Two names immediately come to mind for me when looking back on the local sports year of 2012.

Bob Vernick and Nate Snodgrass.

Other than their coaches, those two guys are most responsible for elevating the performance of Butler High School varsity football and basketball.

The Golden Tornado’s recent football history has been well-documented. Bringing in a highly energetic, enthusiastic and passionate coach like Clyde Conti certainly helped Butler end its 14-year playoff drought this fall.

But Conti needed an anchor on the field, a “go-to guy,” if you will, the guy who provides the glue, the leadership for the rest of the team to follow.

That guy is usually a quarterback or running back in high school football.

Not in this case.

Vernick saw time at running back and produced there, but his calling card was at linebacker.

This guy had 101 total tackles. Due to assorted injuries to teammates — and Butler had plenty of them — Vernick had more than twice as many tackles as anyone else on the team.

I wonder when the last time that’s happened at any level of football.

Vernick had 10 more solo tackles than any other Tornado player had total tackles.

He played hurt, he played every game — he practically played every play.

Without Bob Vernick, Butler football doesn’t even sniff the playoffs.

The same can be said for Snodgrass and Butler basketball.

A four-year starter at point guard, this kid could always distribute the ball. He rarely scored, however, averaging only 9.4 points per game his junior year.

Last year, that all changed.

Snodgrass became Mr. Everything.

He scored 514 points. He averaged 21 points and 5.7 assists per game. He found Matt Baranchak for a game-winning layup at the buzzer in overtime to defeat Seneca Valley and get Butler into the WPIAL playoffs.

He found Luke Hartung for a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to defeat Chartiers Valley and keep Butler in the playoffs.

He hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left to force overtime against North Allegheny, then hit the game-winning shot to defeat the Tigers after controlling the ball for three minutes in the extra session.

That win put the Tornado in the WPIAL semifinals.

Snodgrass is now averaging 22 minutes of playing time and is sinking 90 percent of his free throws as a freshman for Northern Kentucky University.

Butler basketball is still trying to adjust to life without him.

Vernick will undoubtedly be playing college football somewhere next fall. He’s not a big kid by linebacker standards, but he has the heart of a lion.

And Butler football will have to adjust to life without him.

Special athletes come and go.

These two, I won’t forget.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.