XENIA – Xenia Daily Gazette writer Scott Halasz has been named a finalist for best sports writer in Division I of the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors’ 2020 newspaper contest.
The awards in actual order of finish – first, second and third places – will be announced during a virtual awards program along with the General Excellence, Hall of Fame, Rising Star and First Amendment winners.
Fifty-two daily newspapers submitted 1,418 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2020. Xenia Daily Gazette entries were submitted in Division I, for newspapers with circulations up to 7,999 and contains the most newspapers.
Entries were judged by editors from The Detroit News and MLive, Division V; The Grand Haven (Michigan) Tribune, Division IV; The McComb Daily (Michigan), Division III; Mount Pleasant (Michigan) Morning Sun, Hearst Media, and Cadillac (Michigan) News, Division II; the Petoskey (Michigan) News-Review and the Alpena (Michigan) News, Division I.
Halasz’s entries included Grant reflects on cutting WSU Sports about Wright State trimming the number of sports it offers, Hess honored for hoops about Legacy Christian’s Emma Hess, Golf at first sight about Legacy golfer Liz Miller, and Ahner’s big night sparks Legacy about Legacy’s win over Dayton Christian.
Last year Halasz finished first in the best columnist category.