GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Division 1

1. Paris News
“Bold layout in the two newspapers submitted, with good display and use of photographs. The newspaper is consistent in for usage throughout. It shows intentional effort to include younger faces when possible.”
2. Daily Sentinel
3. Texarkana Gazette
4. Lufkin News

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“General excellence is the whole package – from reporting to writing to photographs to design to advertising to printing quality. The Hood County News excels in all these areas. This newspaper does Texas community journalism proud.”
2. Kilgore News Herald
3. Jacksonville Progress
4. Panola Watchman

Division 3

1. Azle News
“Great community involvement with lots of photos of people, young and old. This paper shows how to cover a community.”
2. Winnsboro News
3. Wylie News
4. Canton Herald

Division 4

1. Princeton Herald
“Pleasing general design in the two newspapers submitted, with good use of display photographs. Clever use of headlines where appropriate.”
2. Farmersville Times
3. Wills Point Chronicle
4. Wood County Monitor

Division 5

1. Springtown Epigraph
“Well written, good balance of things in the community. Lots of local people mentioned and very nice graphic presentation.”
2. Murphy Monitor
3. Tri-County Leader
4. Gladewater Mirror

ADVERTISING

Division 1

1. Athens Review
“Strong headlines and graphics make these ads very effective. Very good copy. Clean and easy to understand.”
2. Daily Sentinel
3. Texarkana Gazette
4. Lufkin News

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“Creative approaches, great graphics, ads that are designed to sell for the ad customer because they get noticed and deliver a clear sales message.”
2. Graham Leader
3. Kilgore News Herald
4. Panola Watchman

Division 3

1. Bowie County Citizens Tribune
“Eye catching graphics and clean copy make these entries stand out. Great job!”
2. Winnsboro News
3. Wylie News
4. Azle News

Division 4

1. Princeton Herald
“Creative use of graphics to gain attention of the reader. Plenty of white space and well-written ad copy.”
2. Farmersville Times
3. Sachse News
4. Dublin Citizen

Division 5

1. Murphy Monitor
“Creative use of illustrations and photography. Copy is simple yet effective in communicating the benefits.”
2. Tri-County Leader
3. Gladewater Mirror
4. Lindale News & Times

EDITORIALS

Division 1

1. Daily Sentinel
“Sentinel editorials are well-written and offer insight and opinion on topics of local interest.”
2. Texarkana Gazette
3. Lufkin News
4. Marshall News Messenger

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“These editorials are topical and deal with local issues in the news. But they are also well-written and get to the point.”

Division 3

1. Azle News
“Well-written editorials that offer insight and opinion leadership on local issues.”
2. Winnsboro News

Division 4

1. Dublin Citizen
“Readable pieces on topics of local interest.”

Division 5

1. Springtown Epigraph
“Whoever said editorials were stuffy and and ponderous in tone? Epigraph editorials are invitingly easy to read. The editorials could win new readers to the editorial page.”
2. Gladewater Mirror

COLUMN WRITING

Division 1

1. George Smith, Marshall News Messenger
“A fantastic retrospective over the three decades of the most polarizing political figure in recent U.S. history. The personal accounts are deftly woven into the account and provide credibility and valuable insight.”
2. Les Minor, Texarkana Gazette
3. Lauren Corbell, Paris News
4. Anna Rae Gwarjanski, Paris News

Division 2

1. Cathy Cruz, Hood County News
“Some newspaper columnists agonize over a topic for that week’s column, and they end up pulling a random idea out of the blue. Kathy Cruz’s topics are straight out of that week’s news, and they’re well-researched and tightly written.”
2. April Barbre, Jacksonville Progress
3. Travis Lisle, Graham Leader
4. Mitch Lucas, Kilgore News Herald

Division 3

1. Mark Campbell, Azle News
“Mark’s column is probably the first things lots of Azle News readers look at. It has all the elements of a great general-interest column – it’s locally oriented, original every week, and well written.”
2. Susan Reeves, Mount Vernon Optic-Herald
3. Kenny Mitchell, Bowie County Citizens Tribune
4. Terry Matthews, Winnsboro News

Division 4

1. Sarah Dykowski, Dublin Citizen
“These columns are fun! They are reminiscent of Erma Bombeck’s work, are to put down and probably a real draw for readers of the Citizen.”
2. Scott Dykowski, Dublin Citizen
3. Larry Tucker, Wood County Monitor
4. Doris Newman, Wood County Monitor

Division 5

1. Suzanne Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror “Not for Sale”
“The column defended tradition, heritage and hometown values in the wake of evolution while politely – but convincingly – stood up to metropolitan shortsightendness.”
2. Jim Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror “The Christmas Table”
3. Jack the Newshound, Gladewater Mirror “Thanks for the Calls”

NEWS WRITING

Division 1

1. Paul Bryant, Daily Sentinel
“Paul Bryant is that rare reporter who seems equally at home with both the information gathering and the writing sides of his job. His centerpiece piece on whether grand jury no-bills should be public record shows the important work that community newspapers can do.”
2. William Wadsack, Herald Democrat
3. Becky Bell, Texarkana Gazette
4. Stephanie Stevens, Lufkin News

Division 2

1. Kathy Cruz, Hood County News
“Kathy Cruz brings together three important qualities for news writing in community journalism – tough reporting that tells readers everything they need to know about community events, a committment to investigative stories, and readable writing that presents news in an easy-to-consume forum.”
2. James Draper, Kilgore News Herald
3. Thomas Waller and Brenda Sommer, Graham Leader
4. Jo Anne Embleton, Jacksonville Progress

Division 3

1. Joe Reavis, Wylie News
“Reavis’ reporting on a major storm is a textbook how-to-do-it guide for gathering news sources and organizing a mountain of complex material.”
2. Carla Noah Stutsman, Azle News
3. Bryan Giguere, Winnsboro News
4. Kenny Mitchell, Bowie County Citizen Tribune

Division 4

1. Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen
“Tightly-written stories that are well-organized and high in reader interest.”
2. Grey Ford, Sachse News
3. Wood County Monitor (no byline)
4. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times

Division 5

1. Christina Derr, Springtown Epigraph
“Factual and detail-oriented account of the history and financial ups and downs of a city park; very well done.”
2. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News
3. Jim Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror
4. Britne Hammons, Van Banner

SPORTS WRITING

Division 1

1. Kevin Kues, Paris News
“The depth this story, with the interview with the subject’s benefactor, really makes this story stand out. Good news judgement with initiative to follow this story.”
2. Kevin Gore, Daily Sentinel
3. Brandon Odgen, Lufkin News
4. Kevin Gore, Daily Sentinel

Division 2

1. Mitch Lucas, Kilgore News Herald
“Mitch knows how to write a game story for today’s audiences. These stories have great feature leads and are organized for easy readability. If a reader was at the game, he or she wil still enjoy these stories.”
2. Sarah Dewberry, Hood County News
3. Travis Lisle, Graham Leader
4. Jay Neal, Jacksonville Progress

Division 3

1. Greg Ford, Wylie News
“Great compare/contrast between two QB’s in area schools – ties the readership community together to build fan bases throughout the article, i.e., Wylie fans will follow Wylie East & vice versa.”
2. Bryan Giguere, Winnsboro News
3. Greg Ford, Wylie News
4. Mark Campbell, Azle News

Division 4

1. Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen
“This tale of how youth baseball travel teammates morphed into the core of the prep team will resonate with generations of readers.”
2. Greg Ford, Sachse News
3. Greg Ford, Sachse News
4. David Jenkins, Princeton Herald

Division 5

1. Greg Ford, Murphy Monitor
“His feature writing develops the potential for which there is plenty due to good news judgement.”
2. Mark Campbell, Springtown Epigraph
3. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News
4. Don Treul, Tri-County Leader

FEATURE STORY

Division 1

1. Rita Cook, Focus Daily News
“Incredibly tragic story that calls to action the need to support domestic violence initiatives while appropriately following two survivors of a brutal attack.”
2. Bridget Ortigo, Marshall News Messenger
3. Aaron Brand, Texarkana Gazette
4. Josh Edwards, Daily Sentinel

Division 2

1. Kilgore News Herald
“Timely topics and lively writing produced reader-friendly stories that Kilgore readers will be sure to like.”
2. Hood County News
3. Jacksonville Progress
4. Graham Leader

Division 3

1. Joe Reavis, Wylie News
“Inspirational story of optimism kept me wanting to learn more about Herman Benson. The article covers his incredible life, briefly leaving the reader wanting to learn more about the various chapters.”
2. Natalie Gentry, Azle News
3. Britne Hammans, Van Zandt News
4. Sonia Duggan, Wylie News

Division 4

1. Wyndi Veigel, Princeton Herald
“This feature brings it’s subjects to life with good writing and an eye for telling detail and descriptive writing.”
2. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times
3. Janet Felderhoff, Muenster Enterprise
4. Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen

Division 5

1. Annie Baldwin, Lindale News & Times
“Couldn’t put this down. Maybe the most compelling and detail-filled piece in the contest. It reads like a movie, crafting scenes with sentences.”
2. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News
3. Christina Derr, Azle News
4. Britne Hammons, Van Banner

FEATURE PHOTO

Division 1

1. Tim Monzingo, Daily Sentinel “Adoption Day”
“Great expression and a touching moment lifted this image above the rest. Nice work keeping the composition intact in a busy room.”
2. Evan Lewis, Texarkana Gazette “Honoring the Fallen”
3. Tim Monzingo, Daily Sentinel “Who’s a Good Boy”
4. Andy Adams, Lufkin News “Charro”

Division 2

1. Mary Vinson, Hood County News “Christmas Surprise”
“This photo tells the story – Mary Vinson has a great eye for finding just the image that tells the story immediately.”
2. Stephanie Hill, Panola Watchman “Pumpkin Patch Opens for Picking”
3. James Draper, Kilgore News Herald “The Show Goes On”
4. Chelsea Katz, Kilgore News Herald “Derby Diplomacy”

Division 3

1. Mark Campbell, Azle News “Garlic Plants”
“Beautifully composed and a nice use of light. The image has a strong foundation and looks great at six columns. But why the quote over the top of image?”
2. Susan Reeves, Mount Vernon Optic-Herald “Turkey Talk”
3. Ross Hunter, Winnsboro News “Mother Goose”
4. Victor Tapia, Wylie News “Bareback Rider”

Division 4

1. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times “Freedom Fare”
“This image made us laugh – great expression. Nice job keeping the room from being too distracting.”
2. David Jenkins, Sachse News “Color Run”
3. Wyndi Veigel, Princeton Herald “Vigil”
4. Larry Tucker, Wood County Monitor “Old Settlers”

Division 5

1. David Jenkins, Murphy Monitor “Standing in Honor”
“Nice, clean, quickly read shot with great flag position and strong expression.”
2. David Jenkins, Murphy Monitor “Pumpkin Patch”
3. Christina Derr, Springtown Epigraph “Not Too Sure”
4. Mark Campbell, Springtown Epigraph “Pink Out”

NEWS PHOTO

Division 1

1. Joshua Boucher, Texarkana Gazette “Red Lick Blaze”
“Strong emotion with a close, intimate viewpoint. The picture tells the story and the off-the-edge composition adds tension. Nice work!”
2. Chris Jennings, Herald Democrat “Color Run”
3. Chris Jennings, Herald Democrat “Watch Party”
4. Tim Monzingo, Daily Sentinel “Hair-Raising”

Division 2

1. Mary Vinson, Hood County News “Saturated”
“Nicely composed, captured the moment; right place, right time, right photographer.”
2. Brenda Sommer, Graham Leader “Serious Damage”
3. Becky Barlish, Panola Watchman “Bus 32”
4. Mary Vinson, Hood County News “Fire Destroys Granbury Home”

Division 3

1. Carla Noah Stutsman, Azle News “Taser Aftermath”
“Great moment that you don’t often see, even though it’s an ‘aftermath’ photo. Tells the story. Clean composition and good expression.”
2. Carla Noah Stutsman, Azle News “Police Officer Memorial”
3. John Reeves, Mount Vernon Optic-Herald “Fiery Battle”
4. Kenny Mitchell, Bowie County Citizens Tribune “Stormy Sky”

Division 4

1. Wyndi Veigel, Princeton Herald “Flames & Firefighters”
“Very nice composition to include the firefighter as well as the impressive flames. Good hustle!”
2. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times “FD vs. DQ”
3. David Kapitan, Wills Point Chronicle “Fly-In”
4. Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen “Hazard and History”

Division 5

1. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News “BMS Graduation Excitement”
“A delightful moment in time capturing the energy and enthusiasm of a graduating senior balanced with her elementary school contemporary in a school year tradition.”
2. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News “Celebrating Christmas Together”
3. Christina Derr, Springtown Epigraph “BLM Event”
4. Tri-County Leader, Lake Taylor Marina Flood (no byline)

SPORTS PHOTO

Division 1

1. Michael Cavazos, Marshall News Messenger “One-Handed TD Catch”
“This one checks all the boxes of great sports action: terrific moment, faces, ball, clean background and important play. Nicely done!”
2. Lora Arnold, Paris News “Oh My!”
3. Joshua Boucher, Texarkana Gazette “Heartbeaker”
4. Joe Elderson, Athens Review “Fulton Leads”

Division 2

1. Mary Vinson, Hood County News “Losing His Head”
“These sports photos bring the games to the reader. Excellent action, composition, and reproduction.”
2. Scott Coleman and Ronnie Sartors, Kilgore News Herald “Bulldogs Finish Strong”
3. Thomas Wallner and Evan Grice, Graham Leader “Steers Fall to Krum”
4. Danny Daniels and Samantha Jones, Panola Watchman “Fast Start Propels Lady Dawgs”

Division 3

1. Evan Ghormley, Wylie News “Battling to the End”
“Great moment, clean background, wonderful body positions in a sport that can be very difficult to shoot.”
2. Ross Hunter, Winnsboro News “Lot of Bull”
3. Shane Roper, Wylie News “Full Speed Ahead”
4. David Kapitan, Van Zandt News “High Jump”

Division 4

1. Victor Tapia, Princeton Herald “All Wrapped Up”
“Clean background, perfect positioning and timing, good face all make this a very nice action photo.”
2. Joe Diehl, Sachse News “Moving Along”
3. Joe Diehl, Sachse News “High Achievers”
4. Tesha Shafer, Dublin Citizen “Home Plate Play”

Division 5

1. Jim Jackson, Tri-County Leader “Fly Over”
“Great moment and perfect execution. Background is clean, nice separation between players. Strong image.”
2. Kim Hill, Gladewater Mirror “Pete Rose”
3. David Kapitan, Van Banner “Slide Home”
4. Roosevelt Joubert, Murphy Monitor “Final Weekend”

HEADLINE WRITING

Division 1

1. Texarkana Gazette
“Headlines that demonstrate clever wordplay with restraint and strategy so as to inform and entertain.”
2. Focus Daily News
3. Daily Sentinel
4. Marshall News Messenger

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“The Hood County News has a gift for creative headline word-play that accurately reflects the story and draws people in.”
2. Kilgore News Herald
3. Panola Watchman
4. Jacksonville Progress

Division 3

1. Bowie County Citizens Tribune
“Purposeful headlines built with strong words and a message that doesn’t get lost in trivial treatments.”
2. Azle News
3. Wylie News
4. Mount Vernon Optic-Herald

Division 4

1. Farmersville Times
“Alliteration and word-play grabs readers and screams ‘Read Me!'”
2. Sachse News
3. Princeton Herald
4. Dublin Citizen

Division 5

1. Bullard Banner News
“Simple solutions that attract attention. Tells the story and shows a good understanding that a clever headline depends on the strength of the right words, and not a formula or trickery.”
2. Tri-County Leader
3. Murphy Monitor
4. Springtown Epigraph

SPORTS COVERAGE

Division 1

1. Athens Review
“Best coverage of area games with game stories. Photo coverage was tops.”
2. Texarkana Gazette
3. Marshall News Messenger
4. Lufkin News

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“This was a tough choice between first and second place, but the Hood County News took the prize with overall readability, including good design and photos and a great use of stats boxes.”
2. Kilgore News Herald
3. Graham Leader
4. Jacksonvile Progress

Division 3

1. Azle News
“Best diversity in front page coverage with good photos. Need color photos.”
2. Wylie News
3. Van Zandt News
4. Canton Herald

Division 4

1. Princeton Herald
“Excellent photography, varied offerings on page one for broad appeal. Clean look.”
2. Farmersville Times
3. Dublin Citizen
4. Wood County Monitor

Division 5

1. Murphy Monitor
“Excellent coverage of minor or major sports with some minor sports getter centerpiece treatment. That news judgement keeps coverage from going stale; won’t go unnoticed by readers.”
2. Springtown Epigraph
3. Bullard Banner News
4. Van Banner

PAGE DESIGN

Division 1

1. Texarkana Gazette
“A classic design with insight and deliberate choices in presentation and content. Clean and well-organized display with not only good news judgement but also a solid sense of how art and typography should be used to attract and guide the reader through a page.”
2. Herald Democrat
3. Daily Sentinel
4. Focus Daily News

Division 2

1. Hood County News
“A delightful design with a good balance of type and images. What could have been clumsy treatments that overwhelmed content are utilized for impact and establishing hierarchy and visual prompts as to what is most important on the page and valuable content.”
2. Graham Leader
3. Kilgore News Herald
4. Jacksonville Progress

Division 3

1. Wylie News
“A modular look that showcases good art and headlines with good size, stucture and composition. A pleasant experience for the reader with good organization and hierarchy.”
2. Winnsboro News
3. Canton Herald
4. Azle News

Division 4

1. Farmersville Times
“A reader-friendly design that promotes the value of its content through a respectful treatment of typography and visuals. Consistency and structure creates a nicely packaged newspaper that allows the user the option of a quick review of stories or a comfortable investigation of preferred topics.”
2. Sachse News
3. Princeton Herald
4. Dublin Citizen

Division 5

1. Murphy Monitor
“A newspaper design that respects structure and works within its framework to display solid headlines and attractive art. Innovative treatments make sense and never overpower the stories that are being offered to the reader.”
2. Van Banner
3. Springtown Epigraph
4. Bullard Banner News

SPECIAL SECTION OF SPECIAL EDITION

Division 1

1. Daily Sentinel, “300 Years of Nacogdoches”
“This celebration of the city’s 300th birthday is a magazine worthy of this third century anniversary. Photos, printing, article all work together to make this an obvious first place choice.”
2. Texarkana Gazette, “Football 2016”
3. Herald Democrat, “Community of Support”
4. Athens Review, “Fanfare”

Division 2

1. Kilgore News Herald, “Forward”
“What’s not to like in this progresss edition? Design, photos, content are all excellent. And we were especially impressed that this progress edition included real journalism – great stories that give real insight into the community. This is an example of how to do a progress edition.”
2. Hood County News, “Focus”
3. Jacksonville Progress, “Progress Edition”
4. Graham Leader, “Graham 2016-2017”

Division 3

1. Canton Herald, “Explore”
“They call it a ‘Newcomers and Relocation Guide,’ and it’s just that. This magazine is colorful, well-designed, and full of reader interest. Congratulations on all the useful info tucked inside.”
2. Van Zandt News, “Support the Blue”
3. Wylie News, “Best of 2016”
4. Bowie County Citizens Tribune, “2016 Fall Sports Preview”

Division 4

1. Dublin Citizen, “Fall Sports 2016”
“What’s not to like? Unlike many sports editions, it doesn’t neglect women’s sports. Photos, design, writing and ads make this a sure reader favorite.”
2. Princeton Herald, “Leading the Pack”
3. Muenster Enterprise, “Take a Staycation”
4. Wills Point Chronicle, “Van Zandt County Fair & Rodeo”

Division 5

1. Azle News/Springtown Epigraph, “Area Guide 2016”
“This guide is just what it says it is – a guide to life in Azle and Springtown. Lots of facts and information and stories make this a useful guide.”
2. Bullard Banner News, “Fall Sports Preview”
3. Van Zandt Newspapers, “Reader’s Choice Awards”
4. Murphy Monitor, “Kids’ Summer Guide”

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Division 1

1. Paul Bryant, Daily Sentinel
“Excellent use of FOIA and consistently strong work that is enterprising and engaging. Good job covering important stories in a clear style.”
2. Jennifer Middleton, Texarkana Gazette
3. Amanda Gohn, Paris News
4. Chad Wilson, Athens Daily Review

Division 2

1. Kathy Cruz, Hood County News
“This reporter is clearly living up to the best ideals of journalism as a watchdog in her community. She’s an enterprising reporter with wide-ranging abilities”
2. James Draper, Kilgore News Herald
3. Jo Anne Embleton, Jacksonville Progress
4. Stephanie Hill, Panola Watchman

Division 3

1. Bryan Giguerre, Winnsboro News
“Bryan is both a good reporter and a good writer. This ability shows on all types of stories, from hard news to soft news to features.”
2. Joe Reavis, Wylie News
3. Carla Noah Stutsman, Azle News
4. Susan Reeves, Mount Vernon Optic-Herald

Division 4

1. Paul Gaudette, Dublin Citizen
“Paul Gaudette is a versatile reporter/writer who’s equally at home with hard news, breaking stories, features and profiles.”
2. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times
3. Greg Ford, Sachse News
4. Janet Felderhoff, Muenster Enterprise

Division 5

1. David Jenkins, Murphy Monitor
“David Jenkins seems equally comfortable with news and features. He has a reader-friendly style and an especially nice touch with leads.”
2. Micah McCrary, Bullard Banner News
3. Jim Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror
4. Christina Derr, Springtown Epigraph

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Division 1

1. Jerry Habraken, Texarkana Gazette
“Wonderful cross-section of work shows a truly versatile shooter! Very nice sports action/reaction; brought a creative eye to news photos; portraits are outstanding and draw the reader into the story. Sterling work!”
2. Andy Adams, Lufkin News
3. Tim Monzingo, Daily Sentinel
4. Michael Cavazos, Marshall News Messenger

Division 2

1. Mary Vinson, Hood County News
“Mary Vinson’s images are technically superior and capture the essence of the stories they accompany – including the emotion.”
2. Chelsea Katz, Kilgore News Herald
3. Jay Neal, Jacksonvile Progress
4. Stephanie Hill, Panola Watchman

Division 3

1. John Reeves, Mount Vernon Optic-Herald
“Good cross-section of spot news, general news, features and sports.”
2. Ross Hunter, Winnsboro News
3. Allyson Pebsworth, Bowie County Citizens Tribune

Division 4

1. Wyndi Veigel, Farmersville Times
“Nice variety of images that demonstrate technique, creativity and a sense of humor.”
2. David Kapitan, Wills Point Chronicle
3. Scott Dykowski, Dublin Citizen

Division 5

1. Mark Campbell, Springtown Epigraph
“Mark Campbell offers some outstanding images in both news and feature photography.”
2. Micah McCartney, Bullard Banner News
3. David Jenkins, Murphy Monitor
4. Suzanne Bardwell, Gladewater Mirror

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Division 1

1. Marshall News Messenger, “Resident’s Best Interest”
“People often accuse newspapers of having a short attention span – they cover a story and perhaps do a follow-up, but they don’t continue to stay with the story. The Marshall News Messenger followed the story of city hall renovations for more than a year, holding politicians accountable for their promises.”
2. Lufkin News

Division 2

1. Hood County News, “The Senior Connection”
“This project shows how community newspapers can make a difference. It’s an excellent example of service and engagement.”

Division 3

1. Mount Vernon Optic-Herald, “Paint Our Town”
“This project was one that definitely made a difference in Mount Vernon, and it never would have happened without the leadership and support of the Optic-Herald.”
2. Canton Herald, “Supporting the Canton Texas Chamber of Commerce”

Division 5

1. Gladewater Mirror, “Can’t We Fix This?”
“The Mirror defines good community citizenship. The paper has taken a real leadership role on a number of community issues – and has some tangible results to show for it’s efforts.”

SWEEPSTAKES

Division 1

1. Texarkana Gazette – 925 points
2. Daily Sentinel – 825 points
3. Marshall News Messenger – 425 points
4. Paris News – 400 points

Division 2

1. Hood County News – 1,800 points
2. Kilgore News Herald – 975 points
3. Graham Leader – 500 points
4. Jacksonville Progress – 400 points

Division 3

1. Azle News – 1,125 points
2. Wylie News – 1,000 points
3. Winnsboro News – 575 points
4. Bowie County Citizen Tribune – 350 points

Division 4

1. Princeton Herald – 925 points
2. Farmersville Times – 850 points
3. Dublin Citizen – 775 points
4. Sachse News – 525 points

Division 5

1. Murphy Monitor – 850 points
2. Springtown Epigraph – 725 points
3. Bullard Banner News – 600 points
4. Gladewater Mirror – 525 points