OPSMA contest award winners

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association held its annual member meeting Tuesday and announced the results of its annual writing and photography contest. Writer of the Year honors went to Jeff Gilbert from PressProsMagazine.com and the Dayton Daily News in Division 1, Rob McCurdy of the Marion Star in Division 2, and Seth Shaner from the Clintonville and Worthington Spotlight in Division 3.

 Gilbert was also the runner-up in the action photography division. The contest included submissions from the 2025 calendar year and was judged by OPSMA members. There were four writing categories in each of three divisions based on circulation size. Each category was judged by two members from another division. Writers and photographers were judged on a body of work that included three submissions per category.

 OPSMA membership now stands at 232 media members from around Ohio. Founded in 1972, the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association works to support and enhance the coverage of high school sports in Ohio and to recognize superior writing among sports journalists. In 2010, the OPSWA partnered with the Ohio High School Athletic Association to create a website, establish electronic communications, and increase its membership and recognition.

2025 OPSMA SPORTSWRITERS OF THE YEAR

DIVISION 1 – Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com and Dayton Daily News

DIVISION 2 – Rob McCurdy, Marion Star  

DIVISION 3 – Seth Shaner, Clintonville and Worthington Spotlight

 

2025 OPSMA Writing Contest, Division and Category Results

The number of placers is dependent on the number of entries in each category.

 

Division 1 – Top 10 Largest Newspapers and All Websites

Division 1, Game Stories

1. Rick Cassano, Southwest Ohio Sports Daily

2. Chris Vogt, The Report Ohio

3. Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com

4. Frank DiRenna, Columbus Dispatch

5. Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch

 

Division 1, News Stories

1. Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal

2. Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch

3. Chris Vogt, The Report Ohio

4. Curt Conrad, Richland Source

 

Division 1, Feature Stories

1. John Kampf, Willoughby News-Herald  

2. Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal

3. Chris Vogt, The Report Ohio

4. Chris Lillstrung, Willoughby News-Herald

5. Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com  

 

Division 1, Columns

1. Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com

2. Chris Lillstrung, Willoughby News-Herald

3. John Kampf, Willoughby News-Herald

 

Division 1 Writer of the Year: Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com and Dayton Daily News (14 points, one first-place entry, one third-place entry, and one fifth-place entry)

     Co-Runners-up: Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal (13 points), and Chris Vogt, The Report Ohio (13 points)

     Fourth-place: John Kampf, Willoughby News-Herald (12 points)  

 

 

Division 2 – All Other Daily Newspapers (2+ Editions Per Week)

Division 2, Game Stories

1. Rob McCurdy, Marion Star

2. Mark Hazelwood, Norwalk Reflector

3. Zach Baker, Findlay Courier

4. Dave Hanneman, Findlay Courier    

5. Jonah Rosenblum, Ravenna Record-Courier

 

Division 2, News Stories

1. Mark Hazelwood, Norwalk Reflector

2. Rob McCurdy, Marion Star

3. Dave Hanneman, Findlay Courier  

4. Aaron Gross, Defiance Crescent-News

 

Division 2, Feature Stories

1. Rick Noland, Medina Gazette

2. Rob McCurdy, Marion Star

3. Dave Hanneman, Findlay Courier  

4. Tom Wilson, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

5. James Simpson, Wooster Daily Record and Ashland Times Gazette

 

Division 2, Columns

1. Jonah Rosenblum, Ravenna Record-Courier

2. Aaron Gross, Defiance Crescent-News

3. Tom Wilson, Lancaster Eagle Gazette

4. Zach Baker, Findlay Courier

 

Division 2 Writer of the Year: Rob McCurdy, Marion Star (18 points, one first-place entry and two second-place entries)

     Runner-up: Mark Hazelwood, Norwalk Reflector (13 points, one first-place entry and one second-place entry)

     Third-Place: Dave Hanneman, Findlay Courier (11 points, placed in three categories)

 

 

Division 3 – Weekly and Monthly Newspapers

Division 3, Game Stories

1. Keith Spare, Morgan County Herald

2. Stephen Forsha, Highland County Press

 

Division 3, News Stories

1. Skip Weaver, Miami Valley Newspapers 

2. Julie Billings, Vinton-Jackson Courier

 

Division 3, Feature Stories

1. Seth Shaner, Clintonville/Worthington Spotlight 

2. Skip Weaver, Miami Valley Newspapers 

 

Division 3, Columns

1. Seth Shaner, Clintonville/Worthington Spotlight 

2. Stephen Forsha, Highland County Press

 

Division 3 Writer of the Year: Seth Shaner, Clintonville and Worthington Spotlight (16 points, two first-place entries)

     Runner-up: Skip Weaver, Miami Valley Newspapers (13 points, one first-place entry and one second-place entry)

     Third-Place: Stephen Forsha, Highland County Press (10 points, two second-place entries)

 

 

Action Photography Contest

1. Tom Puskar, Mansfield News-Journal

2. Jeff Gilbert, PressProsMagazine.com and Dayton Daily News

3. Erin Caldwell, Sandusky Register  

4. Rick Cassano, Southwest Ohio Sports Daily 

Honorable Mention: Kathy Root, Norwalk Reflector

Honorable Mention: Julie Billings, Pike County News Watchman