Everything you need to know about 2010 - before it happens

People like to make New Year's resolutions they won't be able to keep for more than a couple weeks.

I prefer to make predictions for the New Year. In another 360 days or so, check and see if I have any magical powers to see into the future.

On the professional side, I say New Orleans beats the San Diego Chargers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLIV, the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 49 years (in 6 games against Washington), the Los Angeles Lakers edge Cleveland in a memorable 7-game NBA Finals series, and the Cubs reach the N.L. playoffs in Lou Piniella's finale as manager but fail to win the World Series for the 102nd consecutive year.

In college sports, Kansas faces Kentucky for the NCAA Basketball championship, while UConn wins the NCAA women's basketball title.

Before I get to my fearless predictions for our local prep teams/athletes, let's see how some of my 2009 picks turned out:

The good: I said that Batavia's Logan Arlis (112) and West Aurora's Mario Gonzalez (189) would reach the Class AA individual state wrestling tournament's Grand March ­­- Gonzalez won the state title while Arlis placed second.

I correctly picked 4 of the 8 Class 4A girls basketball state quarterfinalists and said Geneva would face New Trier in the supersectional (the Vikings won 54-49).

While I only selected 3 of the 8 Class 4A boys quarterfinalists, I correctly picked Whitney Young to capture the state title (beat Waukegan 69-66).

I also thought St. Charles North would beat South Elgin in the boys basketball regional finals (the North Stars won 60-42), St. Charles North's girls softball team would win a regional title (reached sectional finals) and said Blake Biddle would lead Wheaton Academy to the 2A boys state golf title (edged Normal University High).

Partially right: I figured Geneva and St. Charles North would capture girls basketball sectional titles - Geneva-yes; STC North-no; picked Batavia and St. Charles North to win regional baseball crowns - Batavia-yes, STC North-no; and had Geneva and St. Charles North colliding in the boys sectional finals - both made the sectional but lost in the semifinals.

The bad: I predicted Aurora Central Catholic would win its second straight 3A regional basketball title - the Chargers lost to eventual state runner-up Oswego in the regional finals (64-61).

I also said that no area football team would advance past the second round of the playoffs - St. Charles North reached the 7A quarterfinals.

Without further adieu, here are my picks to click for 2010:

• Geneva's girls basketball team will begin January with a 43-22 win over Batavia. OK, I cheated on this one as the game took place last Saturday.

• Geneva's girls basketball team will edge St. Charles North on the North Stars' home floor in the 4A regional finals on the way to a sectional championship clash with Rockford Boylan.

• Class 4A girls basketball Elite Eight: Geneva vs. Hersey; Moline vs. Bolingbrook; Whitney Young vs. Marian Catholic; Fenwick vs. New Trier. State champion ­- Whitney Young.

• Rosary will face Hampshire in the 3A sectional semifinals. Class 3A state champ - Montini.

• The state individual wrestling tournament's Grand March will include Marmion's Ben Whitford (2A) and Batavia's Logan Arlis (3A). Other local state place-winners will include Marmion's Eddie Greco, Angelo Silvestro and Pat Greco (2A); Kaneland's Jimmy Boyle (2A); and St. Charles East's Brandon Rubino and Nick Ruffino (3A).

• In March, St. Charles North will face Bartlett for a third time in the 4A boys basketball regional finals at Bartlett, while Batavia meets host Geneva on the Vikings' home floor for the regional title.

• Class 4A boys basketball Elite Eight: Rockford Boylan vs. Waukegan; Whitney Young vs. Glenbrook North; Simeon vs. Neuqua Valley; Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Quincy. State champion - Waukegan.

• In Class 3A, Kaneland will face DeKalb for a third time in the Knights' regional finals, while Marmion plays Oswego for the regional crown at Aurora Central Catholic. 3A state champ - Belleville Althoff.

• In May, Geneva's Allie Pace will follow the footsteps of former Viking 2-time state pole vault champion Sarah Landau as the individual pole vault winner at the 3A girls state track meet.

• Geneva's Frank Boenzi (shot put) and West Aurora's Aviance King (high jump) will record top-3 finishes at the 3A boys state track meet.

• In 2A boys track, Kaneland will crack the top 10 thanks to state title efforts from Logan Markuson (300 hurdles) and Nick Sinon (high jump).

• St. Charles North's baseball team will capture a 4A regional title while Kaneland wins a 3A regional crown.

• After outlasting St. Charles East in the 4A regional finals, St. Charles North's softball team will reach the state semifinals.

• In June, St. Charles North's girls soccer squad will win its eighth straight regional title.

• In October, Kaneland's Hayley Guyton will earn 2A girls state golf individual medalist honors while St. Charles East's boys team reaches state for the fourth time in 7 years.

• Playoff football qualifiers will include Aurora Christian, Geneva, Kaneland, Marmion, St. Charles East and St. Charles North. Aurora Christian, Marmion and St. Charles North will all post a pair of postseason victories.

• Geneva's boys soccer team will reach the sectional finals.

St. Charles East's girls volleyball team will face St. Charles North in the sectional semifinals.

• Less than 10 points will separate top finishers Rosary and New Trier at the girls state swim meet in November.

• Geneva's girls basketball team will continue its winning ways, opening the 2010 portion of the 2010-2011 campaign with 14 consecutive victories.

• After 3 consecutive second-place finishes, St. Charles North's boys basketball team will capture the Jacobs Holiday Tournament title.

• In late December, I will work on my predictions column for 2011.

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