Tiebreaker Not Enough To Break Tie

Just when it looked like picking winners in The News football contest was getting easier, a rash of upsets threw prognosticators into a tailspin. Fewer than a third of last week’s contest players picked more than half the outcomes correctly, and none got more than 10 right.

Of the five who picked 10 winners, two had identical tiebreaker guesses that were closest to the total of 38 points scored in Monticello’s 24-14 win over Wilkinson County. Thus Amanda Crews and Patti Hauther had a drawing for the $25 prize presented by Steve Currie of Sundown Collision, sponsor of the week.

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The ladies had to draw straws—actually pixie sticks left over from Halloween—to determine the winner, and Ms. Crews was the lucky one. The Monticello News provided a consolation prize for Ms. Hauther.

Both Ms. Crews and Ms. Hauther picked 46 points as their tiebreaker prediction. Caren Cargile, Ryan King and Roger Minter also picked 10 winners, but guessed higher tiebreaker scores.

All five players qualified for the grand prize honor roll since they all had the number of correct picks it took to win.

Their names go into the pot for a chance at four premium tickets to the 2003 Peach Bowl and other goodies. Every time a player qualifies his or her name is added to the list for the drawing to take place at the close of the contest season.

Results of other games last week, many that were surprises and a few that were just plain shocking, included: Tiftarea 42, Piedmont 16; Duke 41, Georgia Tech 19; Mississippi 24, Auburn 8; North Carolina 42, Wake Forest 34; Alabama 38, Mississippi State 0; Ohio State 33, Michigan State 23; Notre Dame 27, Navy 24; Georgia Southern 29, Furman 24; Atlanta, 27, N.Y. Giants 7; Carolina 27, Tampa Bay 24; Jacksonville 28, Indianapolis 23; Tennessee 31, Miami 7, and Detroit 12, Chicago 10.

This week the games may, or may not, be more predictable. Whatever, the contest player who picks the most winners, subject to the tiebreaker, will collect a $25 prize from Jasper County Lumber Co., sponsor of the week.

Games are listed in sponsors ads, along with the entry form, contest rules and honor roll list on page 13 of the newspaper.

The deadline to deliver entries to The News office, at 237 West Washington St., or fax them to 706-468-6576, is 5 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 14.