Two Alliance members win awards at SPJ awards banquet
NEW HAVEN, May 25 -- Two Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance members took home Excellence in Journalism awards from the Connecticut chapter's annual Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) awards banquet.
Writing for the Middletown Press, Jimmy Zanor earned a first place award for his sports column on former Giants coach Tom Coughlin.
Gerry deSimas, Jr., of the Collinsville Press took home a first place award for his sports column on how an Avon mother and daughter shared the school record in the 100 meters for a few weeks and his sports news story on Simsbury senior Danny Deitz, who had received a heart transplant about a year earlier, catching a touchdown pass in a win over Enfield.
DeSImas took home a second place award for his story on the Canton High girls basketball team beating Thomaston to win their first-ever state championship.
Below are results in the sports writing and photography competition.
Sports Column
Regional A
(1) How a phone call from Adam Greenberg helped change a kid’s life; New Haven Register; David Borges
(2) No limits, a lot of heart; Hartford Courant; Jeff Jacobs
(3) Strength, kindness, faith; Waterbury Republican-American; Joe Palladino
Regional B
(1) A personal thank you to Tom Coughlin; Middletown Press; Jimmy Zanor
Hyperlocal
(1) Like mother, like daughter. For a while, Avon mom and daughter shared school record in 100 meters; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Sports Feature
Regional A
(1) Overcoming loss, growing together; Hartford Courant; Lori Riley
(2) From boys to men: Weaver just missed state title, but players grew in to champs; Hartford Courant; Tom Yantz
(3) Ex-Husky Donyell Marshall takes new challenge; Hartford Courant; Desmond Conner
Regional B
(1) Bears give back to girls’ basketball players across the world in Uganda; The Day; Vickie Fulkerson
(2) Coaches emerge from NFA; Norwich Bulletin; Owen Poole
(3) Norwich trainer fights to get back in the ring; Norwich Bulletin; Brett Poirier
Regional C
(1) LumberJill; News 12; John Dempsey, Kylee Knoles
(2) Drag queen; News 12; Jim Mennino, Robert Cook
Hyperlocal
(1) Disc golf keeps growing at a rapid pace; Guilford Courier; PJ Foti
Sports News
Regional A
(1) Play ball! Not. ; Hartford Courant; Kenneth R. Gosselin, Steven Goode
(2) Jalen Adams miracle shot keeps Huskies alive; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore
(3) Diaco out after lost season; Hartford Courant; Mike Anthony
Regional B
(1) Team calls out "Hitler" play; Greenwich Time; Linda Conner Lambeck
Regional D (Broadcast)
(1) Chasing a dream; News 12; Mark Sudol, Robert Cook
(2) To have a vision; News 12; Christopher Wood, Marissa Alter
Hyperlocal
(1) Deitz, who received a heart transplant, scores TD in Simsbury’s win over Enfield; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
(2) Canton girls shut down Thomaston to win first-ever state championship; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Sports Photo
Regional A
(1) Tagged out; Waterbury Republican-American; Jim Shannon
(2) Career vs. Cross basketball game; New Haven Register; Peter Hvizdak
(3) Yale vs. Dartmouth football; New Haven Register; Arnold Gold
Regional B
(1) Football hurdle; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
(2) Missed tag; Greenwich Time; Tyler Sizemore
(3) Fitch walks off with title in another 1-run thriller; Norwich Bulletin; John Shishmanian
Hyperlocal
(1) Up, up and away; Branford Eagle; Bill O'Brien
(2) Taking sail in Branford; The Sound; Kelley Fryer
Competition categories
Regional A
Connecticut Health Investigative Team
Connecticut Mirror
Connecticut Post
Hartford Courant
New Haven Register
Waterbury Republican American
Any Hearst Connecticut collaboration
Any Digital First Media collaboration
Regional B
Connecticut Law Tribune
CT News Junkie
Danbury News-Times
Manchester Journal-Inquirer
Meriden Record Journal
Norwich Bulletin
Stamford Advocate
The Day (New London)
Catholic Transcript
CT Latino News
Greater New Milford Spectrum
Litchfield County Times
Middletown Press
New Britain Herald
Register Citizen
The Chronicle
The Hour
Fairfield County Business Journal
Regional C (Magazines)
AAA Journeys and AAA Horizons
Connecticut Magazine
Hartford Magazine
New Haven Living Magazine
Connecticut Parent Magazine
Regional D (Broadcast)
WTNH
WFSB
WTIC
WNPR
WSHU
News12
Hyperlocal
Citizens News
Collinsville Press.com
Hersam Acorn weeklies
Shore Publishing weeklies
TurleyCT publications
New Britain City Journal
NewCanaanite.com
Online Journalism Project publications
Digital First Media weeklies
Hearst Connecticut weeklies
* Note: Any item that appeared in a higher circulation publication should be entered in that circulation class, not in the hyperlocal circulation.
