MARQUETTE - The Mining Journal won three awards in the 2008 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, including a first place for sports columns.

Mining Journal sports writer Kurt Mensching won the top award in the category for three columns on topics as diverse as the beginning of baseball season, Northern Michigan University football and high school sportsmanship at the Superior Dome.

Judges said Mensching's writing was "funny" and "stood out as very clean."

Mensching thanked the people of the Upper Peninsula for sharing their stories and for reading his.

"I'd also like to thank all my teachers at Manton High School, especially my English teacher, the late Diane Schimpke," Mensching said.

Members of Pennsylvania Press Association judged more than 3,781 entries submitted by 116 Michigan newspapers to come up with this year's Better Newspaper Contest winners.

The Mining Journal sports department earned a second award - second place in the sports coverage category. Judges noted the newspaper's blend of "good writing with eye-catching designs" for pages that offer coverage of a range of sports.

"We're only as good as the teams that we cover," said Journal sports editor Renee Prusi. "Thankfully, our area is blessed with excellent athletes, outstanding coaches and successful teams. They give us so much to write about and take photos of that we have a great advantage over other newspapers."

The Mining Journal also took a first place in the best promotional advertisement category for an ad touting the newspaper's award-winning history.

The MPA contest awards prizes to daily newspapers in four classes based on circulation. The Mining Journal competes in Class C, which includes papers in the 12,001 to 30,000 circulation range.