Winners announced for 2021 TSWA writing contest

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Sports Writers Association released the winners of the annual writing contest this week. All of the first, second and third-place winners will be recognized during the Hall of Fame dinner and banquet on Thursday, July 14, at Cumberland University. Thanks to Ron Higgins for again coordinating the judging for all of the categories in the annual writing contest.

In addition, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, the 2021-22 TSWA men’s basketball coach of the year, is scheduled to attend and speak at the Hall of Fame induction and awards ceremony July 14. Chris Dortch, Dan Fleser and Mark McGee will be inducted into the TSWA Hall of Fame in July.

TSWA 2021 WRITING CONTEST RESULTS
Entries were from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021

DIVISION 1
GARY LUNDY WRITER OF THE YEAR
– 1. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel/The Tennessean: Runaway winner because he had great story angles (such as the behind-the-scenes humanization of Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin and on the crazy night Lane Kiffin left UT for USC), he did detailed reporting and wrote superbly and efficiently. 2. John Adams, Knoxville News Sentinel. 3. Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press.

BEST COLUMNIST – 1. John Adams, Knoxville News Sentinel: Is there any columnist in the state of Tennessee who isn’t afraid to deliver a clearly stated opinion besides the winner of this category? He doesn’t candy-coat anything. He writes stuff like this on Phil Fulmer – “He couldn’t even act like an AD and was more interested in masquerading as a football coach on the practice field than running the athletic department.” Or this on Jeremy Pruitt – “No one else in school history has done more harm to UT’s football program than Pruitt. He didn’t just lose. He cheated and lost.” 2. Mark Wiedmer, Chattanooga Times Free Press. 3. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel/The Tennessean.

BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. John Varlas, The Daily Memphian: He has a history with his subjects yet delivers balanced, well-rounded stories. Particularly loved the story of the female sports information director retiring from a small Catholic school after 33 years. 2. Phil Stukenborg, The Commercial Appeal. 3. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel/The Tennessean.

BEST EVENT WRITER – 1. Mark Wiedmer, Chattanooga Times Free Press: In each of three stories, the winner in this category did a great job of making the reader feel he was at the event and took you behind-the-scenes. 2. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel/The Tennessean. 3. Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times Free Press.

BEST NEWS WRITER – 1. Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel/The Tennessean: Showed his reporting chops with his story on Tennessee’s legal fees defending NCAA violations and the context-filled story on the firing of Vanderbilt women’s basketball coach Stephanie White. 2. Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press. 3. None awarded.

BEST PREP WRITER –1. Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times Free Press: This writer does a ton of legwork and isn’t afraid to quickly put together all encompassing stories, such as a look at a group of six small-town rural high schools advancing in the state playoffs. 2. John Varlas, The Daily Memphian.
NOTE: DID NOT HAVE MULTIPLE ENTRIES TO JUDGE BEST DAILY SECTION, BEST SPECIAL SECTION, BEST INVESTIGATIVE SERIES, BEST INDIVIDUAL LAYOUT AND BEST OUTDOOR WRITER

DIVISION II
GARY LUNDY WRITER OF THE YEAR
– 1. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal: A solid set of stories but his investigative story into the COVID-19 protocol spat between MTSU head football coach Rick Stockstill and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin was a detailed, entertaining read. 2. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger. 3. No place awarded.

BEST SPECIAL SECTION (COMBINED DIVISION II AND III) – 1. Union City Messenger, 2021 Football Preview (Kevin Weaks, editor): What sets the winner in this category apart are the minute details that make it easy for the reader to navigate through this two-part, 32-page section. It was the only section entered with a table of contents rail on the inside front cover, the only section that had the results from the 2020 season and 2020 stat leaders on the three main area teams. The only section that included college and the Tennessee Titans. 2. Weakley County Press, 2021 High School Football Preview (Randy Cavin, editor). 3. Williamson Herald, 2021 Williamson County high school football preview (Charles Pulliam and Joe Williams, editors).

BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger: A trip down memory lane with retiring Tennessee football radio network analyst Tim Priest was excellent as was a feature of a father-son golf superintendent duo. But the story of a former Union City High girls athlete and her lifelong battle against scoliosis was simply inspiring. 2. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal. 3. None awarded.

BEST EVENT WRITER – 1. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal: The winner perfectly captured the joy and emotion of big moments, such a 30-year high school girls head basketball coach winning her first league title and high school baseball coach recording his 500th career win. 2. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger 3. None awarded.

BEST NEWS WRITER – 1. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal: His story removing curtain on a growing independent Virginia high school program was well-researched and his story on an alleged racial slur at a girls basketball game had depth and balance. 2. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger 3. None awarded.

BEST PREP WRITER – 1. Cecil Joyce, Daily News Journal: Easily the best variety of stories, but the standout was the one on a high school boys soccer team wearing performance tracking vests to monitor health issues and increase work rate. 2. Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger. 3. None awarded.
NOTE: DID NOT HAVE MULTIPLE ENTRIES TO JUDGE BEST SECTION AND BEST INDIVIDUAL LAYOUT. A SINGLE BEST COLUMNIST ENTRY WAS MOVED TO DIVISION I.

DIVISION III
GARY LUNDY WRITER OF THE YEAR
– 1. Craig Harris, Macon County Times: This category was extremely competitive and any of the top three finishers could have won. But what separated the winner was his lengthy but well-written insight on the Macon County High girls basketball team’s season-long journey to win the school’s first state championship. 2. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media. 3. Charles Pulliam, Williamson Herald.

BEST FEATURE WRITER – 1. Michael Odom, Mirror-Exchange: He had three stories all with unique angles (such as the guy who had won 21 conference middle school championships in 23 years at the same school) and all had a good flow. There were no wasted words, making you want to read to the end. 2. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media. 3. Craig Harris, Macon County Times.

BEST NEWS/EVENT WRITER – 1. Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Media: The winner in this category separated himself with creative leads backed by tight writing and a thorough style that answered almost every question a reader might have. 2. Charles Pulliam, Williamson Herald. 3. Bill Sorrell, Collierville Herald Independent.
NOTE: HAD TO PAIR DIVISION III SPECIAL SECTION ENTRIES WITH DIVISION II DUE TO A LACK OF ENTRIES

DIVISION IV
BEST FEATURE WRITER
– 1. Chad Bishop, Vanderbilt: His features on his subjects, especially on a couple of Vanderbilt fans who used a VIP experience to the College World Series they won from the school to help the grieving process of the wife’s miscarriage, were beautifully layered with a balance of voices and context. 2. Thomas Corhern, Tennessee Tech 3. Mark McGee, Lipscomb.

BEST EVENT WRITER – 1. Thomas Corhern, Tennessee Tech: This writer had punchy, creative leads that got readers quickly into stories that gave you more than who, what, when and why. 2. Anne C. Wehunt, Chattanooga. 3. None awarded.