First Time Player Earns Prize
Once was enough for Matthew McCullen. The first time he entered The Monticello News football contest he picked more winners than anybody else. Just like that—no tiebreaker, no question. He was the only player with 12 correct picks.
His effort won him the $25 prize awarded by Monticello Sign & Embroidery Shop, sponsor of the week. Co-owner Pam Myers presented the check.
Matthew, a ninth grader at Monticello High School, said he just reads up on the teams and figures likely winners.
With that system, if you could call it that, he missed only one of the 13 games that counted in last week’s contest. (The Georgia Tech-Miami game included in the listings was postponed because of hurricane Wilma.) Young Matthew’s only miscue was picking N.C. State to win; the Wolfpack was bested by Wake Forest, 27-19.
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That was one of several games that made last week’s contest one of the toughest so far this season. Only four players besides Matthew picked as many as 11 winners to qualify for the grand prize drawing in December. Each time a contest player gets 11 or more picks right his or her names goes into the pot for a chance at a premium four-ticket package for the 2005 Peach Bowl.
The N.C. State-Wake Forest was one of the most missed by more than 140 contest players. Others that threw lots of contestants were North Carolina’s 7-5 squeaker over Virginia and Clark Atlanta’s 27-21 victory over Morehouse.
There were numerous surprises as well in these other outcomes: Greene County, 56, Monticello 13; Piedmont 23, Monroe 6; Westside Augusta 14, Putnam County 0; Georgia 23, Arkansas 20; LSU 20, Auburn 17; Alabama 6, Tennessee 3; Kansas City 30, Miami 20; Minnesota 23, Green Bay 20; Philadelphia 20, San Diego 17. and Chicago 10; Baltimore 6.
This week another $25 prize is up for grabs, thanks to the Dairy Queen, sponsor of the week. Anybody can win including, obviously, rank beginners. The prize goes to whoever picks the most winners from games listed in sponsors ads on page 15. The entry form, contest rules and grand prize honor roll also are on that page.
The deadline for entries to be delivered to the News office on West Washington Street or faxed to 706-468-6576 is 5 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 28.