Milestones and accolades played a huge part in highlighting the area sports landscape in 2005, from pitching in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game to 500-win plateaus to being inducted into coaching halls of fame to setting the standard on the racetrack.

By a vote of the Butler Eagle sports staff, here are the top 15 area sports happenings of the year:

1.

Butler boxer Brian Minto earns a huge victory over Vince Maddalone on a pay-per-view card, giving his career another big boost.See related story.2.

Butler's Matt Clement has a roller coaster of a season for the Boston Red Sox. After a 10-2 start earned him an All-Star Game appearance, in which he pitched a shutout inning, Clement was hit in the head by a line drive two weeks later against Tampa Bay.Missing just one start, Clement finish the season 13-6, but pitched in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Chicago White Sox. In 3innings, Clement allowed eight earned runs in a 14-2 loss. He had knee surgery a few weeks later.3.

Knoch's Ryan Adler suffered severe head trauma after landing awkwardly on a pole vault attempt at North Allegheny April 18.He was placed in a medically induced coma to allow the swelling in his brain to subside. By mid-May, Adler was walking with a walker and speaking to the media as his road to recovery continues.4.

Slippery Rock University's Josh Kniess set The Rock's career all-purpose yardage record with 5,148 yards. He also finished with 775 career carries, also a school record. The Slippery Rock High graduate finished second in career TDs (46) and third in career rushing yards (3,527).5.

Dana Petruska was not re-hired to return as the Mars girls basketball coach. After 19 seasons at the helm, Petruska amassed a 268-186 record. She led the Planets to the WPIAL playoffs the past nine years, including a trip to the finals, and three PIAA tournaments.6.

Knoch boys basketball coach Les Shoop, with a 69-45 victory over Kittanning Dec. 16, recorded his 500th career victory. Shoop, who also coached at Punxsutawney, will earn his 300th with the Knights when the team hits 17 wins this season. Another bonus for Shoop was seeing his son, Jordan score his 1,000th point exactly one week later.7. After winning the District 9 Class A title and going undefeated against district opponents, the

Union girls basketball team defeated Duquesne and Conemaugh Valley in the first two rounds of the PIAA playoffs. The Damsels (27-3), however, lost to Kennedy Catholic by one point in the quarterfinals, the last public school to be knocked out at that level.8.

John Flinner knows how to keep a good ride going. The Zelienople resident captured his fifth consecutive Late Models division at Lernerville Speedway, the only driver ever to do so in any division at the track.9. The

Moniteau football team entered the postseason with a 4-5 record, but earned the program's first-ever playoff victory in a 35-25 decision over Brookville. The Warriors downed Karns City to reach the District 9 Class AA championship game, where they lost to Brockway 22-20.10t.

The Seneca Valley girls swimming team earned five gold medals out of 11 swimming events at the WPIAL championships, where it finished in second place. Two Division I recruits, Stacie Safritt (Pitt) and Kylie Gamelier (Toledo) led the charge, as Safritt won two individual and two relay golds.10t.

Zach Jackson had a season to remember in the Toronto Blue Jays system, going a combined 16-8 with a 3.92 ERA, 124 strikeouts and just 39 walks in 160 innings pitched. He also pitched in the Futures Game, an all-star game for up-and-coming minor-leaguers. Jackson recently was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers organization, where he might become a key piece in the team's youth movement.12.

Slippery Rock High School football coach Clyde Conti was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association's hall of fame this summer. Conti went 159-83-3 in 25 years of coaching, including a 136-71-3 record during a 22-year stint at Clarion-Limestone and 23-12 in three years at Slippery Rock, where he guided the team to District 10 titles his first two seasons.13. The

Thiel College football team captured its first-ever playoff victory and its 11 wins are a program best. The Tomcats' roster contains nine Butler County area players, including running back Steve Minton (Seneca Valley), the program's first 1,000-yard rusher and leading scorer, offensive lineman Ricky Gable (Mars) and leading tackler Jeff Wagner (Karns City).14.

Slippery Rock High School wrestling coach Fred Powell was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, adding to his already growing list of honors. Powell has already joined the NAIA, Slippery Rock University, Lock Haven University, PSAC and Pennsylvania Halls of Fame.15t.

John Aubrey Sr. of Butler qualified to play in the U.S. Senior Open at NCR Country Club in Dayton, Ohio as well as the Senior PGA Tournaments at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier. The latter one marked Aubrey's fourth consecutive trip.15t. In a 54-51 girls basketball victory over Sharon Dec. 10,

Slippery Rock High's Jence Rhoads scored 30 points and passed the 1,000-point mark just four games into her junior season.

Butler boys volleyball team wins first-ever playoff games. … Butler Gymnastics Club members place nationally, get Division I scholarships. … Butler's Emily Chiappini and Kendall Butch both earn PIAA medals in the pole vault. … Karns City boys soccer team win first District 9 title while girls reach PIAA quarterfinals. … Saxonburg American Legion team returns, wins county's regular season and playoff titles. … Moniteau girls track team wins first KSAC title in 35 years. … Former SRU swim coach Bob Ogoreuc named one of world's most influential people in aquatics. … Butler freshman wrestler Ian McLaughlin wins 33 matches, plus section title. … Mars' Eric Crowley wins WPIAL diving title in first year of competing. … Seneca Valley boys soccer wins first-ever section crown. … Freeport's Lacey Cochran wins fourth WPIAL track title, eight medals overall. … Mars girls golf goes unbeaten in second year of existence. … Butler graduate Nate Hartung spurns Division I football offers to serve Mormon mission. … Mars grad Mallory Bugel leads PAC in scoring for Westminster women's soccer. … Seneca Valley graduate Candice Eyerman scores 1,000th point for Waynesburg College women's basketball. … Knoch graduate and former PGA golfer Jim Simons dies. … Slippery Rock wrestlers Jeff Becker and Trevor Gallo medal at PIAA wrestling. … Amber McFeely sets career assist record for SRU women's basketball after losing brother in an automobile accident. … Tyler Callihan breaks Karns City boys basketball career scoring record. … Bobby Swartwout slugs 50 homers in one evening at Butler County Little League Home Run Derby