JOURNAL SPORTS
Once again, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s annual Writing Contest has affirmed the quality of content that you get for free in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal.
The Journal staff combined for 19 awards, most by any one publication in the state, in the LSWA’s contest for work done in the 2024 calendar year. Contest results were announced Sunday at an awards brunch in Natchitoches to wrap up the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.
John James Marshall won two categories and Teddy Allen won another. Marshall was the LSWA’s Prep Writer of the Year.
Doug Ireland won the LSWA’s Sports Writer of the Year award after placing in eight different categories.
The Journal focuses on local high school sports coverage and that was reflected in contest results.
The judge of the Prep Writer of the Year category commented on Marshall’s entry: “An impressive collection of entries. Louisiana is fortunate to have good writers on the prep beat. That’s not happening in many other places.
“For the winning entry, four quality and uplifting stories that showed great range. All were engaging and well-crafted. Also, good use of quotes to move the stories along. It also shows the high schools can provide fascinating stories…if you know where to find them. This writer did just that.”
Ireland was fourth, netting honorable mention status, in the category.
The SBJ swept the Prep Event contest. Marshall won again for his story on a Haughton High football game that kicked off with a special touchdown play.
Wrote the judge: “This may be a writing contest, but reporting is what sets our winning entry apart. The season finale between two losing football teams is not anyone’s definition of a plum assignment, yet the writer here made it one by telling the story of Hunter “Puddin'” Cubley, a special needs student who scores a touchdown on a scrimmage play before kickoff.
“The reporter is with Cubley’s parents for the play, which is key to this story’s success. And it’s not just a feature — we do get the details of the game that followed. But the reporter correctly identified which of these events was the lede. It is the moment Haughton players will remember about an otherwise forgettable season. The best stories tell themselves, and through great reporting, this writer achieved that.”
Taking second for the Journal was correspondent William Weathers for his game story “Larry’s last-chance bomb in OT lifts Parkway into state finals” after Chloe Larry hit a 54-footer to propel the Lady Panthers toward their second straight state title.
Ireland’s story on Airline’s 69-68 football win at Captain Shreve was third.
Marshall took second in the Prep Feature category for a story on Northwood football player Justin Thomas overcoming several adversities to emerge as a standout player for the Falcons.
Allen’s win came in Amateur Sports for his piece on “The real boys of summer,” local youth baseball teams.
The judge wrote, “This was absolutely heart-warming. To able to reach that far back into the past and pull out such memories is a blessing and a testament to the writer’s talent. As most of us have probably learned by now, youth sports teaches the adults just as much about life as it does the kids. Maybe even a little bit more. Thank you for capturing that feeling and helping us remember our own pivotal experiences. Truly a phenomenal piece.”
Marshall was third for his story remembering the early days of the Firecracker 5K and Ireland was fourth with a piece about Shreveport’s Hollis Conway, a two-time USA medalist, recalling his Olympic experiences.
In the Columnist of the Year category, Higgins was second and Ireland was third.
Ireland took second in Prep Columns for his piece praising the toughness and team-first approach of Plain Dealing’s 13-man winless high school football team. He was fourth in College Features for a story about Tynes Hildebrand, named Mr. Louisiana Basketball at age 92 for his seven decades of involvement in the game.
Taglavore was runner-up in the Outdoors Writing category for a compelling story on professional fisherman Nick LeBrun, who overcame an ugly addiction to succeed in the big leagues of bass fishing.
Ireland also took a pair of seconds for content he produced for the Natchitoches Parish Journal, which also ran in the SBJ: a column on the state of the Northwestern State football program coming back from the abyss of a cancelled season, and a feature story on the resumption of the decades-long NSU-SFA Chief Caddo trophy series.
The Marshall brothers, JJ and Ben, won again in the 2024 radio contest for Best Radio Show Hosts with their Sports Talk with JJ & Bonzai Ben on 1130 The Tiger (KWKH-AM).
The category judge wrote: “They’re fun! Their chemistry is really strong, they seem to be having a great time, and they bring real takes that sound genuine and not manufactured for radio. Good sports talk with a sprinkle of silly stuff.”