Taxes, for example. Or colonoscopies.
Or Clay County's dominance in 13th Region girls basketball.
A certain know-it-all columnist (howdy!) picked the Lady Tigers as the region's fourth-best team coming into this season. I thought the loss of all-state guard Jayme Gilbert and longtime coach Donnie Gray would be too much for Clay to overcome.
I was terribly, horribly wrong.
So I won't make the same mistake again. You can expect the Lady Tigers to earn their third straight trip to Bowling Green in March 2008.
The following is our annual look back at the season that was and look ahead at the one to come. We'll begin with a recap of the region's finest in 2006-07:
All-Region
First team
G-Wendi Messer, Knox Central
G-Page Jackson, Clay County
G-Kourtney Tyra, Jackson County
F-Stephanie McCullah, Whitley County
F-Lauren Wombles, South Laurel
Second team
G-Brittany Jackson, Corbin
G-Caitie Jackson, North Laurel
G-Stephanie Jackson, Clay County
F-Chassidy Lawson, Harlan
C-Brooklyn Jimison, Middlesboro
Third team
G-Emily Boggs, Cawood
G-Mikkah Rogers, Corbin
G-Whitney Smith, South Laurel
F-Katie Dixon, Bell County
C-Amanda Brimm, Whitley County
Fourth team
G-Holly Jones, Whitley County
G-Shawnda Lovett, Williamsburg
F-Amber Whitehead, Jackson County
F-Randal Holbrook, Whitley County
C-Erika Letanosky, Cumberland
Best juniors
Lauren Wombles, South Laurel; Brooklyn Jimison, Middlesboro; Mikkah Rogers, Corbin; Amanda Brimm, Whitley County; Emily Boggs, Cawood.
Best sophomores
Kourtney Tyra, Jackson County; Caitie Jackson, North Laurel; Chassidy Lawson, Harlan; Holly Jones, Whitley County; Kat Hoffman, Williamsburg.
Best freshmen
Jordan Phillips, Clay County; Mallory Shoffner, Middlesboro; Jessica Dean, South Laurel; Kelci Jones, Corbin; Jamie Shepherd, Bell County.
Coach of the Year
Larry Anderson, Whitley County.
Predictions for 2007-08 (players are listed by grades for the upcoming season):
1. Clay County - The Lady Tigers will simply reload following the graduation of guard Page Jackson and center Maleah Roberts.
Seniors Stephanie Jackson (10.5) and Sarah Burchell will give Clay an experienced backcourt, and senior forward Gemma Gray (8.1) provides a versatile inside-outside threat.
Clay will be young but talented in the post with freshman Whitney Jackson (7.9) and sophomore Jordan Phillips (5.6) handling the load. Both girls are strong rebounders and should more than make up for the departure of Roberts.
The Lady Tigers won't be quite as deep as they were this season - but with a starting five that good, they won't have to be.
2. Whitley County - The Lady Colonels lose Stephanie McCullah and her 14.2 points per game but bring back a talented group that includes three double-figure scorers - seniors Amanda Brimm (10.3) and Randal Holbrook (10.0) and junior Holly Jones (11.0).
Brimm and Holbrook will continue to provide a steady presence inside on both ends of the floor, and Jones seems capable of stepping up her production even more to neutralize the loss of McCullah.
The Lady Colonels lost to Clay by 20 points in this year's regional semifinals, but the game was much closer than the final score indicated. If anyone in the region can give the Lady Tigers a run for the regional crown in '08, it's Whitley.
3. South Laurel - Usually, a team that loses two guards of the caliber of Whitney Smith and McKenzie McWhorter would have huge question marks going into the next season. But not every team has Lauren Wombles (15.4).
The talented, versatile senior will keep the Lady Cardinals competitive in 2007-08 with her ability to score from anywhere on the floor. The continued development of sophomore guard Jessica Dean (4.7), who should move into the starting lineup, and junior forward Porsha Justice (7.1), will help lighten Wombles' load. Senior Johnna Sizemore will continue to provide a steady hand at point guard.
Like Clay, depth could be a problem for the Lady Cards. But South will continue to be competitive, despite playing in the loaded 50th District.
4. Jackson County - The Lady Generals aren't quite the team they were when Sarah Elliott prowled the paint a few years ago. But they're certainly not the team they were after she graduated.
The thought of junior phenom Kourtney Tyra (17.1) continuing to improve should give 13th Region coaches nightmares. And she's not a one-woman show - senior forward Amber Whitehead (12.4) gives the Lady Generals a steady presence in the post.
Jackson is a couple of players away from being a bona fide regional contender. But with a surprise or two, the Lady Generals could find themselves playing well into March.
5. Harlan - The emergence of junior Chassidy Lawson (17.3) propelled the Lady Dragons to a surprising district title run in 2007. Expect her to be just as solid next year.
The Lady Dragons' biggest question mark will be at point guard, where Caroline Huff (8.3) is gone after four years. Junior Belinda Patton (4.3) could move over to run the point, but Harlan will have adjustments to make.
Coach Chuck Mitchell expects junior Alex Allison (7.7) to add an inside game to complement her 3-point shooting. If Allison becomes a versatile scorer like Lawson, the duo could be very difficult to stop.
Courtney Bell (8.5) showed flashes of dominance this year despite a knee injury. If she's fully recovered next season, there are very few players in the region who can tangle with her on the glass.
6. Corbin - The Lady Hounds took a step back this season after reaching the regional championship game in 2006. The loss of point guard Brittany Jackson (13.7) won't help matters next year.
Still, Corbin will have senior guard Mikkah Rogers (13.2), and junior Lyndsay Champlin (6.6) has established herself as a lethal outside threat.
Senior forward Abby Baylor (4.2) and sophomore Kelci Jones (7.9) have a year to develop into the post presence the Lady Hounds were missing at times this year. Corbin could also benefit from the return of senior Rikki Walden, who played in two games before going down to a knee injury this season.
7. North Laurel - The Lady Jaguars showed marked improvement this year before losing star Caitie Jackson (14.0) to a knee injury late in the season. The return of the junior guard will help soften the blow of losing starters Bobbie Jo Harris (9.7) and Stephanie Strange (9.9).
Senior Casey Jo Karr (6.2) and junior Kayla Bargo (4.6) return at guard, leaving the Lady Jags' backcourt intact. Freshman Rachel Seidel (3.7) is also likely to see plenty of action at guard.
Filling holes in the post will be a challenge. Juniors McKenzie Prichard (4.4) and Rachel Akins are likely candidates to move into the starting lineup.
8. Middlesboro - Waves of adversity shipwrecked the Lady Jackets, who entered the 2006-07 season with sky-high expectations. With their problems behind them, expect Middlesboro to be much improved from this year's 9-17 squad.
Junior point guard Sophie Robinson is expected to return after missing the entire 2006-07 season due to a knee injury. Her 3-point shooting will offset the loss of Emily Osborne (8.1) to graduation. Sophomores Mallory Shoffner (11.4) and Shanice Gilbert (2.3) got plenty of experience in Robinson's absence and will be key guards as well.
Seniors Brooklyn Jimison (17.2) and Ashley Williams (5.7) give the Lady Jackets plenty of experience in the post, and freshman Carissa Overbay (4.7) will also contribute.
9. Cawood - After a tumultuous year, the Trojanettes played their best basketball of the season in the district tournament, when they took the Lady Dragons to double overtime before ultimately falling.
The Trojanettes will be senior-dominated in 2007-08, led by guard Emily Boggs (19.6), the region's leading scorer this year. Boggs should be used to constant attention by opposing defenses and could very well end up as the Trojanettes' all-time leading scorer.
Seniors Courtney Bolin (5.3), Ashley Davenport (5.1) and Jyssica Williams (3.4) are solid rebounders who should help the Trojanettes hold their own in the paint. Coach Bucky Burkhart could go with size, in the form of sophomore Jennifer Hensley (1.4), or speed, in the form of junior Amanda Helton (1.3) or freshman Johnnie Parker (1.6), to fill the final starting spot.
10. Knox Central - The Lady Panthers have a massive pair of shoes to fill after the graduation of Wendi Messer (19.4), the region's player of the year.
Junior forward Brittany Jordan (13.1) and senior point guard Ashley Sizemore (6.2) will give the Lady Panthers a nice inside-outside attack. Junior Charli Sowders (4.8) will also contribute, along with senior Kayla Wilburn (4.9).
Best of the rest: Williamsburg, Barbourville, Cumberland, Bell County, Evarts, Red Bird, Pineville, Lynn Camp, Oneida Baptist.
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Jarrod Sherman can be contacted by e-mail at sports@harlanonline.net
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