Winning Best Photographer Awards were Sam Greene from the Cincinnat Enquirer, Scott Heckel from The (Canton) Repository, Jason Molyet from the Mansfield News Journal, Enoch Wu from The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune and Jason Molyet from the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum.
Seventy-two daily newspapers submitted 2,239 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2015.
DIVISION I, newspapers with a daily circulation up to 7,999:
General Excellence: 1st – Lancaster Eagle-Gazette; 2nd – Chillicothe Gazette; 3rd – The (Fremont) News-Messenger.
Best Photographer: 1st – Jason Molyet, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum; 2nd – Molly Corfman, The (Fremont) News-Messenger; 3rd – Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune.
Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: 1st – Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “Inflatable Safety”; 2nd – Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “High Hazard Dams”; 3rd – Matthew Berry, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “Buckeye Lake Dam.”
Best News Photo: 1st – Molly Corfman, The (Fremont) News-Messenger, “Fire Engulfs House”; 2nd – Matthew Berry, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “Garage Fire”; 3rd – Matthew Hatcher, The Marion Star, “High Water Closes Roads.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st – Jess Grimm, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “Mule Races”; 2nd – Jess Grimm, Chillicothe Gazette, “Junior Fair Night”; 3rd – Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune, “Ha-ha . I Got Grandma Kissing You.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st – Matthew Hatcher, The Marion Star, “Flying High”; 2nd – Matthew Berry, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “Fighting for the Pass”; 3rd – Elise Manahan, Chillicothe Gazette, “State Track.”
Best Photo Story: 1st – Elise Manahan, Chillicothe Gazette, “Honor Flight Takes Locals on Flight to Remember”; 2nd – Matthew Hatcher, The Marion Star, “Alexes Beats Cancer”; 3rd – Jess Grimm, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “12-Year-Old Girl Competes in Local Mud Bog.”
Best Video: 1st – Molly Corfman, The (Fremont) News-Messenger, “Charles Holcomb, World War II Prisoner of War”; 2nd – Molly Corfman, Port Clinton News-Herald, “Soybean Harvest”; 3rd – Molly Corfman, Port Clinton News-Herald, “Civil War Reenactment.”
DIVISION II, newspapers with a daily circulation of 8,000 to 12,999
General Excellence: 1st – The (Newark) Advocate ; 2nd – The (Massillon) Independent; 2nd – The Athens Messenger; 3rd – The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune.
Best Photographer: 1st – Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune; 2nd – Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate; 3rd – Chris Crook, Zanesville Times Recorder.
Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: 1st – Greg Kohntopp, The (Massillon) Independent, “Putting the Pieces Together”; 2nd – Greg Kohntopp, The (Massillon) Independent, “Anatomy of a Road”; 3rd – Michael Lehmkuhle, The (Newark) Advocate, “Fire Department Staffing.”
Best News Photo: 1st – J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Making it Out Alive”; 2nd – Glenn Dettman, The (Massillon) Independent, “Honor World War II Veteran”; 3rd – Luke Gronneberg, The Sidney Daily News, “Rain Drenches Shelby County.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st – Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, “Opening Night”; 2nd – J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Color-a-thon”; 3rd – Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Walleye Fishing .”
Best Sports Photo: 1st – Shane Flanigan, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Banners”; 2nd – Joe Pelletier, Ashland Times-Gazette, “High Jump at State”; 3rd – Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, “Sidelines.”
Best Photo Story: 1st – Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, “Facing Cancer Head On”; 2nd – Chris Crook , Zanesville Times Recorder, “Church Closing”; 3rd – Shane Flanigan, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Distracted Driving.”
Best Video: 1st – J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Toledo Zoo Opens Renovated Aquarium”; 2nd – Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, “Newark Girls Basketball State Semifinals”; 3rd – Chelsea Shar, The (Alliance) Review, “Antique Fire Truck Arrives in Alliance.”
DIVISION III, newspapers with a daily circulation of 13,000 to 24,999
General Excellence: 1st – Mansfield News Journal; 2nd – Sandusky Register; 3rd – The Lima News.
Best Photographer: 1st – Jason Molyet, Mansfield News Journal; 2nd – Luke Wark, Sandusky Register; 3rd – Mitch Masilun, Mansfield News Journal.
Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: 1st – Jason Smith, The (Findlay) Courier, “Reverse Angle Parking”; 2nd – Nick Davis, Sandusky Register, “Tommy Boy Map”; 3rd – Tina Murdock, The Lima News, “Legalizing Marijuana: 5 Things to Consider”..”
Best News Photo: 1st – Jason Molyet, Mansfield News Journal, “Enough is Enough”; 2nd – Mitch Masilun, Mansfield News Journal, “Can I Graduate Already?”; 3rd – Craig Orosz, The Lima News, “Gun Found”..”
Best Feature Photo: 1st – Lisa Scalfaro, Kent-Ravenna Record-Courier, “Fashion Kids”; 2nd – Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, “Snow Face”; 3rd – Luke Wark, Sandusky Register, “Coasters in the Mist “..”
Best Sports Photo: 1st – Angela Wilhelm , Sandusky Register, “Under the Spotlight “; 2nd – Mansfield News Journal, “It’s Looking Like a Pool Party”; 3rd – Mitch Masilun, Mansfield News Journal, “It’s Happy Muddders’ Day”..”
Best Photo Story: 1st – Mansfield News Journal, “St. Matthew Church Closing”; 2nd – Craig Orosz, The Lima News, “For the Love of Music”; 3rd – Luke Wark, Sandusky Register, “Train Like You Fight”..”
Best Video: 1st – Brian Szabelski, The (Findlay) Courier, “Memorial Service for Trooper Ryan Wilson”; 2nd – Mark Froelich, The (Defiance) Crescent-News, “Local Man Discusses Recovery from Burns”; 3rd – Brian Szabelski, The (Findlay) Courier, “Riley Creek Overflows its Banks”..”
DIVISION IV, newspapers with a daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999
General Excellence: 1st – The (Canton) Repository; 2nd – The (Youngstown) Vindicator; 3rd – The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram.
Best Photographer: 1st – Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository; 2nd – Ray Stewart, The (Canton) Repository; 3rd – Robert Yosay, The (Youngstown) Vindicator.
Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: 1st – Bob Kast, The (Canton) Repository, “Pipeline Economics 101”; 2nd – Dave Kovach, The (Canton) Repository, “Mayoral Election 2016”; 3rd – Robert McFerren, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “Oakhill Primer.”
Best News Photo: 1st – Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, “Shooting Vigil”; 2nd – Nick Graham, Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News, “Fire at Megan’s Grocery Store”; 3rd – Ray Stewart, The (Canton) Repository, “Call to Duty.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st – Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, “Deluge”; 2nd – R. Michael Semple, Warren Tribune Chronicle, “Saying Goodbye”; 3rd – William Lewis, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “Special Needs Prom.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st – David Dermer, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “Catching Up”; 2nd – Nick Graham, Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News, “Elder Defeated Lakota East 57-46 “; 3rd – Ray Stewart, The (Canton) Repository, “Polar Pride.”
Best Photo Story: 1st – Kristin Bauer, The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, “Kyle Goes Home”; 2nd – Ray Stewart, The (Canton) Repository, “Call to Duty”; 3rd – Julie Vennitti, The (Canton) Repository, “Second Chance.”
Best Video: 1st – Shane Hoover, The (Canton) Repository, “Finding Abandoned Wells”; 2nd – Nick Graham, Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News, “Parents Hope Daughter’s Obituary Sends a Message”; 3rd – William Lewis, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “Thankful: Rev. Steve Popovich.”
DIVISION V, Newspapers with a daily circulation of more than 75,000
General Excellence: 1st – The Columbus Dispatch; 2nd – The Cincinnati Enquirer; 3rd – The (Toledo) Blade.
Best Photographer: 1st – Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer; 2nd – Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch; 3rd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: 1st – Andrea Levy, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, “Fall Arts Music and Dance”; 2nd – Mike Nyerges, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Pete Rose’s Hits by the Numbers”; 3rd – Charlie Zimkus, The Columbus Dispatch, “Flaw in the Family.”
Best News Photo: 1st – Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Fatal Shooting Near Anti-Violence Rally”; 2nd – Cameron Knight, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Hopple Street Bridge Collapse”; 3rd – Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, “Jumper.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st – Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, “Foggy Fishermen”; 2nd – Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, “Dogs”; 3rd – Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, “Halloween.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st – Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Hit”; 2nd – Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Follow the Bouncing Ball”; 3rd – Jeremy Wadsworth, The (Toledo) Blade, “Track Collision.”
Best Photo Story: 1st – Liz Dufour, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Arthur”; 2nd – The Cincinnati Enquirer, “The Death of Sam DuBose”; 3rd – Barbara Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, “Pope.”
Best Video: 1st – Carrie Cochran, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “My Way to Die”; 2nd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, “Silent Suffering “; 3rd – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer.