Happy New Rant

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Rant is gettin’ ready for a New Year an’ a New Decade to boot. He just keeps puttin' miles on the ol' odometer.

Anyway ... your little buddy has been readin’ and reflectin’ on all the success our local teams and athletes had in 2009 ... and he’s come to the conclusion that it was one of the best all-around years ever.

Can 2010 be any better? Rant ain’t sure, but there are a few things he’ll be expectin’:

• At least three individual state championships in wrasslin’ this winter. Crystal Lake Old and Harvard probably will be the squads leadin’ the way again at state.

• Hoops supersectional appearances. Yeah, that might not be the ultimate goal for some our boys and girls teams, but Rant’s going to be pleased if we’ve got boys or girls teams with a shot at playin’ in Peoria.

• Rant’s lookin’ to Prairie Ridge softball pitcher Johanna Turner and the Wolves to make it to state this season. An’ if they’re goin’ that far, they might as well win the darn thing.

• He’s also lookin’ for at least one more team of baseballers to be playin’ at Silver Cross Field in Joliet for some hardware next spring. It’s become an annual thing, the sports season endin' with the last day of baseball at state.

• An’ what list of predictions is complete without football? This area might have had its most successful postseason ever in 2009, an’ it’ll be difficult to top. The Rant expects C-G to be solid, as will CL South. I know. It's shockin'.

He’s not sure how CL Central will fare after the departure of coach Jon McLaughlin. There should still be talent there, but Rant thinks the coach was a big reason that program went from the doldrums to the playoffs. Hopefully the coach who succeeds him can build on what McLaughlin's accomplished.

And 2010 might be a tough year for Woodstock Old as well, seein’ as how this will be the first season they’ll feel the full effect of the openin’ of Woodstock New.

What predictions do you have for this year? Share ‘em, why don’t ya?