The Moniteau softball team celebrates its victory over South Park in the PIAA Class AA semifinals at North Allegheny High School in June. The Warriors punched their ticket to the state title game, but ultimately came one win short of a PIAA championship. Not long after, Moniteau softball coach Dan Beebe resigned.

Moniteau's girls softball team has been dominant in District 9 for years.

In 2016, the rest of the state felt the Warriors' wrath on the diamond. The team's postseason run landed it in second place on the Butler Eagle's list of top 15 local sports stories of the year.

Moniteau had never won a PIAA softball playoff game before this year. The Warriors wound up 24-2 in 2016, including five consecutive postseason wins by a composite score of 34-0.

That streak ended with a 9-3 loss to Holy Redeemer in the state title game.

Not long after that game, Warrior coach Dan Beebe resigned after his coaching contract was not quickly renewed by the district. Beebe wound up accepting an assistant coaching position at Butler County Community College.

The following round out the top 15:No. 3 — Maura Kimmel wins PIAA shot put, discus titles: These marked the first two state championships in Moniteau High School history. Kimmel's discus throw of 146 feet, 7 inches and shot put of 45 feet, 1.25 inches were the best in Butler County last spring.No. 4 — Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic girls win PIAA basketball title: The Trojanettes claimed the program's first state title since 1995 and its first since the school's relocation to Cranberry Township. CWNC defeated Our Lady of Lourdes 56-33 for the Class A title and Sam Breen reached the 2,000-point plateau in late December.No. 5 — Mars boys basketball reaches PIAA title game: The Planets finished 23-7, but suffered a 99-66 loss to Neumann Goretti in the Class AAA championship game. Robby Carmody, a junior, continues to be a national collegiate recruit and senior John Castello went on to become a starter as a freshman at Shippensburg University.No. 6 — Four county players selected in MLB Draft: Local baseball was well represented as Butler graduate Colin McKee was chosen in the 18th round by the Houston Astros, Butler grad Mick Fennell in the 22nd round by St. Louis, Seneca Valley grad Matt Smith in the 34th round by Milwaukee and Mars grad David Bednar in the 35th round by San Diego.No. 7 — Emily Gordon wins PIAA tennis title: Before doing that, the Grove City junior won her third successive District 10 title. Gordon became the first Mercer County female to ever win a state tennis title and marked District 10's first girls tennis champ in 16 years.No. 8 — Taylor Hockenberry repeats as WPIAL and PIAA diving champion: The Mars standout continued her dominance in 1-meter diving. She accepted a scholarship to continue the sport at the University of North Carolina.No. 9 — Grove City boys swimming wins state title: This championship was buoyed by the Eagles' 200 medley relay team of Austin Wilson, Thomas Somora, Rockwell Pokrant and Devin Reynolds winning the PIAA crown. Grove City's 200 freestyle relay unit of Marcus Swartfager, Will Rastatter, Pokrant and Reynolds finished second.No. 10 — Butler sprinter Emily Horstman sets records: She won the 100 and 200 meter titles at the WPIAL meet and set a school record of 25.03 seconds in the latter event. Horstman also ran a leg of Butler's WPIAL championship 4x400 meter relay, which set a school record of 3:54.

No. 11 — Butler cheerleaders win PIAA Competitive Spirit Championship: The Golden Tornado girls won the small-squad championship for the second time in four years, topping a field of 44 teams.No. 12 — Louis Newell finishes second at PIAA Wrestling Championships: The Seneca Valley 106-pounder became the first Raider grappler to reach the PIAA finals since 1982. He won three straight state tourney matches by one point and finished the season at 39-5.No. 13 — Seneca Valley boys soccer reaches WPIAL Finals: The Raiders set school records along the way, posting 11 consecutive shutouts and 16 overall. The team allowed only six goals all season.No. 14 — Freeport girls soccer reaches WPIAL Finals: The Yellowjackets enjoyed one the best seasons in program history, finishing 16-5-1 and winning a state tournament game.No. 15 — Brian Minto closes boxing career at Kelly Automotive Park: The Butler professional boxer closed the lid on a 14-year career with a record of 42-11 and 27 knockouts. He scored a fifth-round TKO of Hungary's Andras Csomor in his final bout.

Referee Chris Riskus lifts the fist of Brian Minto after the Butler boxer was announced the winner of a bout over Hungarian Andras Csomor at Kelly Automotive Park in September. Minto capped his 14-year boxing career with the victory and finished with a 42-11 professional record.

Moniteau's Maura Kimmel poses with her gold medals after winning the shot put and discus titles at the PIAA Track and Field Championships in May. Kimmel owns the only two state titles in school history.