Top Moments of 2023: Unraveling some of the best performances and winning moments captured on film

YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - All good things must come to an end - and that's how it feels to wrap up another chapter of prep sports heading into the summer of 2023.

With the long wait before football kicks back up in August, it deems an appropriate time to dive into the archive and relive some of the most incredible moments and outstanding performances caught on film so far in the 2023 calendar year - from individual excellence team-winning moments.

Here is a Top 10 countdown of some of the top moments/performances since January:

#10 - Starting us off in tennis in one of the local matches of the year, Kofa's Diego Ambriz gave San Luis' top dog Derick Aguirre fits - who was perfect in singles to that point. The strong volleys and smooth plays for both guys made it fun to watch. In the end it was Aguirre staying perfect en route to a state tournament appearance.

#9 - Shifting to the mat in an extraordinary February weekend, five local Yuma wrestlers were crowned state champions - representing the desert southwest's power on the mat. Daniel Alire, Diego Camarillo, Elias Espinoza, Hunter Hancock and Trenton Blomquist all getting the chance to stand on the top step as champions.

#8 - On April 11th it was an unforgettable day for Antelope's Alaina Jaime who would go on to crank a second inside-the-park grand slam of the day in a meeting with San Pasqual - all part of her totaling 10 RBIs on the day - almost a quarter of her entire team-leading RBI stat on the full season.

#7 - Staying on the softball diamond for Kofa's Senior Day. While it was a special day for four Lady King seniors, it was a day written in the stars for Stephany Montoya. The future college player lifted both of her ninth and tenth home runs on the year in her final home game - also helping officially land them into the state playoffs with a win over Youngker.

#6 - To more softball down the I-8 East to Gila Ridge in a record-setting day for Klarissa Rader. With the Lady Hawks in deep playoff-push mode, Rader tossed a perfect game against San Luis that inched the Hawks a step closer to the state playoffs, which they would eventually reach a week later.

#5 - A special night in January at Kofa High School for the school's annual Hall of Fame night - fittingly hosting a boys and girls basketball double-header against crosstown rival - the Yuma Criminals. But in the girls game, Yuma would call on a "legend" to silence the crowd. Legend Redmond would hit a bank shot in the waning seconds that would prove to be the game winner by one for the Crims. But in the boys game, the Kings got vengeance in the final seconds as two passes up the floor facing a full-court press found Joaquin Anaya who laid the ball up and in off the glass for the win at the buzzer - putting a cap to a fantastic rivalry night in front of a packed crowd.

#4 - Not only did she deliver an RBI triple to hold pad onto a slim 1-0 lead in the southern California State Semis, Kalli Strahm pitched a masterful complete game one-hit shutout in the circle in her final home game to send the Holtville Lady Vikings to the state title game. Strahm gave up just one hit in the sixth inning that stymied a perfect game.

#3 - Next up: San Luis boys soccer on the verge of a magical undefeated year was up against the flames in the state semis before an unknown scoring hero, Erik Quirarte, arrived. Quirarte, as the squad's top defender, did not score one goal all season. But a score off a header then led to maybe the play of the year on the bicycle kick assist from Francisco Pina that found Quirarte with a fantastic boot to put the game on ice - ultimately sending the Sidewinders to the state title game.

#2 - To the basketball floor in playoff fashion - it was sheer dominance in the end of February from Imperial's David Scariano who went off in a truly remarkable CIF playoff run. Scariano scored 34, 39 and then 21 for the Tigers on the post-season ride to their first CIF championship in boys hoops.

#1 - Saving the best for last - a rewind to just a couple weeks ago. On their final breath down to the last out, Holtville's Demi Johnston poked base hit into center field to bring in two runs and tie the game in the 7th inning of the SoCal Region State Final. The Lady Vikings would go on to score three runs later in the 10th inning and go on to celebrate a state title in the dramatic, extra-inning thriller to end the season.