Marks wins several LSWA awards; Partsch III is sportswriter of year

Oakdale Journal sports editor Tony Marks added several other awards at the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Awards Luncheon held at Merci Beaucoup in Natchitoches on Sunday, June 27.
Marks earned third place in Pro-College Event Class II for a story on the LSU Tigers defeating Clemson in the national championship game. He placed behind Raymond Partsch III from The Daily Iberian and Lamar Gafford from The Town Talk.
Marks earned honorable mention in Prep-Amateur Event Class II for a story about Fairview Lady Panthers winning their 10th state championship under head coach Kyle Jinks. First place went Raymond Partsch III from Kinder Courier News, second place went to Gafford, and third place went to Jake Martin from the Ouachita Citizen.
For his work as editor of the Ville Platte Gazette, Marks earned another third place award and two more honorable mentions.
In General Sports Column Class II, he earned honorable mention for a column about taking a football road trip on Thanksgiving weekend for third year in a row. He finished behind Jim Derry from St. Tammany Farmer, Partsch III from Kinder Courier News, and Chris Singleton from Houma Courier/Thibodaux Daily Comet.
In Outdoor Writing, Marks placed third for a story about Eric Leger turning love of bass fishing into a family affair and competing toward professional status. First place went to Don Shoopman from The Daily Iberian, and second place went to Singleton.
In the Major Awards, Marks earned honorable mention for Columnist of the Year Class II. The three entries submitted for judging in this category were about a trip to the College Football Playoff Semi-Final Game, a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, and a feeling of mixed emotions are MLB playoffs with its best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Placing first in this category was Kevin Fambrough from Pointe Coupee Banner, second place went to Partsch III from The Daily Iberian, and third place went to Jim Derry from St. Tammany Farmer.
Also at the awards luncheon, former Gazette editor Raymond Partsch III was named sportswriter of the year. The award is given to the writer who accumulates the most points (points awarded on a 3-2-1 basis) in regular writing categories. Points are NOT awarded for Prep Writer of the Year, Beat Writer of the Year, Columnist of the Year, or Story of the Year.
Partsch III, from The Daily Iberian and Kinder Courier News received 13 points (three 1st and two 2nd).
The following is a rundown of the other major awards:
BEST SECTION -- CLASS I
1. The Advocate
2. Lake Charles American Press
3. The Daily Advertiser
BEST SECTION -- CLASS II
1. St. Tammany Farmer.
2. Ouachita Citizen
3. The Daily Iberian
PREP WRITER OF THE YEAR -- CLASS I
1. Robin Fambrough, The Advocate
2. John Marcase, The Town Talk
3. Jimmy Watson, Shreveport Times
HM. Adam Hunsucker, The News-Star
PREP WRITER OF THE YEAR - CLASS II
1. Jake Martin, Ouachita Citizen.
2. Chris Singleton, Houma Courier/Thibodaux Daily Comet
3. Raymond Partsch III, Kinder Courier News
HM. Lamar Gafford, Town Talk.
BEAT WRITER OF THE YEAR -- CLASS I
1. Glenn Guilbeau, USA TODAY Network
2. Luke Johnson, The Advocate
3. Brody Miller, The Athletic
HM. Larry Holder, The Athletic
BEAT WRITER OF THE YEAR -- CLASS II
1. Raymond Partsch III, The Daily Iberian
2. Chris Singleton, Houma Courier/Thibodaux Daily Comet
3. Lamar Gafford, The Town Talk
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR -- CLASS I
1. Scooter Hobbs, Lake Charles American Press
2. Glenn Guilbeau, USA TODAY Louisiana.
3. Rod Walker, The Advocate.
HM. John James Marshall, Designated Writers.
STORY OF THE YEAR
Brody Miller, The Athletic. Feature on the year of grief of two LSU families after Carley McCord’s tragic death.