Hazelwood to receive five AP awards

COLUMBUS — Reflector sports editor Mark Hazelwood received five nominations in an annual Ohio journalism contest. Hazelwood is among the finalists in three individual award categories in this year's Ohio Associated Press Media Editors' contest, which considers submissions for journalistic work done in the 2023 calendar year. Hazelwood's awards will be in the Division I category, which includes 42 total newspapers with circulation of 7,999 or less. The other four divisions (II-V) have 40 different newspapers combined with circulations ranging from 8,500 and up. Individually, Hazelwood is a finalist for Best Sports Writer; Best Sports Feature Writer; and Best Sports columnist. In column writing, Hazelwood will be recognized for opinion pieces on Norwalk girls basketball standout Brooklyn Davis, the crowd following at the Norwalk girls' Division II regional championship game; the death of former Willard boys basketball coach Bob Haas; and the career and retirement of St. Paul football coach John Livengood. In feature writing, Hazelwood will be recognized for stories on St. Paul girls basketball's Molly Ridge playing through injury; Norwalk soccer freshman scoring sensation Claire Spettle; NHS volleyball siblings, Mac and Sawyer Wineman; and Norwalk football's Ben Rothhaar making a game-saving hustle play. For best sports writer, Hazelwood's submissions included a feature on South Central's Isaac Blair becoming an All-Ohioan in three sports; St. Paul football's long road to the third round; and game coverage of Norwalk's girls basketball team winning a district title; and St. Paul's Kole Maxwell striking out 20 batters in a game. His content on the Paul Brown statue unveil is also a finalist for Best Special Sports Section, while the Reflector's general sports coverage is also a finalist for Best Daily Sports Section. Hazelwood will learn if his work secured a first-, second- or third-place finish at an awards banquet on July 21 at the Villa Milano Banquet & Conference Center in Columbus. In his 19-year writing career — including the past seven at the Reflector — Hazelwood has earned 91 writing awards from the Associated Press, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and the OPSWA.