After three straight weeks of unprecedented correctness in this predictions column, the universe returned to equilibrium last week. First, the Milan volleyball team swept Riverview in three straight games Monday. Then, Huron’s soccer team beat Saline 3-2 on Tuesday. And, to cap it all off, Huron and Pioneer tied 1-1 in field hockey on Wednesday.

Three games in three days in which I went 0-2-1 in picks, while the wise and all-knowing readers who participated in the voting polls went 2-0-1. Because our picks were too much alike for the remaining games, the two-game deficit proved insurmountable. As Adam Sandler’s once said as the apologetic protagonist in ‘Happy Gilmore’:

“I’m stupid, you’re smart…I was wrong, you were right…you’re the best, I’m the worst…you’re very good looking, I’m not attractive.”

Of course admitting my wrongness is far less atonement than I’ve agreed to. In previous columns, I agreed to subject myself to a conditioning drill of choice from one of the teams incorrectly picked to lose should the readers beat me. Huron field hockey coach Tia Sutton was quick to point out, although her team didn’t win, the River Rats had indeed been incorrectly picked to lose on Wednesday.

Translation: I owed her girls some sprints.

Not really knowing what to expect from a field hockey conditioning drill, I asked around.

“Eww,” a look of pain covered the face of Mike Hansell, a Huron soccer player, when told of the arrangement. “They’re gonna put you through the ringer.”

The same look fell on the face of Mario Teixeira, who scored all three Huron goals on Tuesday. “Listen to (the field hockey team) because they’re hard working,” he said. “Do what they say. They’re hardcore. They don’t slack around.”

Some gamblers have to deal with loan sharks and the possibility of broken thumbs after a cold streak. I was dealing with something much scarier: Stick-wielding teenage girls.

After running until my lungs nearly exploded in the warm-up jog, Sutton had me do sprints with the girls up and down the field, and warned, “If you puke you have to do more,” so I refrained.

After sprints, we went on a 3-mile run, which this very column proves I did not die during, thank you. Actually, with the lead group in sight toward the end, I tried to catch up, which turned out to be a bad move.

Remember playing high school sports? When training five days a week combined with the rapid metabolism of youth resulted in Herculean endurance? Trying to catch up reminded me that those days have passed. So I slowed down, and accepted my humbling middle-of-the-pack finish.

After all, as bad as the crow tasted that afternoon, it would have been much worse on the way back up.

PREDICTIONS:

Tennis and golf playoffs are already in the books, and most sports’ playoffs are commencing this week, leaving moms and girlfriends with less games to attend, and making picks more difficult with a lot of unknown teams. My advice: Beware of the homer pick. MONDAY Bloomfield Hills Marian at Ann Arbor Huron, girls field hockey: Huron, with its 12-1-1 record, is fighting for a top playoff seed, and needs a win over a Marian to have a shot. Marian has been brilliant at times (defeating Pioneer 2-1) but vulnerable as well (three losses and two ties). Huron, 2-0.

TUESDAY Tecumseh at Dexter, girls volleyball: The game should be one of the final pieces of the puzzle for Dexter’s run at an SEC White Division title. Tecumseh, like most teams, won’t have an answer for the powerful and versatile Alli Krips. By the way, Krips' name and skill set (leads her team in kills) presents a unique nickname opportunity, she will henceforth be referred to as the Krips Keeper. Dexter and the Krips Keeper, 3-1.

THURSDAY SEC Champinships at Dexter, girls cross country: Saline wins practically every race it enters, but dropped from No. 1 to No. 4 in the latest Division 1 state rankings after finishing fourth at last week's Portage Invitational. Alex Leptich and Kate Carter will make sure the snub isn’t justified. Saline.

SEC Champinships at Chelsea, boys cross country: Nathan Karr is fast. Freaky fast. And so is everyone he practices with. Pioneer.

BOYS SOCCER DISTRICTS It’s a shame three of the area’s top soccer programs are in the same district draw, but it should make the first rounds of the playoffs very interesting as Huron, Pioneer, Saline, Lincoln, Bedford, Jackson and Monroe square off in Saline. Here’s how I see the bracket panning out.

Quarterfinals, Monday: Huron over Bedford, 3-2; Lincoln over Monroe, 2-1; Saline over Pioneer 2-1. Semifinals, Wednesday: Huron over Lincoln, 4-0; Saline over Jackson, 5-0. Finals, Saturday: Saline over Huron 4-3 (OT).

Now it's your turn to play along by making picks below. If the readers beat me, I’ll subject myself to a conditioning drill of choice from one of the teams that I incorrectly picked to lose. The voting polls are pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. We love our moms and girlfriends and want them to stay healthy, so ladies, please get checked because we'd be miserable without you.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

BOYS SOCCER DISTRICTS MONDAY, QUARTERFINALS

WEDNESDAY, SEMIFINALS

SATURDAY, FINALS

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by e-mail at petercunningham@annarbor.com, or by phone at 734-623-2561. You can follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.