SEQUIM — Staff from the Sequim Gazette earned 18 individual and team honors at the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspaper Contest (BNC) this past weekend.
The 2023 BNC awards were announced at a ceremony on Oct. 7 at the organization’s annual convention in Kennewick, where professionals recognized top industry work at Washington non-daily and small daily newspapers.
The Gazette, a Sound Publishing newspaper, earned second place in general excellence in WNPA’s Group 2 among WNPA’s four circulation groups. Some of Group 2 includes the Whitman County Gazette, Mercer Island Reporter, Methow Valley News, Anacortes American and Bainbridge Island Review newspapers.
Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell was selected Sportswriter of the Year, a category open to all divisions. He earned the distinction in 2006, 2008 and 2013.
The contest considered writing, design, photography, advertising and web content from newspapers statewide between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. The Montana Newspaper Association judged this year’s WNPA contest, with submissions totaling 931 news pieces, 292 photo entries, 211 advertisements and 97 special sections from 47 participating newspapers.
Sequim Gazette’s 2023 BNC honors include:
Writing
Matthew Nash
• First place, General Feature Story-Short, Group 2 (“Missionary helps complete home for widow”)
• Second place, Social Issues Story, Group 2 (“The housing crunch”)
• Second place, Election Story, Group 2 (“Officials, observers talk election processes, security”)
Emily Matthiessen
• First place, Arts Feature or Story, Group 2 (“Driftwood artist creations soar”)
• Second place, Personality Profile-Long, Group 2 (“Kennel Club’s Cornell leaves a legacy”)
• Third place, General Feature Story-Short, Group 2 (WAG raising funds for injured lab/husky mix”)
Michael Dashiell
• Sportswriter of the Year (all divisions)
• First place, Education Story, Group 2 (“Students form a Mock Trial Club”)
• First place, Sports News Story, Group 2 (“Henninger helps WWU’s Vikings score national title”)
• First place, Sports Personality Profile, Groups 1-2 (“Career on the pickleball court”)
Nash/ Dashiell
• First place, General Feature Story-Long, Group 2 (“Sequim students seek Boys in the Boat’ screening”)
Photography
Matthew Nash
• Second Place, Portrait Photo, Group 2 (“Pumpkins, skeletons fall in line”)
Michael Dashiell
• First place, General News Photo, Group 2 (“Sequim mourns its lost firefighter”)
• First Place, Portrait Photo, Group 2 (“Wonder of the Holidays”)
Design, web content
Michael Dashiell
• Second place, Editorial pages (all divisions)
Advertising/Ad design
Lara Stanton
• Second place, Ads Featuring Animals, Groups 1-2 (“Olympic Game Farm”)
• Second place, Romantic Ads, Groups 1-4 (“The Lodge at Sherwood Village”)
