By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - With 2006 knocking on our back doors, it's time to take a look at some of the biggest sports stories this area saw in 2005.
There were so many successful athletes and teams, that it was hard to narrow the list to only 10, but we managed to pick them and here are the Top 10 sports stories of 2005.
10. Brandywine's head tennis coach Joe Marazita had much to smile about this year. Not only did he surpass his 100th win with the Lady ‘Cats' tennis team this season, but he was named Coach of the Year.
9. Niles High School seniors Brandie Radde and Sarah Dreher went out in style -and in the record books - during their final season with the Lady Vikes' basketball team.
Both girls set new school records this season for most points scored in their careers, breaking the 1,078 mark set by Timothia Clemmer in 1991.
Dreher set a new school record during Niles' season opener against Gull Lake by scoring 39 points in one game, the most any player has ever scored.
Radde also set a new school record for her seven three-pointers against Kalamazoo Christian.
Both girls are heading to Division 1 schools next year to continue their basketball careers.
8. Brandywine softball coach Jim Myers and Niles' wrestling coach Bob Galvin both hit milestones in their coaching careers in 2005.
Myers, who will enter his 15th year as the head softball coach in 2006, picked up his 400th win for Brandywine this year.
In 2004, coach Myers led his team to the conference, district and regional championships and in 2001 he led his team to their first ever state championship win.
Galvin, who is in his seventh year as head coach of the Vikes, reached his 400th win during the season opening matches against Vicksburg and Mattawan.
Galvin is one of the only coaches in the state of Michigan to get more than 100 wins at three different schools.
7. This year, a lot of people seemed to be focused on Edwardsburg and Bridgman as the possible teams playing for the Division 3 district soccer title.
But on championship day, it was Brandywine and Dowagiac which were facing off on the field.
Although the team didn't post a perfect record, the Bobcats' soccer team ended the season third in the Lakeland Athletic Conference and knocked favorite Bridgman out of the running for a district title in the semi finals.
Though the Chiefs went on to win the final game, Brandywine should be proud of its accomplishmenmts in 2005.
6. It was Lucky No. 7 in 2005 for Brandywine's varsity softball team as the Bobcats earned their seventh straight District title. The team advanced to regionals to try for their seventh straight title, but were defeated by Gobles in the championship game.
The Bobcats' softball program has been a very successful one, thanks to hard work, a dedicated coaching staff and dedicated players.
Also in 2005, five Brandywine softball players were selected to the Division 3 MHSSCA All-Region softball team for 2005 and four were selected as first team MHSSCA Division 3 All-State players for 2005.
5. The Niles girls' varsity basketball team grabbed its ninth straight district win in 2005, something not many teams in this area have accomplished.
Although the Vikes didn't go on to win the regional title, Niles has nothing to be ashamed of.
Being part of such a successful program for so many years is something to be proud of. The Lady Vikes basketball program is one that will always be successful, thanks to the volunteers who spend their spare time preping these young athletes for their high school competition.
4. Buchanan's varsity basketball team left a lot of memories for their fans, coaches and themselves after reaching the Class C quarterfinals for the second year in a row in 2005.
Though the Bucks fell to Albion at the Battle Creek Kellogg Arena, reaching the state quarterfinals for the second straight year is something to be proud of. Only eight teams in the state make it that far each year and the Bucks should look back at these two seasons fondly, knowing for two straight years they were one of the top 10 teams in the state of Michigan.
3. After claiming its second straight Lakeland Conference title, Brandywine's varsity tennis team finished 15th at the Division 4 State Finals in 2005. The Bobcats posted an impressive 13-0-1 record and with 10 of its 12 players returning next season, we can expect to see another successful season of Lady Cats tennis.
2. The Buchanan boys' tennis team traveled to Michigan State University this year for the Division 4 tennis finals.
This was the 13th straight year the Bucks made a finals appearance and in May they captured their 13th straight regional win.
Early in the season, the team ran into problems when six of its players violated the athletic code of conduct, thus losing some of their top players.
But the Bucks stepped up and handled business. They not only made it to state, but the entire tennis team was named to the 2005 Academic All-State team, which means all carried a GPA of 3.51 or higher.
1. Three area athletes - all girls - have proved that hard work on and off the court has big rewards. Niles High School seniors Dreher and Radde and Brandywine senior Kelli Zache are all continuing their athletic careers next year with Division 1 schools.
Zache will be attending Western Michigan University to play softball, while Dreher will join the Lady Broncos' basketball team. Radde will be attending the University of Louisville to play basketball for the Lady Cardinals.