valves seem to be in the right adjustment... idk what it could be.. still scratchin my head on this one... how can i tell if my piston rings are shot

Unless you have seized it, the engine would have smoked bad for a long time before compression got low enough for it not to start. Did you check the carb again? More dirt or water in it, a faulty/wrong rebuild kit, or incorrect re-assembly could all be the source of the problem. A guide to the state of the valves and piston rings is to do a compression test.