I fancy myself a writer.

So, naturally, I won an award for photography.

Go figure. I can’t win an award for writing, which is what I feel I do best.

I’ve begrudgingly entered two stories over the years in the Better Newspaper Contests held annually by the Oklahoma Press Association.

Couldn’t win with either one of them (both got third in our division), so I took my pen and notebook and went home.

But last fall I took a photo during a softball game that I really liked.

When looking for photos to use in the newspaper, I’m always seeking one that can tell the story of the game(s) I’m writing about.

It’s not always an action shot. In fact, a lot of times it isn’t.

It’s what I call the reaction shots that are often the best.

I liked this pic. I used the pic.

A few days later when he got around to reading the newspaper, our Publisher Barry Reid texted me a photo of that page in the newspaper.

“I’m not expert,” he wrote. “But that is a prize-winning photo. You captured a moment with that one.”

The OPA also offers monthly contests sponsored by OG&E for photos and column writing.

So, on a whim, I sent in the picture to be judged against other submissions by members of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

A few weeks later I received notification my photo was the winner for September 2025.

Cool, I thought.

Other than making note of it on Facebook when it was announced by the OPA (I had to take a dig at real photographers Chris Simon and Russell Stitt who would have won numerous awards to date, but aren’t eligible as they’re not newspaper employees), I didn’t think about it again.

Then in the first week of April, I got a letter from the OPA.

All of 2025’s monthly contest winners were automatically submitted for the OG&E Photo of the Year contest.

Judges from the Georgia Press Association determined my picture to be that “Photo of the Year.”

Barry, it turns out, was right.

I attended the OPA’s annual convention last Saturday in Norman and was joined by Barry as well as Gary and Christine Reid. There, I was presented a plaque at the awards luncheon.

It was fun looking down upon all the inferior photographers.

But, seriously, of the photo, one of the judges wrote: “Excellent impact and makes the viewer want to know what took place.”

As I said, I fancy myself a writer, so I’m going to tell you - in my mind - what took place.

The photo appeared in our Sept. 28, 2025, edition.

The caption underneath it read: “LOCKED IN – Although it may appear KHS softball coach Morgan Dutton is chastising pitcher Kennedy Stewart, she was actually congratulating her after forcing a double-play ball during last Tuesday’s game against Bethany. Stewart threw a shutout Thursday against Woodward to wrap up district play for the Lady Jackets.”

Now just a bit of a back story.

Earlier in the season in a home district game, Stewart, a freshman, got the start.

She didn’t last long. Stewart wasn’t getting knocked around, but it wasn’t her best of outings either.

Eventually, she essentially pulled herself from the game.

There may have been a minor injury involved, but it was apparent the moment had gotten to her. She was mentally shook.

But sports has a way of offering redemption.

Coach Morgan Dutton continued to call on Stewart as the year progressed.

For one, she was needed. The Lady Jackets were without one of their best starters - Lily Voth - for the entire season due to a torn ACL.

A senior pitcher who was effective early in the season left the team before the season ended.

That left Kingfisher with two main pitchers - junior Kinlee East and Stewart.

Second, Stewart was good and Dutton knew it.

As the season progressed, she pieced together quality start after quality start.

The only problem was, Stewart didn’t always believe she was as good as her outings suggested.

I’m a big “body language” person and I spent a lot of time in the KHS dugout this season. Even when things were going well, Stewart appeared to not always believe she could get the job done.

By season’s end, Kennedy Stewart was Kingfisher’s best pitcher.

So that’s why Dutton called her number as the district games got more and more pivotal.

On Sept. 23, Bethany came to town in the biggest contest to date.

The teams were locked in a battle to secure the No. 2 spot in District 4A-3, which would mean the opportunity to host a regional tournament.

For six innings, Stewart shut down the Lady Bronchos, who were much improved from the team KHS beat 6-2 in the season opener some six weeks prior.

The problem was, every single pitch became important because Stewart was getting no run support from the KHS offense.

In a particularly big moment of the game - which was still tied 0-0 - Stewart forced a double play.

It was massive. And it led to the photo. Dutton’s finger under the chin was the utmost praise. She was telling her freshman, “I knew you could do it. I told you that you could do it. You have to believe in yourself.”

I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Now, the story doesn’t end there.

Stewart never got that run support and Bethany was finally able to piece together some hits and plate some runs in the seventh inning to win 4-0.

But KHS still had a big game two days later.

Woodward was visiting and a win by two or more runs meant Kingfisher could still get third place in the district and avoid a trip to Lone Grove in the regional tournament. (Lone Grove went on to win state and didn’t allow a run in its final eight games of the season, including all three at state.)

Stewart was fantastic. She gave up just two hits in a complete-game shutout. The Lady Jackets won 4-0 to secure third place.

The photo - in my mind - captured not just the moment of the double play in the loss, but the ability to bounce back two days later and capture a massive win.

Kingfisher closed out its regular season winning 4 of its last 5 games. Each win was crucial.

Stewart was the winning pitcher in each one.

“The amount she has matured mentally in the circle has been a game changer for us,” Dutton said.

The photo summed that up, in my opinion. Morgan Dutton wanted Kennedy Stewart to believe in herself because Dutton certainly believed in her.

The judge from Georgia said the photo made the viewer want to know what took place.

There’s the explanation from the writer from Oklahoma who can only win awards for photography.