Top 10: Sports Stories of 2012

We've searched through our archives in 2012 to give you the Top 10 most significant sports stories of the year. From personal bests, to retired numbers, to one of the most dramatic games ever played by a Sachem football team, we've got 2012 Sachem sports covered.

Check out the links and relive the moments: 

Sachem's Tina Moon Named NFHCA Coach of the Year for North Region

After taking the Sachem East Field Hockey team all the way to a State Championship, Tina Moon earned a distinction of her own when the National Field Hockey Coaches Association named her "Coach of the Year" in the entire north region of the country. Former editor Chris Vaccaro had the story when it first broke.

In the 1990s she was synonymous with Girls Varsity Basketball, and this year, Sachem alum Nicole Kaczmarski had her iconic No. 23 retired to the Sachem Wall of Fame. Kaczmarski became just the fifth Sachem athlete to have their number retired from varsity rotation, and the first female in Sachem history to do so. She joined former New York Giants star Jumbo Elliot with the honor. Her retirement went down at the now-traditional East vs. North basketball game last January.

After another successful run through the playoffs in the fall of 2011, the winter of 2012 smiled upon senior Vincent Provenzano, who won the Black Helmet Award for an outstanding player who epitomizes Sachem football. In addition to the Black Helmet, he also snagged Defensive MVP. Provenzano graduated from Sachem North in June.

Dalton Crossan Commits to New Hampshire

Sachem North star player and co-Hansen Award winner Dalton Crossan had his pick of the litter when it came time to consider colleges. Crossan ultimately chose New Hampshire, where the possibility of red-shirting his freshman year could help him build his skills for a possible shot at the pros when the time comes. The story of his committment became headlines in February.

Sachem North Cheer Captures National Title

They went to Orlando for a shot at the hardware and they took it home: a National Championship for cheerleading! Former Editor Chris Vaccaro splashed this incredible news on our pages back in mid-February.

East Running Back Commits Early to UMass

Ah, the benefits sometimes of following certain people on Twitter. We reported this story back in June, when Sachem East and Hansen Award winning running back Steve Casali decided to take his talents to the Bay State and tweeted about it. "Committed to #UMASS where I'll be playing at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots!! #pumped #sohappy!!!! :)" Casali's Tweet stated. Less than six months after this Tweet, he helped his team all the way to the Suffolk County Championship game.

Read this fantastic profile of Maria Michta, who in 2012 won the national racewalking qualifier in Oregon and punched her ticket to the Summer Games in London. Michta, a 2004 graduate of Sachem, represented the Sachem community well, and gave us plenty to write about this summer.

Photo Gallery: The Race

It was a monumental feat, making it all the way from Sachem High School to the Olympic Games in London. Former Sachem Patch Editor and current PR Manager for Sachem Schools Chris Vaccaro had the privilege of watching Michta compete from the sidelines in London. Vaccaro was gracious enough to let us publish these great photos of Michta's race.

Champs!: Sachem East Field Hockey Captures LI Crown

For the second consecutive year, the Sachem East Field Hockey team went on an undefeated run and captured back-to-back Long Island Championship titles. The team would go on after we reported this story, to capture its second New York State title as well.

Stunner: Sachem East Advances to County Finals On Last Play of Game

Last, but most certainly not least, the game of the year by any margin, was this classic showdown in the semi-finals between the 7-1 Connetquot Thunderbirds, and the heavy underdog Sachem East Flaming Arrows. Led by Steve Casali, the game came down to a perfectly executed onsides kick, and as the last second ticked off the game clock: The Catch. Ryan Dippel pulled down a pass from Danny Wolff in double coverage, and sent Sachem East to the Suffolk County Finals for the first time in the school's history. Without a doubt, the most exciting sports story of 2012!