SPJ presents 2014 Excellence in Journalism Awards

The Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) held its annual 2014 awards banquet on Thursday night. Below are the winners in sports, including the Alliance's own Ken Lipshez of the Record Journal in Meriden and Gerry deSimas of the Collinsville Press, who each took home two awards, including a first place award in the sports news category. Jimmy Zanor of the Middletown Press was recognized with two awards. Congratulations on your award-winning pieces.

Sports News

Newspaper above 40,000 circulation

1) UConn defeats Kentucky for national championship; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore

2) UConn roars back against Michigan State, reaches Final Four; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore

Newspaper at 18,000 to 40,000 circulation

1) One whale of a season; The Day; Vickie Fulkerson

2) Homecoming Day in Old Lyme; The Day; Dave Davis

Newspaper below 18,000 circulation

1) American Legion state baseball tournament; Record-Journal; Ken Lipshez

2) Wesleyan baseball captures first NESCAC championship; Middletown Press; Jimmy Zanor

Community Non-Daily

1) Unstoppable, unbelievable, undefeated!; Valley Courier; Chris Piccirillo

2) Bracket busters! Underdog Hand edges Amity for division II crown; The Source; John Lecardo

Online

1) In battle of wills, East Windsor takes NCCC Tournament title over Granby in OT; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.

2) ‘We won it for him': Taben leads New Canaan field hockey over Darien for FCIAC crown; NewCanaanite.com; Terry Dinan

3) Canton beats Avon in OT thriller to win Uncas Division; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.

Television

1) Priority express mailman; News 12; Ted Koppy, Andrew Hurley, John Dempsey

2) Beating cancer; News 12; Mark Sudol, Robert Cook

3) Billy and Eli; News 12; Mark Sogofsky, Kristi Olds

Sports Column

Newspaper above 40,000 circulation

1) With Dorothy Ollie on my side, a walk of faith; Hartford Courant; Jeff Jacobs

2) Player deserved better; Connecticut Post; Brian Koonz

3) Huskies always there for each other; New Haven Register; David Borges

Newspaper below 18,000 circulation

1) Sometimes there are two champions; Stamford Advocate; Scott Ericson

2) Apples, oranges: reset the scales; Record-Journal; Ken Lipshez

3) Wesleyan football still chasing history; Middletown Press; Jimmy Zanor

Sports Feature

Newspaper above 40,000 circulation

1) Nationally known runner just a quirky, humble kid with turtles; New Haven Register; Mary Albl

2) Ryan Boatright: Guided by Aurora's light; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore

3) George Crowe cleared fences in Hartford; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore

Newspaper at 18,000 to 40,000 circulation

1) A family reunited; The Day; Vickie Fulkerson

Newspaper below 18,000 circulation

1) Techie takeover; Stamford Advocate; Scott Ericson

2) Norwich manager pushed cancer aside, led champs; Norwich Bulletin; Brett Poirier

3) Coming up Rosie; Record-Journal; Bryant Carpenter

Community Non-Daily

1) Weiss completes 26.2-mile goal with daughter, despite illness; Valley Courier; PJ Foti

2) Leader of the pack: spring brawl provides a ray of sunshine for Anthony Longley; North Haven Courier; Chris Piccirillo

Online

1) Waveny landmark: ‘Mosley Hill’; NewCanaanite.com; Terry Dinan

2) New Canaan’s Bentley and Silvestri: A diamond reunion; NewCanaanite.com; Terry Dinan

3) McGuirk achieves 500th field hockey career win; Branford Eagle; Bill O’Brien

Radio

1) A homemade wooden luge track launches teen to Sochi; WSHU; Craig LeMoult

2) New Haven boxing gym trains kids, in an effort to keep violence in the ring; WSHU; Craig LeMoult

Television

1) The Brady bunch; News 12; Mark Sogofsky, Kristi Olds

2) Triumph from tragedy; News 12; Christopher Wood, Jackie Ibanez

Photography: Sports Photo

Newspaper above 40,000 circulation

1) Shelton football; New Haven Register; Peter Hvizdak

2) Out or safe?; Connecticut Post; Christian Abraham

3) Off and running; New Haven Register; Arnold Gold

Newspaper at 18,000 to 40,000 circulation

1) Fight; News-Times; Lindsay Perry

2) Street ball; The Day; Tim Martin

3) Homeplate collision; The Day; Dana Jensen

Newspaper below 18,000 circulation\

1) Ledyard in the state football championship; Norwich Bulletin; Aaron Flaum

2) Moosup slows hot TriTown; Norwich Bulletin; John Shishmanian

Community Non-Daily

1) Safe!; East Haven Courier; Kelley Fryer

2) Making the cut; East Haven Courier; Andrew Sullivan

Online

1) Above the competition; Branford Eagle; Bill O’Brien

2) New Canaan co-captains console each other while Darien celebrates;NewCanaanite.com; Terry Dinan

3) The agony of defeat; Branford Eagle; Bill O’Brien

Regional Non-Daily

1) Champs once again; Greater New Milford Spectrum; Norm Cummings