Sunday, January 1, 2012

Fifth Annual New Year's Predictions

Is this really the fifth year we've done this? We're old.

OUR PAST PREDICTIONS (mostly to prove these are random guesses)
  • 2008: 3 of 4 correct (Pius XI lost to Kenosha Tremper in four, keeping us from going a perfect four for four)
  • 2009: 4 of 5 correct (our best year ever and, yes, we're still pretty darn proud of ourselves about it)
  • 2010: 2 of 5 correct (our first helping of humble pie, but it would turn out we were only a year off on Burlington so that counts for something, right? Well, only if we'd have predicted them again in 2011, which we didn't)
  • 2011: 2 of 5 correct (our second helping of humble pie -- we not only didn't predict Oostburg in D3, we picked a team that had moved up to D2)
OUR 2012 PREDICTIONS (entirely to prove these are random guesses)
  • Division 1: Divine Savior Holy Angels
  • Division 2: East Troy
  • Division 3: Oostburg
  • Division 4: Catholic Central
  • Boys: Milwaukee Marquette
Well, there's you have it, such as it is.

If you want to play along, leave your predictions and positive comments below. Happy New Year, everyone.

7 comments:

onpackerland said...

I'm going to sound really boring, but I don't see any reason not to expect plently of repeats on the girls side of things.
D1: Burlington - return possibly the best setter in the state, possibly the best hitter in the state, and possibly the best libero in the state.
D2: Catholic Memorial - until someone actually bets them gotta keep going with them
D3: Oostburg - one word - VerVelde (although I have a disclaimer: Owen-Withee is right on the D3-D4 line, if they are D3 they will easily be there challenging, if not winning)
D4: Catholic Central - see D2

Anonymous said...

Burlington and Catholic Central both lose key senior classes. Their chances to repeat depend on how well they fill the holes.

onpackerland said...

That can be said about almost any team that had a cahnce at a state championship last year.

Burlington I can somewhat see this as the amount of quality teams in D1 that will challange is alot deeper, but still with how good Shebeneck, Longoria, and Capezio will be after already being some of the best at their respective positions this past year - the level of talent needed around them gets less important.

As far as CC, they return their two top hitters, a multiple year setter an a promising young OH. Maybe won't be as strong in the back row, but they were far and away the best team in D4, and with that caliber of pieces returning I don't see anyone but Owen-Withee in they stay in D4 challanging them.

Anonymous said...

What made you pick East Troy for d2? What do you know that we don't? CM has been top dog in d2 for many years?

VBuberalles said...

We've only picked 4 of the last 10 state champions so we clearly don't know all that much. Having said that, East Troy does have a strong class of 2014 -- and since players from the aforementioned class are sprinkled throughout the 2011 WVCA all-state list, we clearly have company in thinking those soon-to-be juniors might make some noise in the tournament. Can't wait to find out if we're right or wrong. How about you?

Anonymous said...

On the boys side watch out for Appleton North. Marquette will be solid but this could be an FVA teams chance to do it.

Anonymous said...

Why not pick East Troy? Sooner or later, Catholic Memorial has to lose. And they are losing a huge senior class.

As for Burlington and Catholic Central, those seniors provided more than just play. They provided leadership. I'll be interested to see if the junior classes can step up and repeat, that's all. I think they have tremendous potential, no doubt.