Our Top 10 sports stories of the year

1. Yuba City JV baseball brawl becomes national news

One of the classiest sports programs in the area made news for all the wrong reasons in April.

Members of the Yuba City High JV baseball team were involved in a brawl with players from Del Campo at a tournament game at Granite Bay High School. A video of the incident went viral and received national exposure.

Eight Yuba City players were suspended from the team and Yuba City's JV coaches were fired.

2. Sutter football plays for NorCal championship

The best season in the history of Sutter High football's illustrious tradition ended with a 13-1 finish for the Huskies and a memorable game with Marin Catholic in the inaugural CIF Northern California Regional Division III bowl game.

Though the Huskies lost 23-7 to the Wildcats at Oroville's Harrison Stadium, they still took home the Northern Section Division II title in an epic double-overtime win over West Valley on Nov. 24.

3. Yuba College men's basketball run toward a state title

The Yuba College faithful turned Sacramento's Cosumnes River College into a home-away-from-home when the 49ers made a run at the state championship in March.

Yuba fell 77-62 to Fresno City College in the title game, capping off a historic season for the 49ers, who also took home their sixth straight Bay Valley Conference championship.

4. Marysville's Cole Hannum transfers, ruled ineligible

One of the top playmakers in the Mid-Valley lost his senior season of football after transferring from Marysville High to Grass Valley's Nevada Union.

The Sac-Joaquin Section ruled Hannum inelibigle for the 2012 season after having "prior contact" with the Miners. While the unprecendented rule changes had not been established, it was clear that Hannum attended a football camp at NU over the summer.

5. Yuba City football wins first league title in 25 years

It was a 25-year wait for the Honkers, but they finally broke through and won a conference title after finishing 5-0 in the Tri-County Conference. It was the Honkers' first banner since 1987, the senior season of coach John Ithurburn.

Yuba City's 9-2 finish was the program's best record since 1998.

6. River Valley boys soccer wins school's first section title

The River Valley High boys soccer program made history in November when they defeated Central Valley of Ceres to take home the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship, the first section banner in school history.

The No. 6-seeded Falcons didn't allow a goal in regulation throughout the postseason and won two of their games by shootout.

7. Hillis/Knoop/Johnson tragedies

Along with several highlights, the 2012 sports season in the Mid-Valley had its share of tragedy.

Colusa High athlete Jordan Hillis died in a car accident en route to watch his RedHakws face Pierce on Sept. 21.

Marysville Raceway Park driver Bill Knoop died at the age of 54 just five days prior to Hillis on Sept. 16 in a motorcycle accident.

Former River Valley High wrestler Devin Johnson was paralyzed on May 14 in Sacramento while training for his pro MMA debut.

8. Yuba City/River Valley baseball's post historic seasons

The Yuba City and River Valley High baseball teams put together historic seasons in the spring.

The Honkers took home the school's eighth consecutive conference crown, but did it with an undefeated league record, a first for the program.

River Valley finished 21-8, the best mark in school history, and became the first varsity boys program at RV to win a playoff game when the Falcons knocked out Whitney with a 6-5 walk-off victory.

9. Lindhurst boys basketball advances in state tournament

The Blazers put together the best season in school history as they took home the Golden Empire League title for the second consecutive year and made it to the Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals. They lost to eventual section champ Foothill.

Lindhurst also won a game in the CIF Division III State Tournament over Enterprise 54-50 and hung tough with Northern California powerhouse Bishop O'Dowd.

10. Festus Ezeli drafted by Golden State Warriors

Ezeli's long journey in basketball began at Yuba College in a basketball class and it now continues in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors.

The 6-foot-11, 255-pound center was drafted in the first round with the 30th overall pick in June.