(12 entries)

Judge: Cathy Henkel, sports editor, Seattle Times
Henkel has been the Seattle Times' sports editor since 1990. She is a founder of the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM), and chairs the Northwest region of the Associated Press Sports Editors.

First place
ELAINE BOOTH SELIG
The Bisbee News
"Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings centerfielder recalls career.''
"A cultural trip back in time to let locals rediscover the community's baseball team and particilarly the Copper Kings’ hispanic star of 1953. Reporter documented Eddie Cantu's stories with historical documents, clippings and outside sources. Also, an especially nice anecdote on how Cantu got an autographed ball years later. Good detail used effectively, such as Cantu's 15-year-old parrot named George Bush, both telling and funny."

Second place
MARK E. POLLOCK
Peoria Independent
"Lady Drivers"
"A look at one woman's entry into stock car racing, this article covered a lot of ground efficiently, was multi-sourced, balanced and revealing. Clever lead, uncommon subject. An altogether interesting read. Story could have been helped by comments from the husband, whose voice seemed oddly absent; and newspaper's style of using Mrs. and Mr. forced unnecessary stiffness into feature. Also, would like to have read about how common or uncommon it is for women in Arizona and other places to be at the wheel in stock car racing."

Third place
DAVE RICKER
Santa Cruz Valley Sun
"Courtside with a Pac-10 Basketball Referee"
"After 31 years of officiating, Steve Wilson had some stories to tell that readers don't often hear. Nice peek behind the stripes and whistle. Article would have benefited by other voices; since the voice heard is only Wilson's, reader does not get benefit of other views. What does Lute Olson think of Wilson, for example?. Also, article tended to be wholly positive and glowing, again because it is mostly told from the voice of Wilson. Surely, there are some awkward or more conflicting stories in his years of officiating. That would have brought more balance to the story."