Perfection.

I strive for it each week and I have finally achieved it.

The ol’ Scoopmeister went 8-0 in the hybrid playoff/regular season week. I am now 86-22 and 73-13 since my auspicious 13-9 start to the season.

This week things get a whole lot more difficult, however.

We’re in playoff action now and there are five very difficult to predict games on the docket this week.

If I go 5-0 this week, well, that will be a feat.

Part of me hopes I don’t because of some of the picks I have made that you will see shortly.

Here we go. On to the picks:

Woodland Hills 25, Seneca Valley 22 — It pains me so to pick against the Raiders. In fact, the Butler Eagle staff was split on this game.

Seneca Valley has exceeded expectations this season. Not a whole lot of people outside of that school thought the Raiders would get back to the playoffs let alone win a postseason game.

But here they are, 9-1, and gunning for another playoff win.

Woodland Hills stands in their way and is a formidable test for SV.

My heart says Raiders, but my gut says Woody High.

Central Valley 25, Mars 20 — Another flip a coin game, the Planets have won nine straight coming into this game.

Central Valley is also 9-1 and has a smothering defense that has not given up more than 14 points in a game this season and only 46 total.

Mars also has a pretty good defense, so this could be a low scoring game.

Again, my heart says Mars, but my gut says Central Valley.

Karns City 41, St. Marys 16 — This one is a little bit easier to predict.

The Gremlins won the first meeting all the way back in Week 1 by the lopsided score of 42-0.

St. Marys has gotten better since then, but so has Karns City.

The Gremlins are loaded with weapons on the offensive side of the ball. They can run. They can pass. And they play some pretty solid defense.

It all adds up to a pretty tough night at Diehl Stadium for Dutch.

Clarion 54, Union 12 — Clarion looks unstoppable this season and beat the Golden Knights earlier in the season.

But Union didn’t have starting quarterback Lane Cicciarelli in that game.

The Golden Knights will have him this week and he should make an impact.

Clarion, though, is loaded.

Northwestern 26, Grove City 19 — Man, another tough one to call.

The Eagles have struggled at times this season and have their most losses (four) in the regular season since 2003.

Still, Grove City is coming off a much-needed bye and are definitely playoff tested playing in the tough Region 3-AA.

In what has been a trend this week, my emotions are saying Eagles, but my more analytical side is saying Northwestern.

Scoop is already second-guessing his choice to pick with his gut.