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By Sonny Jones

Ouch! Talk about limping into the playoffs. A losing prediction record for the final week of the high school football regular season isn’t exactly inspiring.

Unfortunately, unlike the high school teams which all start 0-0 for the playoffs, these prediction numbers just keep on keeping on.

Last week’s record: 9-10 (47%)
Season record: 140-56 (71%)
Prep record: 3-3 last week (56-21 season, 73%)
College record: 5-5 last week (72-27 season, 73%)
Pro record: 1-2 last week (12-8 season, 60%)

EAST BLADEN at HERTFORD COUNTY: Kudos to the Eagles for winning their final four games and reaching the playoffs. Unfortunately, their reward is a long to Ahoskie and meeting against dual threat quarterback Keveon Rodgers. Hertford County 40, East Bladen 26.

WAKE FOREST at N.C. STATE: The teams are meeting with both in the AP Top 25. Only one will be ranked after this game. Don’t look for Wake Forest to drop a dud two weeks in a row. For the Wolfpack, no Devin Leary means no way to keep up with the Deacons. Wake Forest 28, N.C. State 10

CAROLINA at CINCINNATI: The Panthers are fun to watch again with P.J. Walker at quarterback. Steve Wilks has brought enthusiasm to a team that was lackluster under Matt Rhule. It won’t be enough to win against the Bengals, but maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Cincinnati 26, Carolina 20

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS
East Carteret 27, Midway 21
Greene Central 35, St. Pauls 18
Clinton 38, Wilson Beddingfield 14
Whiteville 49, Southwest Onslow 12
Eastern Wayne 22, Heide Trask 20
West Columbus 42, South Creek 6
Bear Grass Charter 26, East Columbus 20
Pender 30, Bertie 22

COLLEGE
Duke 30, Boston College 20
North Carolina 35, Virginia 21
Western Kentucky at Charlotte
Campbell 31, Bryant 24
Elon 42, Albany 15
Western Carolina 27, Wofford 19
Methodist 38, Greensboro 17
Winston-Salem State 20, Fayetteville State 17
Notre Dame (Ohio) 35, UNC Pembroke 21

PRO
Kansas City 31, Tennessee 17
Baltimore 24, New Orleans 17

FRIDAY’S PICK TO CLICK

Riley Leonard throws for a touchdown and runs for a score as Duke becomes bowl eligible with a win at Boston College.

THURSDAY’S PICK: No way Justin Verlander is getting hammered like he did in Game 1 of the World Series. The future Hall of Fame pitcher will give the Astros 6 solid innings of 1-run pitching. RESULTS: Verlander allowed a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber, then shut down the Phillies over five innings. He wasn’t sharp at times, working out of a bases loaded jam in the second and walking four in the game, but struck out six and left with a 2-1 lead. Houston won 3-2.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 2006 — Rod Brind’Amour of Carolina scores his 1,000th career point, assisting on a goal in the Hurricanes’ 3-2 win over Ottawa.

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• DP WORLD TOUR: Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, 7 a.m., GOLF

• FIELD HOCKEY: North Carolina vs. Virginia, 2 p.m., ACCN

• NHL: Columbus vs. Colorado, 2 p.m., NHLN

• PGA: World Wide Technology Championship, 3 p.m., GOLF

• NHL: Buffalo at Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPN+

• FOOTBALL: Duke at Boston College, 7 p.m., ESPN2

• FOOTBALL: Massachusetts at Connecticut, 7 p.m., CBSSN

• FOOTBALL: Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

• NBA: Chicago at Boston, 7:45 p.m., ESPN