Scalzo's game story takes best in state

The Canfield resident also got an honorable mention as best sportswriter.
COLUMBUS -- Vindicator sportswriter Joe Scalzo won a first-place honor Sunday in the annual Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition.
Scalzo's first-place win came for best game story for his coverage of Canfield's 9-7 field-goal victory over Poland in the final second of the regular football season.
Scalzo, 27, of Canfield, also received honorable mention as best sportswriter. Scalzo has worked for The Vindicator for about 51/2 years.
The awards were for newspapers with annual circulation of 25,000 to 74,999.
Newspapers in Cleveland, Canton, Newark, Massillon and Ironton were named the best in the state in the AP competition.
General Excellence awards for 2006 went to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, The (Canton) Repository, The (Newark) Advocate, The (Massillon) Independent and The Ironton Tribune.
The Cincinnati Enquirer won the First Amendment Award for outstanding accomplishment in pursuing freedom of information in obtaining records related to lead-paint hazards in Hamilton County.
Doug Clifton, editor of The Plain Dealer, earned the APSO Special Recognition Award for exemplary service to print journalism.
Seventy-two daily newspapers submitted 3,238 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2006.