General News - 2nd place - January - Laura Dachenbach prays during a candlelight prayer service at King Avenue Church in Columbus. On the eve of Inauguration Day, a small gathering prayed for the peaceful transition of power and the healing of a divided nation. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - January - Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (28) shot is blocked by Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) in the third period during their NHL game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 3rd place - January - Alabama running back Najee Harris (22) dives into the end zone over Ohio State safety Josh Proctor (41) on his way to scoring a 26-yard touchdown during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 1st place - January - Ohio State fans cheer as the team enters the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before taking on Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 1st place - February - Visionary Rita Fuller-Yates poses for a photo in front of one of the 8x8 cubes at Easton Town Center in Columbus. Each 8x8 cube appears each week for a total of 4 cubes throughout the month of February. Each cube was designed by local women artists building a story to honor the contributions Black women have made throughout Columbus' enriched history. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - February - Bartender Shea Bainbridge makes a drink at Two Truths bar in Columbus. The bar has been busier since the statewide curfew was pushed back to 11 p.m., and will likely be moved back again if COVID cases continue to go down. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 1st place - February - Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) makes a diving save of a Nashville Predators center Mikael Granlund (64) shot during the second period of their game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd place - February - Beechcroft's head coach Humphrey Simmons celebrates after his team beat Walnut Ridge in the Columbus City League Championship game at East High School. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 2nd place - March - A few lights on in the Huntington Center building in downtown Columbus. When will companies in downtown starting allowing their employees back in office full time. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 2nd place - April - Ohio State students surround a Columbus Police vehicle while marching down High Street and towards the Ohio Statehouse to protest the police shooting that killed Ma'Khia Bryant and call on the university to cut its ties with Columbus Police Department. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - April - LC Johnson the Zora's House founder is moving the location of the organization to this abandoned lot on N 4th St. in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - HM - April - Karrio Ballard poses for a photo in his restaurant, Addella's on Oak. Opening a new restaurant during the pandemic has been a struggle. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 1st place - April - Hana Abdur-Rahim is held back while yelling towards Columbus Police after pepper spray was deployed on a group protesters after they broke a lock and entered the Police building on April 13. A peaceful march with over 100 demonstrators took to the streets earlier in the evening. Miles Jackson was shot and killed inside Mount Carmel in Westerville by police the day before. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - April - Columbus Crew SC midfielder Lucas Zelarayan (10) fouls Real Estelí FC defender Bronzatti (15) during the second half of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals game at Crew Stadium. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 2nd place - April - A demonstration takes place out in front of Columbus Division of Police building. Miles Jackson was shot and killed inside Mount Carmel in Westerville by police on Monday. Well over 100 demonstrators took to the street. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - HM - May - Columbus Division of Fire Assistant Chief Tracy Smith (left) teaches a student from Columbus State Fire Science the proper way to put out a fire during a live burn practice at Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 3rd place - May - Investigators look over the crime scene after at least three people are dead following a shooting in West Jefferson, a town about 20 miles west of Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd place - May - Columbus Division of Fire Assistant Chief Tracy Smith walks over to a group of students from Columbus State Fire Science after leading the group in a live burn practice at Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg. Smith also has earned her professional bodybuilder card. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 2nd place - June - The Curry Bowl at Addella's on Oak. Opening a new restaurant during the pandemic has been a struggle for owner Karrio Ballard. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 3rd place - June - The Hopper drink at Lewis Center Kitchen and Bar in Polaris Parkway in Columbus.(Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - HM - June - 2021 Scholar-Athlete Award winner Reece Yakubov from St. Charles High School poses for a photo. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports Feature - HM - June - Jimmy Walker (left center) walks up to the 11th hole after raining in the morning during Round 1 of The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 1st place - July - Olentangy Orange baseball player Josh Leisure is the 2021 baseball all-metro players of the year. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports Feature - 3rd place - July - Columbus Crew fan Christopher Klopfer (center) celebrates after the Crew's second goal against New England Revolution in their first MLS game at Lower.com Field in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 1st place - July - A memorial starts to form after news of the death of fallen Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Kivlenieks said a fireworks mortar shell hit him in the chest during an incident that killed him in Novi, Michigan. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 3rd place - July - Carmen's Crew Shannon Scott (3) steals the ball from The Money Team’s Jordan Crawford (1) in the first quarter of their game during the Columbus Regional of the 2021 The Basketball Tournament at Covelli Center in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd place - July - Columbus Crew gets ready to take on New England Revolution in their first MLS game at Lower.com Field in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 1st place - August - Including in this year’s state budget is an additional funding for children with a diagnosis of autism to access educational services from a specialized provider like Bridgeway Academy and others around the state. Melissa Peppercorn takes a moment and talks to her son Mikey Heine, 8, before his first day of school at Bridgeway Academy. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - August - Olentangy Liberty's soccer player Parker Cameron poses for photo inside the stadium at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports Feature - 1st place - August - Columbus Crew Nordecke section cheers before the start of their game against D.C. United at Lower.com Field in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - August - Columbus Crew midfielder Lucas Zelarayan (10) jumps over D.C. United defender Tony Alfaro (93) during the first half of their MLS game at Lower.com Field in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 1st place - September - For Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, the Ohio Hispanic Coalition is partnering with Land-Grant Brewing to create a new beer, Las Pilas. (Kyle Robertson / c)
Sports - 2nd place - September - Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a touchdown after a catch against Minnesota during the fourth quarter of their game in Huntington Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Feature - 2nd place - October - Nick Mullens of Columbus practices his tennis skills in the handball court at Westgate Park in Columbus. Mullens just picked up the game of tennis. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 3rd place - October - After 30 years on North High Street, Cafe Napolitana is moving to Gay Street and changed the name to Aracri Pizzeria on Gay Street. Co-owner Dominic Aracri tosses pizza dough for a pizza in Cafe Napolitana on October 25. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - October - The owners of Fox in the Snow, Lauren Culley and Jeff Excell, are opening up a sandwich shop called Icarus. The two poses for a photo inside the shop. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 3rd place - October - Lt. Roy Lisath a chaplain and officer with Columbus Police poses for a photo at Grace and Mercy Fellowship Center in Columbus. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said she wants 100 chaplains by 2026 in a talk at the Metro Club earlier this month. Columbus Police have 9 chaplains, including Roy. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports Feature - HM - October - Ohio State takes the field before the start of their game against Penn State at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - HM - October - Ohio State defensive tackle Jerron Cage (86) recovers a fumble and scores a touchdown against Penn State during the second quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 1st place - October - United States fans celebrate after United States' defender Sergiño Dest (2) scored a goal against Costa Rica in the first half in their World Cup qualifier at Lower.com Field in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 1st place - November - Padam Lal Khatiwada and his wife, Devi, lost everything in a fire on Tamarack Blvd. The apartment complex mainly houses refugees. They pose for a photo in a family friends apartment they are living in for time being.(Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports Feature - 2nd place - November - An Ohio State student cheers after a Purdue fumble on the kick-off that Buckeyes recovered during the 2nd quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.(Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - November - Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) makes a touchdown catch against Michigan defensive back Vincent Gray (4) during the second quarter of their game at Michigan Stadium at Ann Arbor, Michigan.(Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 1st place - December - Tabouleh at Zaki Mediterranean Grill in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
cIllustration - 3rd place - December - Quesadilla at Tic Tac Taco inside Duchess gas station in Grandview. Tic Tac Taco is also in a Duchess gas station in Pataskala. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 1st place - December - Upper Arlington running back Carson Gresock is the 2021 All-Metro offensive player of the year after rushing for over 2,500 yards and breaking school records. He poses for a photo in the weight room at Upper Arlington High School. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 3rd place - December - Dr. Bridget Williams poses for a picture at her office in Pickerington. Williams is stepping down as CEO of Cannabis Can, a nonprofit that supports the medicinal marijuana industry in Ohio. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
