Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeSunlight illuminates one of the eyes of Durham's Aaron Slegers (38) as he pitches during an International League baseball game between the Toledo Mud Hens and Durham Bulls at Fifth Third Field in Toledo on Thursday, July 18, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeWalleye players celebrate their first goal of the game as stuffed animals are thrown on the ice for the teddy bear toss during an ECHL hockey game between the Toledo Walleye and the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019. The stuffed animals thrown on the ice were collected and distributed to area organizations.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeOttawa Hills' Abbie Westmeyer (25), fourth from the left, takes a shot during a girls high school basketball game between Toledo Christian and Ottawa Hills at Toledo Christian in Toledo on Thursday, February 7, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeGenoa's Dustin Morgillo, left, celebrates after defeating Ashtabula St. John's Nick Burgard at 145 pounds to win the Division III OHSAA state individual wrestling championship title at the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State University in Columbus on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeKyrie Newall, 17, left, tosses the ball up for a layup as he's defended by Rico Newall, 16, both of Toledo, as they play a pick-up game of basketball at Jamie Farr Park in Toledo on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeWhitmer's Jared Banks (21) gets swarmed by Start defenders during a drive during a high school football game between Whitmer and Start at Start High School in Toledo on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeA St. Francis football player stands in front as the sunset illuminates a billowing cloud during a high school football game between St. Francis de Sales and Anthony Wayne at the University of Toledo's Glass Bowl in Toledo on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladePeople watch from the grandstand during the demolition derby at the Henry County Fair in Napoleon, Ohio, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeSt. John's Carson Toth (19) runs with the ball as Bowling Green's Dylan Kroggel (66) clings onto Carson's jersey during a high school football game between St. John's Jesuit and Bowling Green at St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeAn Anthony Wayne band member waits to play at halftime as the sunset shows behind her during a high school football game between Anthony Wayne and Sylvania Northview at Anthony Wayne High School in Whitehouse, Ohio, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Samuel Womack (19), left, denies the end zone pass intended for Brigham Young's Talon Shumway (21) during a college football game between the University of Toledo and Brigham Young University hosted at the Glass Bowl in Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeCentral Catholic's Dahveyon Greer (32) sheds some tears after the team's 35-21 loss in an OHSAA Division II state football semifinal between Central Catholic and Cincinnati La Salle hosted at Sidney High School in Sidney, Ohio, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Central Catholic lost 35-21.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Bryan Moore (16), back, smiles as he knocks down Cincinnati's Shaw Boomhower (65) during an ECHL hockey game between the Toledo Walleye and the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Sunday, March 31, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladePerrysburg's Blake Saito, bottom, and Anthony Wayne's Zack Snyder wrestle at 132 pounds during the championship round at the Northern Lakes League high school wrestling tournament hosted at Maumee High School in Maumee, Ohio, on Saturday, February 16, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeSummary: The Toledo Walleye made it to the 2019 ECHL Kelly Cup finals, but after an exciting run they returned to Toledo from Newfoundland empty-handed after the Newfoundland Growlers clenched the playoff title. Toledo's Kevin Tansey (6), right, celebrates his first period goal with teammate David Pope (25) during the first game of the ECHL Western Conference finals series of Kelly Cup playoffs between the Toledo Walleye and Tulsa Oilers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Friday, May 10, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeAn Oilers player skates through a blue patch of light before the sixth game of the ECHL Western Conference finals series of Kelly Cup playoffs between the Toledo Walleye and Tulsa Oilers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Monday, May 20, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeIce crew member Dominic Arvay carries an octopus off after it was thrown the ice after first Walleye goal during the sixth game of the ECHL Western Conference finals series of Kelly Cup playoffs between the Toledo Walleye and Tulsa Oilers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Monday, May 20, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeClose friends Tina Hibbs, left, and Chuck Dombrowski, both of Toledo, make some noise around the start of the game. Fans watch the Toledo Walleye and Newfoundland Growlers play in the Kelly Cup finals on the big screen during a watch party at Fifth Third Field in Toledo on Saturday, May 25, 2019. The Walleye defeated the Tulsa Oilers to advance to the finals.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeSpike, the Toledo Walleye mascot, comes out to a fiery entrance ahead of the fourth game in the ECHL Kelly Cup finals series between the Toledo Walleye and the Newfoundland Growlers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Friday, May 31, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Bryan Moore (16), left, and Newfoundland's James Melindy (43) fight during the fourth game in the ECHL Kelly Cup finals series between the Toledo Walleye and the Newfoundland Growlers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Friday, May 31, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Matt Register (43), right, eyes the puck as Newfoundland's Giorgio Estephan (29) falls during the fifth game in the ECHL Kelly Cup finals series between the Toledo Walleye and the Newfoundland Growlers at the Huntington Center in Toledo on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeWalleye forward Jordan Topping walks toward the ramp to board the chartered plane bound for Newfoundland at Toledo Express Airport in Swanton, Ohio, on Sunday, June 2, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeWalleye forward Chris Crane catches up on sleep while on board the charter plane bound for Newfoundland from Ohio on Sunday, June 2, 2019. The Walleye forced a game six after defending home ice, but they had to turn around fast to head by charter plane to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Brenden Kotyk (5), center, collides with Newfoundland goalie Michael Garteig (34), left, and Sam Jardine (21) near the net during the ECHL Kelly Cup finals Game 6 between the Toledo Walleye and Newfoundland Growlers at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeToledo's Greg Wolfe (86) skates off after the Growlers win the Kelly Cup 4-3 in the Game 6 hockey game between the Toledo Walleye and Newfoundland Growlers at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
Award of Excellence, Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year - Kurt Steiss / The BladeNewfoundland's Giorgio Estephan (29) kisses the Kelly Cup as he takes it around after winning the ECHL Kelly Cup finals between the Toledo Walleye and Newfoundland Growlers at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
