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This Is Going To Be A Long-Winded Sports Column, Despite A Panthers Loss

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Kevin Carver
I am not such a bad prognosticated after all. I picked three of the four NFL games right and both Central-East basketball outcomes over this past weekend. And yes, the only one I got wrong was Carolina, but we will talk about that later.
Prep basketball roundup
R-S Central showed well at home, but East Rutherford’s boys had just enough to get by in a 63-53 game on the basketball court this past week. Too much Devonte Boykins and company, plus a solid defensive effort keep the Cavaliers on a five game winning streak.
East Rutherford (10-3, 6-1) who played at Chase on Tuesday host Kings Mountain Friday (Jan 17) at home.
For R-S Central (8-7, 2-5), they have now lost three close games in a row, but hit the road to Burns on Thursday (Jan. 16) and Shelby on Saturday.
Chase lost this past Friday to East Burke in a close game than the final score indicated, 59-41. Chase isn’t playing bad defensively, but scoring has been the issue Chase Coach Joe Jessen talked about after the East Burke loss. They travel to Burns on Friday (Jan.17).
Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson sits (6-4, 3-0) and half game out of first in conference action behind the play of Efrim Border and Jaylon Simmons. They host Community School of Davidson on Friday (Jan. 17) at Cool Springs Gym.
On the girls side, East Rutherford’s girls rung up a 21-point lead in the first quarter on R-S Central and won easily 67-51. They are now 10-2, 6-1 and face their biggest road challenge of the season in a rematch with East Burke on Tuesday (Jan.21).
R-S Central (5-10, 2-5) has struggled, but have won two of their last five games. Chase has won just once this season and Thomas Jefferson just twice. TJCA just won a conference game against Highland Tech this past week. They sit fourth in the Southern Piedmont and should they stay there could find the playoffs as a wildcard since three are guaranteed into the playoffs from the SPC this season.
As for the playoffs, the season is unfortunately over for the Panthers in a 23-10 loss. My prediction on this one my have come from the heart. They go down 6-0, comeback and take a 10-6 lead, but the 49ers are playing their best football right now. Carolina got frustrated in the second half and San Francisco’s defense owned them for most of the game. If you hold a team out of the end zone twice from the one-yard line, your doing something right. Missed opportunities surely didn’t help matters any for the Panther faithful.
Shoot San Francisco might even go into Seattle, beat them and head to the Super Bowl. Let me make this clear though. I like Seattle 24-20 this weekend since they don‘t ever lose at home and they have the 49ers number. However, if San Francisco beats Seattle, there is no doubt as to who I will take to win the Super Bowl. 
Denver will host New England this weekend. I have said it all year long, but I have felt like it will be a Seattle-Denver Super Bowl. I wouldn’t be shocked if the 49ers and Patriots advance to the Super Bowl though.
There has to be a ton of credit given to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, who have come this far with New England considering how bad they looked early in the season. Still, I like Denver 35-24 since the Broncos defense is way better than the Patriots. 
As finally, ACC basketball is on my mind. There are only two ACC teams in the top 25 this past week and I expect there to be four when the new poll comes out on the Monday (Jan.13).
For starters, who thought North Carolina would be 0-3 in league play. For those who all have raised hands, your all liars or wishful thinking Duke fans! However, it’s not much better in Durham where (#16)Duke just got beat up by a Clemson team that shouldn’t scare many teams at all. K.J. McDaniels is a freak of nature/pure basketball player, but that’s about all the Tigers have except for a decent defense. 
Syracuse is undoubtedly the best team in the conference. Virginia and Pitt should jump into the top 25 as both are playing very well right now. Florida State maybe the best defensive team in the league and is on the rise. N.C. State is a mystery. The Wolfpack are dangerous to play, but has off nights. There is still two months until Selection Sunday and some are arguing that the ACC just doesn’t look that strong this season. Sixty days from now, the naysayers will have to back off since seven or eight teams should make the dance from the ACC.
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