Sports

News & Observer earns multiple honors in annual Associated Press Sports Editors contest

By Staff report
Fireworks go off after Carolina’s 4-1 victory over Washington in the NHL Stadium Series game between the Hurricanes and the Capitals at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.
Fireworks go off after Carolina’s 4-1 victory over Washington in the NHL Stadium Series game between the Hurricanes and the Capitals at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The News & Observer sports staff was again recognized among the nation’s best in the 2023 Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) Contest.

In judging completed last week in Florida, the N&O earned Top 10 awards in event coverage, explanatory writing, long feature and feature photography.

The event coverage Top 10 award was for the News & Observer’s expansive coverage of the NHL’s Stadium Series outdoor hockey game at Carter-Finley Stadium in February 2023. The team of Chip Alexander, Andrew Carter, Luke DeCock, Ethan Hyman, Justin Pelletier, and Robert Willett provided expert analysis, well-written recaps, colorful commentary and stunning photography prior to and throughout the event.

The relationship between baseball and peanuts dates to 1895. They are sold in most major and minor league baseball parks including Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. Hampton Farms of Severn, N.C. supplies the Carolina Mudcats.
The relationship between baseball and peanuts dates to 1895. They are sold in most major and minor league baseball parks including Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. Hampton Farms of Severn, N.C. supplies the Carolina Mudcats. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com

Individually, Carter was honored twice more. He teamed with Korie Dean to provide an expansive look at how N.C. State changed its vote to allow the ACC to expand when it added Cal, Stanford and SMU last fall.

Additionally, Carter was awarded a Top 10 designation for his work on an insightful story about Northeast North Carolina’s peanut culture and its relation to Major League Baseball’s most popular snack food.

N.C. State’s Ernest Ross (24) celebrates with Jarkel Joiner (1) after Joiner made the basket while being fouled during N.C. State’s 90-74 victory over Wake Forest at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.
N.C. State’s Ernest Ross (24) celebrates with Jarkel Joiner (1) after Joiner made the basket while being fouled during N.C. State’s 90-74 victory over Wake Forest at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com

And Hyman earned recognition for his feature photo of N.C. State basketball player Ernest Ross flexing after teammate Jarkel Joiner tumbled to the ground following a made basket in a game against Wake Forest in February 2023.

The News & Observer’s sister paper, The Charlotte Observer, also earned four awards in this year’s contest.

Langston Wertz and Anna Maria Della Costa earned a Top 10 nod for breaking news about a football coach harassing his players. Scott Fowler was twice honored, first for his long feature on South Mecklenburg High School baseball players who stopped to help at the scene of a fatal car crash, and also with a team of writers, photographers and producers for The Observer’s ongoing podcast/Q&A series, Sports Legends of the Carolinas.

The Observer also received an Honorable Mention nod for its digital presence.

The N&O and The Observer competed in Division B, which included major news outlets in Buffalo, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Indianapolis, among many other high-level sports cities.

This year’s APSE Contest, judged by sports editors and journalists from across the nation, recognized work that was published in 2023. The News & Observer, The Observer and their journalists will be honored in June at the APSE Summer Conference Awards Banquet in Charlotte.

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