Heres a few predictions for 2011

I would bet that most people who make New Year's resolutions are unable to keep them for more than a few weeks.

No resolutions for me — just a bunch of sports predictions for 2011.

On the professional side, I say New England beats the Philadelphia Eagles 37-20 in Super Bowl XLV, the Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup in 6 games against Detroit, the San Antonio Spurs edge Miami in a 7-game NBA Finals series, and (sorry, Cubs fans) the White Sox reach the A.L. Playoffs before losing to eventual World Champion Boston.

In collegiate sports, Oregon knocks off No. 1 Auburn to win the BCS National Championship, Northwestern goes “dancing” for the first time in the NCAA Basketball Tournament — (Kansas vs. Pitt in the finals), and UConn wins the NCAA women's basketball title (not really going out on a limb there).

Before getting to my fearless predictions for our local prep teams/athletes, let's review how some of my 2010 picks fared:

The good: I said that Geneva's girls basketball team would edge St. Charles North in the Class 4A regional finals (the Vikings won 47-45) on the way to a sectional championship clash with Rockford Boylan.

I correctly picked Montini to win the 3A state girls basketball title while also predicting Kaneland would face DeKalb for a third time in the 3A boys basketball regional finals (the Barbs won 50-47).

My other right-on-the-mark picks included Geneva's Allie Pace winning the girls state 3A pole vault title, Kaneland's Nick Sinon capturing the 2A state high jump crown, and St. Charles North's girls soccer team earning its eighth straight regional title.

I also correctly picked 6 of the 8 Class 4A girls basketball state quarterfinalists.

So-so: I picked 3 of the 8 Class 4A boys basketball teams that comprised the Elite Eight.

I said that St. Charles East's girls volleyball team would face St. Charles North in the sectional semifinals (the Saints faced West Chicago), and predicted that St. Charles East's boys golf team would reach the state tourney for the fourth time in seven years (the Saints placed seventh) but picked Kaneland's Haley Guyton to win the AA girls state golf title (she placed eighth).

The bad: I predicted St. Charles North would face Bartlett in the 4A boys basketball regional finals (the North Stars lost to Bartlett in the opening round).

I also said that St. Charles North's softball team would reach the 4A state semifinals (the North Stars lost to York in the first round of the regionals).

Here are my picks to click in 2011 (these are only for entertainment purposes — no wagering):

Ÿ For the second consecutive season, Geneva's girls basketball team will beat St. Charles North in the 4A regional finals on the way to a sectional semifinal matchup with DeKalb.

Ÿ Class 4A girls basketball Elite Eight: Edwardsville vs. Bolingbrook; Geneva vs. Hersey (rematch from 2010); Fenwick vs. Loyola; Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Whitney Young. State champion — Bolingbrook.

Ÿ Class 3A girls basketball state champions — Montini.

Ÿ The state individual wrestling tournament's Grand March will include Marmion's Johnny Jimenez, Ben Whitford, Eddie Greco and Bryce Brill (2A); St. Charles East's Nick Ruffino, St. Charles North's Tim Noverini and West Aurora's Nicholas Drendel (3A).

Ÿ Other local state place-winners will be Marmion's Angelo Silvestro and Jered Cortez (2A); and Kaneland's Jimmy Boyle (2A).

Ÿ In March, St. Charles North will square off with South Elgin for the Class 4A boys basketball regional title at St. Charles East.

Ÿ Class 4A boys basketball Elite Eight: DeLaSalle vs. Simeon; O'Fallon vs. H-F; Warren vs. Evanston; Rockford Boylan vs. Benet Academy. State champion – Simeon.

Ÿ In Class 3A, Kaneland will face Aurora Central Catholic in the 3A regional championship at Sycamore. State champion — Peoria Central.

Ÿ Class 2A state champion — Hales Franciscan.

Ÿ In May, top-3 boys and girls state track finishes will be recorded by Kaneland's Taylor Andrews (110 hurdles in 2A), Marmion's Bennett Marsh (3,200 in 2A), Rosary's Anna Deufel (100 dash in 2A), West Aurora's Jasmine Ranson (triple jump in 3A), and Geneva's Taylor Wickware (800 in 3A).

Ÿ Batavia junior Josh Cogan will record a top-4 singles finish at the boys state tennis tournament in May.

Ÿ In June, St. Charles North's girls soccer team will capture its ninth straight regional title on the way to an Elite Eight berth.

Ÿ St. Charles East's baseball team will win a Class 4A regional crown while Marmion captures a 3A regional title.

Ÿ After a “one-and-done” regional showing last year, St. Charles North's softball team will make up for lost time and play for the Class 4A state championship in June.

Ÿ In late-August, Batavia's Dennis Piron will make his debut as head football coach on a winning note as the Bulldogs defeat defending Class 6A state runner-up Marmion.

Ÿ In October, St. Charles North's boys golf team will earn its first Class 3A state tournament appearance with a top-3 sectional showing.

Ÿ Meanwhile, Batavia's girls golf squad will qualify for the state tourney.

Ÿ Playoff football qualifiers will include Aurora Christian, Batavia, Geneva, Kaneland, Marmion and St. Charles East.

Ÿ Five of the six postseason qualifiers will win their playoff openers, with two of them reaching the quarterfinals.

Ÿ In November, St. Charles East's girls volleyball team will get a chance for revenge when it faces York in the sectional championship.

Ÿ St. Charles East's Emma Smith and Nicole Chapko will finish 1-2 in the 200 IM at the girls state swimming meet, while Rosary's Molly Coonce repeats as 100 breaststroke state champion.

Ÿ St. Charles North's basketball team will record a top-4 finish at the star-studded St. Charles East Thanksgiving tournament, while the Saints go 2-2.

Ÿ A year from now, I'll be working on my 2012 predictions column.

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com.