Ray Cooney
Ray Cooney was elected president of The Graphic Printing Company in December 2023. He became publisher of The Commercial Review on July 1, 2020, while retaining the title of editor he has held since Dec. 1, 2014. He served managing editor from July 2013 through November 2014, assistant managing editor from November 2005 through July 2013 and sports editor from March 2001 through July 2013.
He earned the most awards of any journalist in Division III in the Hoosier State Press Association Better Newspaper Contest for four consecutive years from 2013 through 2016. His first-place honors this year were for in-depth feature, sports feature, general news photo and video.
In his career he has also won HSPA awards for sports commentary, editorial writing, use of graphics, community service, news writing under deadline pressure, sports action photo, sports feature photo, headline writing, editorial page, profile feature and multiple picture group. He had picked up nine Indiana Associated Press Media Editors awards earlier in the year, including first place for business writing, non-deadline sports story and headline writing.
Cooney was honored with the Indiana High School Athletic Association Distinguished Media Service Award in 2012, and also received the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Outstanding Baseball Media Award in 2009.
A native of Avon, Ohio, Cooney graduated from St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) in 1996 and Cleveland State University in 2000. He was the inaugural editor of The Cleveland Stater at CSU, and also worked for The Morning Journal (Lorain, Ohio) and The Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) before moving to Jay County.
Cooney lives in Portland with his dog, Scooter.
SPORTS
Senior triumphs following tragedy
Eme Miller made herself a solid favorite in the 200-yard freestyle at the Jan. 26 preliminary round of the sectional tournament.
SPORTS
Primetime Eme
Through the years, Eme Miller has been in the stands watching family and friends swim in the state finals. Friday will be her day.
JAY COUNTY
Hot at Home(stead)
FORT WAYNE — The Patriots improved in the final three quarters after a slow start. It wasn’t enough for them to overcome the hot-shooting home team.
JAY COUNTY
Heading to state
FORT WAYNE — As the referee raised his arm, Eric Hemmelgarn showed almost no reaction. Eight minutes of wrestling had left him exhausted.
JAY COUNTY
JC tops Delta
The Patriots went from their hottest-shooting half of the year to the worst. They still managed to come away with an eighth straight victory.
SPORTS
Fort back on track
MARIA STEIN, Ohio — Brian Patch felt like his team had spent the last several weeks just going through the motions. On Friday, the Indians got their intensity back.
SPORTS
Brock breaks Wayne
When Kegan Comer left the game with a knee injury, someone needed to fill the void. Brock McFarland was ready.
FORT RECOVERY
Celina trips Indians
FORT RECOVERY — The Indians started the evening by honoring their seniors prior to their final game at Fort Site Fieldhouse. But it was Celina that seemed right at home behind the 3-point line.
SPORTS
Local athletes excelling
With so much going on in high school sports at this time of year, it’s easy for some things to get missed.
JAY COUNTY
Keen places second
A record-breaking performance still left James Keen short of the state finals.
JAY COUNTY
Sorry dad
UNION CITY — Honor thy father. That is, unless you’re on a basketball court.
JAY COUNTY
Hemmelgarn third for Jay
INDIANAPOLIS — It seemed only fitting that Eric Hemmelgarn’s reaction after his final match was another jump into the arms of assistant coach Andy Pfeifer. His career had made quite a leap.
SPORTS
Jay Co. breaks 100
Shelby Pryor saved her best for last. Her teammates were right their with her.
SPORTS
Batt finishes as state runner-up
INDIANAPOLIS — In 40 years, South Adams had just two wrestlers place in the top four at the state finals. Todd Batt and Sawyer Miller matched that in a single day.
JAY COUNTY
Technical fall
OSSIAN — Facing one of the best teams on their schedule, the Patriots were not at their best.
SPORTS
Tourney vengeance
COLDWATER, Ohio — Chelsea Pottkotter took an outlet pass deep in the left corner.
SPORTS
JC baseball target should be .500
After taking last month off, I’m returning to the question-and-answer format for my final column of February. This month there are questions about Jay County High School baseball and boys track, a perception of bias in my NFL top 10 and NBA scoring records.
SPORTS
Different states, same objective
Jay County and Fort Recovery are focused on winning sectional championships.
SPORTS
USV up next for Fort
FORT RECOVERY — On Saturday and again at practice Monday, the Indians had a simple answer for why they were able to put a bad start behind them and came back to throttle a team they had lost to during the regular season. They believed.
SPORTS
Wayne knocks JC from tourney
HUNTINGTON — Jay County’s program is built around playing good team defense and taking care of the basketball. Neither of those aspects were in effect on Friday night.
FORT RECOVERY
Valley girls rally
ST. MARYS, Ohio — The Indians seemed less sad than shocked. It was hard to fathom how a 17-point lead could slip away.
SPORTS
Gelhaus is best in MAC
FORT RECOVERY — After a year off, the Indians once again have the best player in the MAC.
FORT RECOVERY
Headed to finals
ELIDA, Ohio — Wade Gelhaus spent the first half in the background as his senior teammates controlled the game. But when Indians needed him in the third quarter, the Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year rose to the occasion.
SPORTS
FR seeks to avenge loss
It’s said that history repeats itself. The Indians hope theory holds true.
NEWS
Henryville help
Since tornadoes ripped through Clark County on March 2, there has been an outpouring of support to the southern-Indiana community. A group of Jay County High School students is part of the effort.
JAY COUNTY
Jay defeats Raiders
Playing at the No. 1 spot for the first time, and in a tournament setting, Evan Mathias felt the pressure. Back on his home course Thursday, the sophomore relaxed and led his team to victory.
JAY COUNTY
No. 5 Norwell tops JC
The Patriots walked away with their third loss in the last four games.
SPORTS
Jay blows away Redskins
Following three straight losses, the Patriots needed a big day to turn their season back in the right direction. They got it on a windy Saturday.
JAY COUNTY
3 in a row
An inning that could have been disastrous ended up turning the tide for the Patriots.
SPORTS
Jay Co. tops FR
FORT RECOVERY — Because of the disparity in team size, the team result was never in doubt. It was the individual races that made the meet interesting.
JAY COUNTY
Bounce back
Tuesday’s loss left the Patriots with something to prove. On Thursday, they did.
SPORTS
Keller leads JC in split
Justen Keller didn’t go home after Saturday’s Winchester Invitational was halted because of rain.
JAY COUNTY
Homers bury Jay County
Through the first two-and-a-half weeks of the season, the Patriots were in every game they played.
SPORTS
Jay Co. bears down
PARKER CITY — Lea Selvey was frustrated by mental mistakes and a lack of plate discipline.
SPORTS
Knockout no-hitter
MINSTER, Ohio — Minster’s top pitcher, Adam Niemeyer, has been unable to throw for several weeks because of an elbow injury.
SPORTS
Perfect Patriots
The Patriots have won the last two sectional titles and seven championships in all. But this year’s group has already accomplished something none of its predecessors have ever achieved.
SPORTS
Argylls shut out Jay Co.
Facing a team on a 12-match winning streak is a difficult task. Doing it without three regular starters proved too much for the Patriots.
JAY COUNTY
Three for JC
MUNCIE — With the meet complete, the Patriots gathered in a circle on the far side of the track. As a group, they shared their favorite moments from the evening and then prayed together.
SPORTS
Coach is key to JC success
Two sports, 10 seasons, seven sectional championships, three regional championships.
JAY COUNTY
Strong in the field
MUNCIE — The Bearcats and Eagles shared the championship. But no one was better in the field events than the Patriots.
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