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By Sonny Jones

The football scores were coming in last Friday night.

East Bladen 35, South Columbus 14 (I picked South Columbus)
West Columbus 53, West Bladen 9 (I picked West Bladen)
Westover 40, St. Pauls 6 (I picked St. Pauls)

By this time I thought about singing Beck’s “I’m a loser, baby, so why don’t you kill me?”

That seemed a bit extreme so I went with “Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,” although I refused to cry.

For the record, I incorrectly picked half of the high school games last week. I’ve been trying to pick games off and on since 1979 for WBLA Radio, The Bladen Journal, The Richmond County Daily Journal, The Fayetteville Times, The Fayetteville Observer-Times, The Fayetteville Observer and Bladen Online and can’t remember a week I’ve done so poorly … but, here we are. Admittedly, I’m now an old man and retired, but come on.

Last week’s record: 7-6
Season record: 13-10 (57%)
Prep record: 5-5 (11-9, 55%)
College record: 2-1 (2-1, 67%)
Pro record: 0-0

WEEK 3 PICKS

WHITEVILLE at EAST BLADEN: The Eagles found their hardnosed, powerful running game last week in a 35-14 win at South Columbus. Now, the challenge in the home opener will be slowing down a Wolfpack squad that put 64 points on the board last week against West Brunswick. However, the Whiteville defense allowed 62. East Bladen 27, Whiteville 22.

N.C. STATE at EAST CAROLINA: Buckle up, Buttercup, it’s going to be rockin’ at Dowdy-Ficklen. The nationally 13th-ranked Wolfpack has high hopes this season. Is State going State this season? Wolfpack fans know what that means. The Pirates continue to improve under Mike Houston. N.C. State 35, East Carolina 24.

NORTH CAROLINA at APPALACHIAN STATE: Another place that will be rockin’ is Kidd Brewer in Boone. It helps that the Tar Heels have played a game, but the UNC defense better improve from its open. North Carolina 31, Appalachian State 27.

South Brunswick 45, West Bladen 13
Westover 42, Fairmont 6
St. Pauls 28, Northside-Jacksonville 13 (game canceled)
Clinton 27, E.E. Smith 20
South Lenoir 38, Midway 24
Heide Trask 49, Union 6
South Columbus 21, Loris, S.C. 16
Duke 27, Temple 19
Charlotte 24, William & Mary 14
Vanderbilt 35, Elon 17
Western Carolina 29, Charleston Southern 17
UNC Pembroke 23, Fayetteville State 15
Shenandoah 33, Methodist 24

FRIDAY’S PICK TO CLICK

Serena Williams admitted Wednesday after beating ?? in three sets that she has nothing to prove and is just having fun. She’ll have more fun in Round 3 against Ajla Tomljanovic and keep the crowd cheering.

THURSDAY’S PICK: A.T. Perry to have a pair of touchdown catches as Wake Forest opens its season against VMI. Perry had a school-record 15 TD catches last season. He won’t have Sam Hartman throwing the ball, but the Deacons have plenty of talent. RESULTS: Perry caught 3 passes for 47 yards and didn’t score a touchdown in Wake’s 44-10 win.

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY

• DP WORLD TOUR: Made in Himmerland, 7 a.m., GOLF

• TENNIS: U.S. Open, noon, ESPN

• LPGA: Dana Open, 1 p.m., GOLF

• KORN FERRY: Tour Championship, 4 p.m., GOLF

• TENNIS: U.S. Open, 6 p.m., ESPN2

• FOOTBALL: Western Michigan at Michigan State, 7 p.m., ESPN

• FOOTBALL: Virginia Tech at Old Dominion, 7 p.m., ESPNU

• MLB: NY Yankees at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., MLBN

• MLB: Miami at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m., APPLETV

• FOOTBALL: Temple at Duke, 7:30 p.m., ACCN

• FOOTBALL: Illinois at Indiana, 8 p.m., FS1