Cantrell will get in touch with Guy no later than Monday of next week, but likely prior to that.

 

Guy’s percentage of 91.67 was enough to get the win against a bevy of competitors that tied for second place. In fact, 12 individuals finished with a 21-3 mark (87.5 percent. The group that managed to only get three incorrect includes Brian Martin, Brent Kimble, Chris Nutter, Scott Schield, Doug Marquette, Chris Gherman, A.J. DeFazio, Joe Barker, Scott Nicewarner, Kevin Carbacio, Steven Hastings and Jessica Hall.

 

The logjam after that was even bigger as 30 individuals round out the top 25 by tying for 14^th place. The huge group finishing 20-4 includes Derrick Bramer, Jarrod Hall, Jeff Weimer, Scott Phillips, Zach Kesling, Casey King, Jayson Nicewarner, Fred Spicer, Danny Hamrick, Sheila Mardmomen, Jeffrey Smell, Tyler Faris, Michael Ferrari, Eric Allen, Joseph Messe, Jonathan Ayoob, Brian Reider, Carol Bayless, Matt Duez, Tammy Halford, Susan Guzzi, Julie Earl, Mark Gray, Curt Burner, Chris Kerr, Robert Marra, Patricia Bombardiere, Mike Nicewarner, Todd Hineman and John Reeseman.

 

As for two-time defending champion Hugh Gainer, he’s in the mix. Gainer was among a massive group that finished 19-5.

 

For those that had a bad week, or for individuals looking to participate for the first time but think it’s going to cost them, it’s not a problem. Just as last year, the worst two weeks of the picks will be eliminated from the final standings. What that means is that if you have missed the first week, it will not count as long as you pick the remainder of the weeks.

 

Click HERE to go to the page to compete. If you are registered on Connect-Bridgeport.com, you can pick immediately. 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.

 

Even if you begin picking after the first two weeks, you will still be eligible for weekly prizes that will be announced. 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.

 

Editor's Note: Special thanks to Blue Dot Services for sponsoring this year's contest and making it have a nice payoff  for the winners.