Sports

Charlotte Observer earns multiple honors in annual Associated Press Sports Editors contest

By Staff report
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The Charlotte 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 Observer earned Top 10 awards in long features, projects, breaking news, feature photo and digital content.

Scott Fowler was twice honored. His first Top 10 was for his long feature on South Mecklenburg High School baseball players who stopped to help at the scene of a fatal car crash after they finished playing in a baseball game nearby.

Brody Taylor (left) and Greyson Little are teammates on the baseball team at South Mecklenburg High School. On April 4, 2023, they witnessed a fatal car crash in front of the school, then called 911 and assisted with the rescue of two people from one of the cars.
Brody Taylor (left) and Greyson Little are teammates on the baseball team at South Mecklenburg High School. On April 4, 2023, they witnessed a fatal car crash in front of the school, then called 911 and assisted with the rescue of two people from one of the cars. Scott Fowler

Fowler was again honored, along with Jeff Siner, Alex Zietlow, Kata Stevens and Loumay Alesali, for bringing to life The Observer’s ongoing podcast/Q&A series, Sports Legends of the Carolinas.

Langston Wertz and Anna Maria Della Costa earned a Top 10 nod for breaking news about a football coach harassing his players, and the fallout from that news in Union County in February 2023.

Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez earned a Top 10 honor, as well, for her feature photo from the Carolina Panthers’ 15-10 win against the Houston Texans in October 2023.

Carolina Panthers place kicker Eddy Pineiro, center, is hoisted by his teammates after making the winning field goal during the game against the Texans at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 29, 2023. The Panthers beat the Texans, 15-13.
Carolina Panthers place kicker Eddy Pineiro, center, is hoisted by his teammates after making the winning field goal during the game against the Texans at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 29, 2023. The Panthers beat the Texans, 15-13. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com

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

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

The N&O’s event coverage Top 10 award was for the outlet’s expansive coverage of the NHL’s Stadium Series outdoor hockey game at Carter-Finley Stadium in February 2023.

Andrew Carter was twice honored, teaming with Korie Dean to provide an expansive look at how N.C. State changed its vote to allow the ACC to expand, and also for his look at North Carolina’s contributions to Major League Baseball’s peanut culture.

Photographer Ethan 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 N&O and The Observer competed in Division B, which included major news outlets in cities from Buffalo to Las Vegas, to 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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