By 1812Blockhouse
Mansfield and Richland County were well represented when the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Contest Award winners were announced on Thursday.
In fact, Richland Source’s Curt Conrad was named the 2021 OPSWA Sportswriter of the Year for Division 1 publications (Division 1 includes publications with over 10,000 daily circulation as well as websites). The Division 2 award was made to another north central Ohioan, Rob McCurdy of the Marion Star.
Other awards won in Division 1 by Richland Countians included:
Division 1 – Game Stories: First place – Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal; Third Place – Curt Conrad, Richland Source
Division 1 – News Stories: Second place – Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal; Third Place – Curt Conrad, Richland Source
Division 1 – Investigative/Enterprise stories – First place – Curt Conrad, Richland Source
Division 1 – Writer of the Year – First place – Curt Conrad, Richland Source
The contest included submissions from the 2021 calendar year and was judged by OPSWA members from around the state. Writers and photographers were judged on a body of work that included three submissions per category.
The OPSWA membership roster now stands at 204 writers and photographers around the state, which marks the most in its 49-year history. Founded in 1972, the Ohio Prep Sportswriters 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.
The OPSWA website is located at http://www.ohsaa.org/news/OPSWA and includes the membership directory, officers information, hall of fame inductees and other updates.
Source: OPSWA press release (sections)
