Top 10 local sports stories of the year

1. NO ONE LIKE IKE: Cadets football team completes a 10-0 regular season, then sets a school record with its 11th win in the Class 4A state opener.

2. TOP CATS: Central doesn’t miss a step and rolls to an undefeated regular season and a national No. 1 ranking before losing to eventual Division II national champions Northwest Missouri State in the national quarterfinals.

3. DOG GONE GOOD: Ellensburg football team wins all 12 of its games and is ranked No. 1 much of the season before falling in the Class 2A state semifinals.

4. CRUISING CADETS: Eisenhower boys basketball team goes unbeaten in the regular season and wins its first 22 games and advances to the state tournament.

5. MORE FROM THE MOORES: Legendary Prosser football coach Tom Moore steps down as varsity coach in part to see his sons Kellen and Kirby play at Boise State. Kellen, a sophomore, doesn’t disappoint, leading the nation in passing efficiency and ranking second in touchdown passes — two of those to Kirby, a freshman. The Broncos finish the regular season 13-0.

6. RANGER REDEMPTION: After falling short in the previous two final fours, the Naches Valley baseball team wins the Class 1A state title.

7. QUITE A START: In its first year, the Yakima Valley Community College women’s wrestling team wins a national championship and three wrestlers win individual titles.

8. THE LIFE OF REILLY: CWU quarterback Mike Reilly wins multiple honors and ties for runner-up in the Harlon Hill award — the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — and today is on the St. Louis Rams roster after a stint on Green Bay practice squad.

9. COLD GOLD: Yakima’s Joe Parsons wins a pair of Winter X Games gold medals in snowmobile events at Aspen, Colo.

10. MAKING A MOVE: After 22 schools opt up from Class 2A to 3A, West Valley is left in 2A for the 2010-12 cycle. The school board votes not to opt up.