Common Sense offered six picks on opening night, and only three were correct.
While you have come to expect brilliance from this column, it’s true, as one reader cheerfully pointed out, that a chimpanzee flipping quarters — heads or tails — would have done at least as well and possibly better.
The good news is Week 2 offers a redemption opportunity not only for West Rowan and South Rowan but for Common Sense.
Common Sense can’t apologize for picking West, which had been an automatic winner for 46 straight weeks.
Common Sense also can’t apologize for picking South over a school that had been an automatic loser since Kerry Collins was quarterbacking the Panthers.
As far as picking Shelby to beat A.L. Brown, Common Sense does offer profuse apologies to the outraged citizens of Kannapolis for doubting the Wonders. The first score Common Sense received was the halftime tally: Brown 30, Shelby 0.
OK, not a great pick, but time to move on.
It’s a weird Week 2. Lots of traditional rivalries that usually generate excitement and prognosticating challenges, but there’s an overwhelming favorite this time in the South-A.L. Brown, Davie-West and Salisbury-North matchups.
The one game on the slate for which Common Sense’s crystal ball is a bit murky is Northwest Cabarrus-Carson.
Northwest didn’t play last week, so there’s no scouting report on the Trojans. If you’re a football fan with no particular rooting interest, Carson is probably the place to be tonight. That’s the game most likely to be decided in the fourth quarter.
The picks:
Salisbury 31, North 6
There’s always some heat in this matchup, but unless the Hornets turn it over a bunch, they’ll win big.
Salisbury is good. The jury is still out on the Cavs.
West 28, Davie 10
For those of you cheering for the Falcons to go 0-11, the disappointment will start tonight at 7:30 p.m. West has flaws, but this is still a very good football team.
The best in the county? We’ll find out next week at Ludwig Stadium.
A.L. Brown 48, South 20
South surrendered 31 points to Central Cabarrus, while Brown scored 43 against Shelby. Based on those numbers, the Raiders will be returning a kickoff every three minutes or so.
Concord 42, East 7
There’s a better chance of aliens landing in Granite Quarry tonight than of East beating the Spiders.
Hopefully, the Mustangs will take some steps forward from last week on both sides of the ball. There are winnable games ahead.
NW Cabarrus 17, Carson 14
Looks like the Trojans have just about everybody back, including all-world kicker Bradley Pinion.
Meanwhile, Carson is minus its big speed threat with Travis Abbitt hurting.