The Alabama Press Association has recognized the Demopolis Times with its top award in the category of Best Sports Coverage.

During its annual convention at Orange Beach Saturday night, winners of the annual Better Newspapers Contest were named with the Times honored for its sports coverage in 2016. The Times brought home the first place award for its circulation group, which consisted of newspapers from across the state. This year’s contest was judged by members of the Georgia Press Association.

“It’s always an honor to be recognized by your colleagues and to be acknowledged for the effort that is put into producing our newspaper, website, magazine and other projects. This award is especially gratifying since our local sports teams play such an important role in the culture of the communities we serve,” said Robert Blankenship, publisher of the Demopolis Times.

“Of course, the award would not be possible without a dedicated staff, especially the efforts of Nicholas Finch who serves as sports writer for the Times. We also want to thank the many coaches and student-athletes who take the time to speak with us in creating the stories that are shared with our readers across the area,” Blankenship added.

“It feels amazing to be recognized for your efforts throughout the year, especially for the sports page,” Finch said. “Winning first place is icing on the cake to a year full of hard work and we will continue to work and make Demopolis proud.”