Tesh or CASA?

Jeff Runge or John Beutler?

If the 2016 Coeur d’Alene Press All-Star Pigskin Prognosticators contest were to end today, a coin toss would determine which local nonprofit — and which gridiron guesser — would rule the world and also claim four free half-page ads in The Press. But fortunately for the other 10 pigskin pickers, we’re only a quarter of the way through the regular season, so there’s still plenty of prognosticating to do.

Runge and Beutler have surged into a tie for first place partly because of their predictive prowess, but also because former leader of the pack and Chicago sports critic Mark Koerner fell on hard times last weekend. Koerner, who’s playing for Coeur d’Alene food bank, suffered a 7-9 record over the weekend and now stands at a still respectable 30-18 mark on the season.

Runge, 11-5 last weekend and 33-15 overall, is playing for an organization (Tesh) that helps people with disabilities reach their full potential. He and Eve Knudtsen were the only two pickers to nail Philadelphia’s smashing of the Steelers. Beutler (11-5; 33-15), who’s playing for a nonprofit (Court Appointed Special Advocates) that provides support to vulnerable children inside and outside the courtroom, rode the Vikings’ victorious longship into Carolina, leaving a pile of Panther poo in its wake.

But just so Beutler and Runge don’t get complacent, upstart Ryan Davis (playing for St. Vincent de Paul) posted an unparalleled 12-4 record last weekend to vault into second place (32-16) all by his lonesome. Not only was Davis No. 1, but his pigskin prognosticating nemesis, Jeff Conroy (playing for Boys & Girls Club), recorded the worst mark (6-10) of the weekend.

All that’s history now. For this week’s picks, proceed immediately to B5.