Now that the 2019 sports year is preparing to leave us in a few days, it seems only fitting to give it the send-off it deserves.

Following are a few personal awards I present as Butler County's best of the year in their respective categories:

Athlete of the Year — Choices are endless here, but my pick is Seneca Valley wrestler Alejandro Herrera-Rondon. The guy won his first WPIAL championship and second PIAA title as a sophomore and was only taken down a couple of times all season.

Decision of the Year — Butler basketball standout Ethan Morton announcing Purdue as his collegiate choice and the huge party in Butler Township that went with it.

Moment of the Year — Slippery Rock High School softball player Julia Hart hitting the first home run of her lifetime on the same day the field's scoreboard was dedicated to her late mother, who spearheaded the fund drive to erect it.

Breakthrough of the Year — Mars graduate and relief pitcher David Bednar jumping from Class AA to the San Diego Padres.

Game of the Year — Karns City football's 42-41 overtime loss to Brookville at Diehl Stadium. To this day, no one knows for sure whether the Gremlins' Hunter Rowe got across the goal line on that two-point try to end the game.

Coach of the Year — Kevin Wildrick of Seneca Valley wrestling. He's brought that program to a whole new level.

Repeat of the Year — Michael Norris winning a World of Outlaws Late Model Feature during Lernerville Speedway's Firecracker 100 weekend for the second straight year.

Pitcher of the Year — Jarrett Heilman and his microscopic 0.67 earned run average for Freeport.

Comeback of the Year — North Catholic's Matt Ferraro, who overcame a life-threatening epidural abscess to accept a wrestling scholarship at Mercyhurst. Also impressive is the fact Ferraro was the only wrestler in the school actively competing while earning that scholarship.

Achievement of the Year — James Caldwell becoming the first person in the 52-year history of the Butler County Special Olympics bowling program to roll a perfect game at Family Bowlaway.

Effort of the Year — A-C Valley's Baylee Blauser winning a medal in the long jump at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, jumping in a car and pitching in a playoff softball game for her school on the same day.

Repeat Performance of the Year — Josh Bartley, who sank two holes-in-one in less than a month.

Award of the Year — Slippery Rock University quarterback Roland Rivers III receiving the Harlon Hill Trophy as the best football player in Division II.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle