Hazelwood earns 100th writing award, Root honored by OPSMA

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association held its annual member meeting on May 5 and announced the results of its annual writing and photography contest. In Division II — for newspapers with a daily circulation aside from the top 10 largest newspapers in the state — Reflector Sports Editor Mark Hazelwood earned two writing awards, and freelance photographer Kathy Root added more recognition in the action photography division. The contest included submissions from the 2025 calendar year and was judged by OPSMA members. There were four writing categories in two divisions based on circulation size. Each category was judged by two members from another division. Writers and photographers were judged on a body of work that included three submissions per category. Hazelwood took first place in news stories and second place in game stories, which earned him runner-up for Writer of the Year in the division. Those stories in news included the Lake and Bay Division schools withdrawing from the Sandusky Bay Conference, Willard accepting an invitation to join the Northern 10 Conference, and Willard hiring St. Paul graduate Eli Fisher as its head football coach. Recognized work for game stories included St. Paul boys basketball upsetting Crestview with a fourth quarter comeback last winter; Monroeville softball's state semifinal win over Mohawk; and Nate Griffin's last-second field goal to lift St. Paul football past Tiffin Calvert. Currently in his 21st school year of his full-time writing career — including the past nine-plus years at the Reflector — Hazelwood has earned 101 writing awards from the Associated Press, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and the OPSMA. Root earned honorable mention in action photography for Norwalk softball player Scarlet Schneider sliding into third base in a cloud of dust in an April 2025 game against Edison. Her other two photos submitted was of Norwalk volleyball player Ainslee King spiking the ball against Edison in August 2025, and Norwalk boys soccer player Casey Kromer heading the ball against Old Fort in an October 2025 match. Also of note, Erin Caldwell of the Sandusky Register, who also shoots Reflector area sporting events, earned third in photography. OPSMA membership now stands at 232 media members from around Ohio. Founded in 1972, the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association works to support and enhance the coverage of high school sports in Ohio and to recognize superior writing among sports journalists. In 2010, the OPSWA partnered with the Ohio High School Athletic Association to create a website, establish electronic communications and increase its membership and recognition. The OPSMA website is located at ohsaa.org/news/OPSWA and includes the membership directory, officers information, hall of fame inductees and other updates.