If you were compelled to rewatch all of Baltimore sports in 2025, the overwhelming temptation would be to fast-forward through most of it. It was, by almost any definition, an ugly year.

The Orioles crashed out early and fired their manager. The Ravens limped to a 1-5 start and, as the calendar turns over, are holding on to playoff hopes by the skin of their teeth. We learned some really sad truths about one of the most beloved Ravens in team history.

Pros from Baltimore — like Angel Reese in the WNBA and Bub Carrington in the NBA — were stuck on underachieving teams. Prominent former Baltimore prep coach Biff Poggi rose to lead Michigan football ... but only on an interim basis after his predecessor fell dramatically from grace.

The first impulse would be to pitch the sports narratives of 2025 in the dumpster and toss in a match. And yet, in the relative darkness of the Baltimore sports landscape, a dozen brilliant, unlikely highlights stood out all the more.

To me, no moment better defined all that is good in Baltimore sports than Derik Queen’s March Madness buzzer-beater against Colorado State that will be forever remembered in Terps history.

It is a scene that is seared in my memory because I was feet away from him in the front row. For several seconds, my brain struggled with my eyes to believe the shot actually fell — after the Terps had lost four conference games in the final few seconds (and for those who want to call it a travel, here’s a thought: lighten up a little, you rule-stickler).

But it was more important for the city Queen is from, thanks to his walk-off interview explanation of his poise in the clutch:

“I’m from Baltimore,” he said. “That’s why.”

I don’t even have to remind you of the quote, actually. It probably already occupies some corner of your memory, making you want to flex your biceps and puff out your chest. Some of you may have already gotten it tattooed on your actual body.

Part mission statement and part war cry, those words capture the spirit of the city better than any others — a confidence and swagger that is so self-evident that it doesn’t even need to be explained further. Because that’s how Baltimoreans want to see themselves in sports (or even outside of sports): composed and perfectly prepared to seize their big moment.

It lives on, plastered on shirts throughout the city and region (full disclosure: I bought one of these shirts for my parents because I, too, was caught up in the excitement). It was bigger than sports — it was a defining highlight of Baltimore culture.

In that spirit, my year-end column is all about the highlights that still shimmered amid the downer sports trends of season-long struggles. While we will be flushing a good deal of 2025 lows, these underdog stories are worth adding to the scrapbook and looking back on for years to come (in no particular order):

Samuel Basallo’s first career walk-off win

In his big league debut season, the Orioles’ top prospect splashed with a new contract, but had considerable (and unsurprising) trouble with an initial adjustment to MLB pitching. But he also showed hints of the power that could make him one of the most exciting young sluggers on the club, with six doubles and four homers in his 31 appearances.

There was no hit more exciting, however, than his walk-off homer against the Dodgers, when he ripped a 99 mph Tanner Scott fastball into the center field stands. It was the first time the Orioles had won on a walk-off homer in a year, and it whetted the appetite for the years to come on Basallo’s eight-year, $67 million contract extension.

Journalism’s comeback win in the Preakness

The 150th running of the Preakness was bittersweet to say the least, as the beaten-down Pimlico facilities hosted the last race before being razed, with a plan to reopen after years of renovations. But you could not have asked for a better race, as Journalism had an epic break in the literal final stretch to overtake Gosger right at the finish line by a mere half-length.

The dramatic sendoff race (voiced with riveting energy by the great Larry Collmus) was a fitting tribute to the old version of Pimlico, an old gal showing her years but getting it together right at the end for one more grand encore.

Tyler Huntley’s circuitous route back to Baltimore

If not for a timely outreach by John Harbaugh this offseason, longtime Baltimore backup QB Tyler Huntley might not have ever landed back on the Ravens practice squad in August. It’s easy to forget he started the season in Cleveland. And where would the Ravens be without Huntley? Certainly not in the running for the playoffs. Huntley started two critical wins against the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, performances that were notable because of his cool-headed, mistake-free operation of the offense.

Depending on Lamar Jackson’s health this week, Huntley may well be entrusted to start a winner-take-division game in Pittsburgh in Week 18 — and wouldn’t that be a wild growth arc just a few years removed from Huntley’s disappointment in Cincinnati? You get the feeling that this time, the sixth-year veteran is trusted to answer the call if the Ravens need him under center.

Saint Frances football’s claim to a national championship

Rankings vary and schedule strength is relative, but there’s little arguing that Saint Frances’ football team is one of the very best in the nation. The Panthers finished ranked No. 1 overall by Sports Illustrated after battering Utah powerhouse Corner Canyon on national television (a game that replaced Saint Frances’ planned season finale against rival IMG Academy).

This year’s squad was headlined by a whole lot of Division I talent, including Alabama commit Jireh Edwards and Maryland-bound Zion Elee (a signing coup that is its own bright spot for Mike Locksley’s Terps). The East Baltimore academy doesn’t have its own field, but coach Messay Hailemariam will bring his team to any other school’s home crowd and clean up — anywhere, anytime.

Trevor Rogers’ improbable climb to Most Valuable Oriole

There may be no better example of a trade that appeared so unflatteringly lopsided to start the year as the Orioles’ 2024 midseason deal for the Marlins’ Trevor Rogers. As Kyle Stowers got to a hot start in Miami, Rogers was laboring for a comeback with very little expectation outside the warehouse. But wow, what a comeback it was. The lefty was rejuvenated, going 9-3 in 18 starts with a 1.81 ERA and a 0.903 WHIP that were both (by far) career lows.

A physical and mental transformation revitalized his career and gave the late-season Orioles at least something to feel good about. Rogers should probably have been in more serious contention for a Cy Young, but if he can maintain his ace-like production, he’ll be in the hunt in seasons to come anyhow.

Terps women’s basketball’s double-OT win over Alabama

You could say Sarah Te-Biasu’s game-winner over Ohio State walked so Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater could run, but honestly, that wasn’t even the Terps’ most memorable game of the season. If you tuned in for the epic duel between Maryland and Alabama at Xfinity Center, what a treat you got.

Te-Biasu cemented herself as one of the program’s most clutch performers with eight points, of her 26 overall, in the second overtime, helping the Terps somehow overcome 45 points from the Crimson Tide’s unflappable Sarah Ashlee Barker. It required a 17-point rally from the Terps, and ended with playing “Sweet Home Alabama” in the locker room. That no one saw it coming from the Terps, who had been playing somewhat tepidly entering the postseason, made it all the sweeter.

Scottie Scheffler’s miracle chip shot

Where were you for Scottie Scheffler’s 81-foot birdie on 17 at the BMW Championships? I was feet away, drinking in one of the year’s most unbelievable golf highlights and almost losing my footing on the Caves Valley grass. Scheffler has a reputation as a closer for a reason, one he burnished with a long roller down the green to mark one of the most stunning shots of the Owings Mills-based tournament. It was a great moment for golf, period, but also a highlight of the region’s ability to put on a show for the game’s highest level.

The Spencer brothers splashing into the NBA

Every time I talk to the people who know Pat and Cam Spencer, I come away with an anecdote worth remembering. That’s why I leapt at the chance to write about Pat as he ruffled viewers’ expectations with his extreme competitive spirit during the Golden State Warriors’ playoff run (naturally, his lacrosse buddies obliged with some great stories, including how he used to eat like Buddy the Elf).

But the Spencer brothers have reached a new level this season: Pat averaged double figures over the course of a five-game stretch when he actually penetrated the Warriors’ starting lineup. Meanwhile, Cam is a steady rotation player for the Memphis Grizzlies averaging 12.5 points per game this season. There’s two things you can bet about the Spencer brothers: They are going to be underestimated, and when they are, they’ll use it as fuel to do things few ever expected.

Navy football’s late comeback against Army

Things were just not going Blake Horvath’s way in the biggest game of his life. The Navy quarterback had lost a fumble and thrown a pick as the Midshipmen attempted to reach double-digit wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in academy history. It took an incredible recovery by senior Eli Heidenreich right by the goal line, followed by a Horvath strike back to his favorite receiver to finish off a memorable comeback in America’s game, 17-16, at M&T Bank Stadium.

Horvath will go down in program history as one of Navy’s most successful quarterbacks. His class of seniors (including All-American Landon Robinson) will be remembered for capping the 2025 campaign with the covetable Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy that means everything to them.

Donnell Whittenburg’s long-awaited gold medal at worlds

Ten years between podiums is a long, long time. Fortunately for Donnell Whittenburg, patience is one of his virtues. The 31-year-old Baltimore native finally broke through (again) in Jakarta to win a world championship on the rings, a notoriously difficult gymnastics event. Whittenburg finished his title-winning routine with the dismount that was named for him — and perhaps I’m speaking with a little bias here, but it was an inspiration to 30-somethings that their best years are not necessarily behind them. A shot at Los Angeles 2028 looms, and Whittenburg might only just be entering his prime.

The Orioles’ Polar Bear plunge

Some highlights of the year remain to be judged. But Pete Alonso’s excitement about landing in Baltimore as a free agent feels like just the kind of vibe shift the Orioles need. It had been years since the franchise committed any significant big money in a multi-year contract to … any player, actually.

In signing the Metsslugger to a $155 million, five-year deal, ownership announced its intention to seriously compete in 2026 after this past season was a wash. The hope is that one of MLB’s best home run hitters over the last few years can bash a lot of baseballs over the Camden Yards fences. But to be honest, seeing the Orioles do business more aggressively feels like the most hope-inspiring part of the whole deal.

There’s always next year, right? There were times in 2025 when that sentiment felt a bit depressing, like the year Baltimore sports fans were slogging through would never end. But here, with January 2026 just ahead, maybe things are (at last) about to turn a corner — in more ways than one.