Going out on a limb for a few 2008 predictions

Admittedly, I'm no magician.

I can't pull rabbits out of a hat. I don't own a magic wand.

Saw a person in half?

I wouldn't go there.

Heck, I remember as a kid when TV's Magic Cards were one of life's biggest mysteries.

Yes, the time has come again to make my fearless predictions for our local high school athletic teams/athletes in 2008.

Before I start throwing darts around the room, I'd like to go back (with one eye closed) and review some of my "picks to click" for 2007:

The good: A repeat for 'C-Pete.' St. Charles North's Chris Peterson wins the 500-yard freestyle state title for the second straight season. Peterson not only won the 500 free; he also captured the 200 free.

St. Charles East and St. Charles North each will record top-10 boys state swim finishes. The Saints placed eighth (81.5 points) and the North Stars were fifth (105).

I also correctly picked the Class AA girls basketball (Fenwick) and boys basketball (Simeon) state champs, while saying that St. Charles East's girls soccer team would win its first sectional title in 6 years (the Saints downed Wheaton North 3-1 last spring).

The bad: I also predicted that St. Charles North would win its first regional girls basketball title (North Stars lost 34-30 to Maine West in regional finals), and was way off while picking Batavia, St. Charles North and West Aurora to win regional boys basketball titles (none of the 3 teams advanced to sectionals.

Without further adieu, here are my predictions for 2008:

• After missing more than a month with mononucleosis, Nick Fruendt returns to the basketball court Jan. 19 during Batavia's 64-59 loss to top-ranked Marshall at the High School Hoops Showdown in Hoffman Estates.

• Two weeks later, Fruendt pours in a game-high 25 points to lead the Bulldogs past defending Class AA state champion Simeon during the annual Night of Hoops.

• Avenging three regular-season losses to Batavia, Geneva's girls basketball team knocks off the fourth-seeded Bulldogs in the regional finals.

• Junior center Kelsey Smith scores 22 points and grabs 14 rebounds, leading St. Charles North's girls basketball team past St. Charles East in Elgin for its first regional crown.

• The next week, the North Stars edge Rockton Hononegah 45-44 to win the sectional title.

• Class 4A girls basketball Elite Eight: Waubonsie Valley vs. Fenwick; Edwardsville vs. Marist; Buffalo Grove vs. St. Charles North; Whitney Young vs. Evanston.

• Class 4A girls basketball state championship: Whitney Young over Fenwick.

• For the second straight year, Rosary will win a girls basketball regional title before falling to Rock Falls in the 3A sectional finals.

• The Class AA state individual wrestling tournament's Grand March will include West Aurora's Mario Gonzalez (189 pounds).

• Other local state place-winners will include Batavia's Logan Arlis (103), West Aurora's Josh Zinzer (125), Marmion's Pat Greco (135), St. Charles North's Eric Justice (145) and Geneva's Frank Boenzi (285).

• St. Charles North's boys swim team will post its second consecutive top-5 state finish.

• Batavia's boys basketball team will survive a double-OT scare from East Aurora in the regional finals and go on to claim the state's most competitive sectional with wins over Wheaton North and Neuqua Valley.

• St. Charles East and St. Charles North will square off for the Elgin regional title.

• Class 4A boys basketball Elite Eight: Evanston vs. Whitney Young; Jacobs vs. Highland Park; Quincy vs. Homewood-Flossmoor; Batavia vs. Richards.

• Class AA boys basketball state championship: Homewood-Flossmoor over Whitney Young.

• In Class 3A, the Adams brothers (Mark and Mike) will lead Aurora Central Catholic to the regional boys basketball title before falling to St. Joseph in the sectional finals.

• Fueled by Anna Morgan's top-4 finish in the 1,600, Aurora Christian's girls track team will crack the top five at the Class A state meet in May.

• Batavia junior Natalie Tarter will win a Class AA state title in the 100 hurdles, while St. Charles East junior Lizzy Hynes places second to Bloomington's Ashley Verplank in the 1,600.

• On the boys' side, St. Charles North senior Chris DeSilva will finish second to Hersey's Kevin Havel in the 1,600.

• Led by southpaws Dan Jimenez and Zach Hirsch, St. Charles North's baseball team will win its first sectional title and square off against Neuqua Valley in the 4A state quarterfinals.

• St. Charles East's football team will split its first two games of the season against Batavia and Geneva.

• Aurora Christian, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles East and St. Charles North will reach the state football playoffs.

• In November, senior quarterback Jordan Roberts will direct Aurora Christian to the Class 3A state football title.

• Junior Olivia Scott and senior Kally Fayhee will lead Rosary to its third straight girls state swimming crown.

• Senior-dominated St. Charles North will reach the finals of the 50th annual St. Charles East Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament.

• In late December, David Bryant earns MVP honors while vaulting Batavia to its second consecutive Elgin Holiday Basketball Tournament title.

Now, make your own picks, stick them on your refrigerator and compare them to mine as the year progresses.