Top Sports Moments of 2015

Cameron Goz
Sports Editor
      As 2015 has faded into its twilight, sports fans across the world are blessed with a bevy of moments to remember from the past year. From miraculous catches to thrilling finishes, there was no shortage of exhilarating feats performed before our very eyes. Only the elite of the elite have found their way onto this list.

MLB
Kevin Kiermaier broke out this year, and the emergence of a gold glove caliber glove in center is not hurting his future dollar. This is one of many acrobatic grabs he displayed this year, robbing Manny Machado of a sure-fire home run.

The big guys are athletes too, and Bartolo Colon proved that and some here. Not only is his behind the back throw accurate, but the amount of power he can get on that ball to get it there is fascinating in itself.

Some plays are a testament to physical ability; others are attributed to luck. This play falls into the category of the latter. A complete train wreck of a play turned into an out, and when is that not fun?

As the best center fielder and arguably the best player overall in baseball, Mike Trout has an endless highlight reel, but this one sticks out above the rest, for this year at least. A full scaling of the wall is an easy feat when you are Mike Trout.

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Football
Odell Beckham Jr. may be the most exciting player in the NFL and plays like this one are the reason why, despite it not counting. OBJ tries to recreate what some have dubbed, “The Catch”, with another one handed miracle grab. The catch is brought in, but Beckham falls out of bounds afterwards, and the throw was ruled incomplete.

Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in football, case and point. It is really that simple.

While being extremely early in 2015, no play was more controversial this year than the ending to Superbowl XLIX where no-name cornerback Malcolm Butler established a name for himself, sealing the Seahawks’ fate with an interception with twenty seconds left on the clock.

​Of all the crazy plays that happen in college football, this one may trump them all this year, especially considering the future implications. A for-sure win for the Wolverines turned into a nightmare when punter Blake O’Neal fumbled an attempted punt, and Michigan State ran it back for the game winning score as time expired. What followed only was a one-loss campaign that got MSU into the College Football Playoff.

Coming in at number two in the college universe is this unbelievable catch by Stanford WR Francis Owusu. Pinned behind the defender’s back, Owusu was still able to secure the incredible grab.

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NHL
Russia’s leading scorer in the NHL, Alex Ovechkin, can do some amazing things on the ice, and that is proven (and then some) with this goal achieved with his knees on the ice. 

Henrik Lundqvist is a magician in front of the net, and another diving stop is just another day at the office for him.

Emerson Etem was not a huge contributor in this year’s NHL playoffs, but plays like this one could have him in Anaheim for a long time.

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Soccer
This year’s women’s world cup was a happy one for the U.S.A., and one of the main reasons why was Carli Lloyd. One of her many goals was this midfield strike. 

​Few plays reach the levels of excitement a bicycle kick goal brings to fans, and this one was no exception. Giovanni Moreno executes a flawless one here against Shanghai East Asia.

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      With options abound there were no real wrong answers when it came to this year’s stunning plays, but these few are some of that truly stood out. 2016 can only bring more excitement for sports fans around the globe.