Making some predictions for what 2018 will bring

The time has come to have some fun.

It is time to make my annual predictions for 2018.

Before I make my prognostications for the New Year, let's see how some of the 2017 predictions fared.

The good: I accurately said Kaneland's girls basketball team would reach the Class 3A sectional finals - the Knights did just that before losing a 55-51 decision to Stillman Valley.

I had Jacobs repeating as Class 4A boys basketball regional champions (the Golden Eagles reached the Elite Eight); correctly picked West Aurora's Camron Donatlan to repeat as Class 3A boys state high jump champion (he cleared 7-0); and predicted Rosary would win its third straight girls state swim title last November.

I was on the mark when I said that Northwestern would reach the NCAA Basketball Tournament for the first time.

So-so: I picked 5 of the 8 state quarterfinalists in Class 4A boys basketball and Class 3A girls basketball.

My pick of St. Charles North to win its first boys basketball regional crown since 2009 failed to materialize. The North Stars reached the regional finals before their loss to Jacobs.

Not even close: I had Burlington Central facing Aurora Central Catholic in the Class 3A boys basketball sectional semifinals - ACC lost to Kaneland in the first round of the regional while Burlington Central fell to Glenbard South in the regional finals.

I said that the Blackhawks would reunite with Columbus' Brandon Saad in the Stanley Cup Finals. Nashville swept Chicago in a first-round playoff series. However, the Hawks did reunite with Saad - acquiring the left winger in an offseason trade with the Blue Jackets.

Here are my picks to click for 2018.

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh 30, New England 27, OT.

NFC Championship: New Orleans 26, Philadelphia 17.

Super Bowl LII: New Orleans 30, Pittsburgh 24.

NBA: Golden State defeats Cleveland (who else) in 6 games of their "annual" Finals series.

NHL: Two renowned hockey cities - Tampa (Bay) and (Las) Vegas meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa Bay wins in 5 games.

NCAA basketball: My Final Four includes Michigan State, Duke, Notre Dame and Texas Tech. Locally, Loyola is Illinois' lone state representative to reach the "Big Dance."

National champions: Michigan State.

NCAA women's basketball: UConn, Baylor, South Carolina and Mississippi State comprise the Final Four.

National champions: UConn.

MLB: Cleveland snaps its 69-year drought, outlasting Washington in a 7-game World Series.

PGA: Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth split the four majors with Johnson winning the U.S. Open and PGA Championship and Spieth capturing the Masters and British Open.

•Later this week, St. Charles East's boys basketball team earns a measure of revenge with its 63-61 victory over St. Charles North behind 27 points and 11 rebounds from senior Justin Hardy.

Geneva faces Wheaton Warrenville South in the 4A girls basketball sectional finals at Lake Park, while Kaneland battles Glenbard South in the 3A girls basketball sectional finals.

Class 4A Elite Eight (girls basketball): Montini vs. Bolingbrook; Normal Community vs. Mother McAuley; Hersey vs. Maine West; Rockford Boylan vs. Geneva.

Class 4A champion: Montini.

Class 3A Elite Eight: Morton vs. Evergreen Park; Glenbard South vs. St. Viator; Bogan vs. Nazareth; Breese Central vs. Lincoln.

Class 3A champion: Morton.

•In 2A, Harvest Christian faces perennial powerhouse Marshall in supersectional action.

Class 4A Elite Eight (boys basketball): Danville vs. Bolingbrook; Larkin vs. Batavia; Conant vs. Evanston; Simeon vs. Oak Park-River Forest.

Class 4A champion: Simeon.

Class 3A Elite Eight: Morgan Park vs. North Lawndale; Morton vs. Hillcrest; Centralia vs. Lincoln; DePaul Prep vs. Burlington Central.

Class 3A champion: Morgan Park.

•In 1A, Aurora Christian advances to the state semifinals in Peoria.

St. Charles East reaches the dual-team state wrestling tournament quarterfinals.

In May, West Aurora's Dajour Miles repeats as 400-meter dash Class 3A girls state track champion, while Huntley's Daryn Davis and St. Edward's Bella Uscila (1A) land top-3 finishes in the triple jump and 100 dash, respectively.

In June, St. Charles North's girls soccer team captures its 16th consecutive regional title on the way to earning a Class 3A state trophy. Meanwhile, Burlington Central advances to the 2A girls soccer state championship game.

South Elgin and St. Charles North meet in the Class 4A sectional baseball finals, while Geneva and St. Charles North claim Class 4A softball sectional titles.

Returning all 6 scorers from a year ago, St. Charles North's girls golf team returns home with a top-3 Class 2A state trophy.

Geneva senior Tyler Isenhart records his second straight top-3 individual finish in the Class 3A boys state golf tournament.

The list of football playoff qualifiers includes Aurora Christian, Batavia, Cary-Grove, Huntley, Jacobs, Kaneland, Marmion, St. Charles East, St. Charles North and West Aurora.

Tape a copy of these picks to your refrigerator and see if any of them actually come true.

Craig Brueske can be reached at csb4k@hotmail.com