Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times won the beat writing award for the over 175,000 circulation category at the 2015 Associated Press Sports Editors contest.
Farmer won with his coverage of the chance of an NFL team coming to Los Angeles where they will end up playing.
Runner-up was Matthew Stanmyre of The Star-Ledger/NJ.com for his high school sports coverage. Third place went to Karen Crouse of The New York Times for for her work on professional golf.
Farmer will be presented a first-place plaque at the 2016 APSE banquet. The banquet and awards dinner concludes the APSE Conference June 22-25 at the Omni-Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C.
Judging for the 2015 contest was held in late February-early March at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla. The contest is open to all APSE members. To join, click here.
The top 10 is listed below with links to writers’ Twitter pages, APSE member websites and winning entries that were available.
- Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times. 47 points (1 first-place votes)
Owner of St. Louis Rams plans to build NFL Stadium in Inglewood
Chargers, Raiders will jointly pursue an NFL stadium in Carson
With 3 NFL teams and 2 stadiums at play for L.A. here are 9 possible outcomes
Gloves in NFL have gained popularity but use is largely unregulated
Kam Chancellor’s interception makes it a breeze for Seattle
- Matthew Stanmyre, The Star-Ledger/NJ.com. 42 points, 2 first-place votes
The engineering of 15-year-old Josh McKenzie
A hooker and hoops: How a N.J. basketball academy fell into chaos
Big bucks H.S. booster clubs now ‘essential’ for state’s top football programs
ADs unveil plan for football super conference to solve public/non-public issue
Football returns to Sayreville for first time since hazing scandal with victory
- Karen Crouse, The New York Times. 39 points
A fading titan, cheered on with pity
A golf writer’s term, Forever: Amen
Women enter a male golf bastion
Competitiveness seen as a virtue, at least for men
4t. Jason King, Bleacher Report. 38 points, 1 first-place vote
Badgers’ confidence in Final Four win makes Kentucky’s Dream Year a nightmare
Inside the growing trend of home schooling in high school basketball
Baylor’s King McClure finds inspiring path back from ‘career ending’ heart issue
Danny Manning relishing new life, challenge of resurrecting Wake Forest
Bahamas’ Best: Buddy Hield’s relentless journey to Oklahoma and hoops stardom
4t. Mark Feinsand, New York Daily News. 38 points, 1 first-place vote
Jason Giambi retiring after 20-year career
Blue Jays make Yankees’ Severino look like a rookie at worst possible time
Yankees prospect Aaron Judge has a huge future in pinstripes
Sabathia: ‘I was a functioning alcoholic’
Yankees’ Rodriguez relates to Nationals’ Harper on and off the field
- Kelly Parsons, Tampa Bay Times. 33 points
Openly gay athletes challenge NCAA’s culture of silence
Universal Academy’s Islamic athletes show similarities outweigh differences
Former Alonso High players face coaches’ wrath upon transfers
Impending graduation a milestone for Leto High baseball player JoJo Bergollo
Under Armour: Triumphant finish to Byron Cowart’s prep career
7t. Joe Drape, The New York Times. 25 points, 1 first-place vote
American Pharoah wins Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown
Ahmed Zayat’s Journey: Bankruptcy and Big Bets
Horses’ deaths at Aqueduct prompts new rules
Eric Cancel, an apprentice jockey at Saratoga, listens and learns
American Pharoah ends career fittingly: Triumphant and Adored
7t. David Moore, The Dallas Morning News. 25 points
In Greg Hardy, Cowboys adding star defender, controversy and uncertainty
Story behind rookie Randy Gregory’s marijuana use, personality
Full story of the dinner that brought La’el Collins to the Cowboys
At what point does Dez Bryant’s ‘passion’ become an issue for Cowboys
- Stephen J. Nesbitt, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 24 points
Ace high: Gerrit Cole just the guy Pirates want in do-or-die situation
For the Pirate Parrot, birds of a feather don’t stick together
Baseball’s big offseason spenders have poor track records, so why do teams keep buying?
Pirates, McCutchen upset with leak of pay stub
Pirates score early, late to beat Cardinals, 10-5
- Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times. 19 points
Steve Sarkisian will seek treatment in wake of ‘irresponsible’ conduct at USC rally
USC turns on the power to beat UCLA, 40-21, and advance to Pac-12 title game
Relive the famed ‘Bush Push’ game with the USC and Notre Dame players on the field
USC’s Adoree’ Jackson never forgets the 618 area code
Blind fan inspired USC’s football team; now he could be a part of it
