THE 2014 VNPA PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS GALLERY: Sports Picture Story

–Sports Picture Story 1st Place: Mike Morones/Military Times –The annual Warrior Games features athletes from all four service branches as well as Special Operations Command. The participants’ injuries range from serious illnesses, accidents as well as combat-related mental and physical injuries. Navy’s Red Ramos talks with fellow athletes following the 4×100 relay ended at the 2014 Warrior Games at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Thursday, October 2, 2014.

Marine Cpl. Jorge Salazar hands the torch to Navy Sonar Technician Surface 2nd Class Shericka Goza during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Warrior Games at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Sunday, September 28, 2014.

Air Force’s Daniel Crane competes against Navy’s Jonathan Adviento in the gold-medal match of the individual recurve archery competition at the 2014 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Adviento won the gold.

The Marine Corps wheelchair basketball team listens to the national anthem before taking on Army in the gold medal match. The Marines defeated Army for the gold medal at the 2014 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Friday, October 3, 2014.

Marine Corps volleyball coach Brent Petersen gets excited as the Marines close within a point of beating Navy in the first game of Thursday’s gold-medal match. Navy defeated Marine Corps 2-1 to win the gold medal at the 2014 Warrior Games at US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Thursday, October 2, 2014.

Staff Sgt. Jorge Salazar looks to a referee after falling during the Marine Corps-Army wheelchair basketball game at the 2014 Warrior Games on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Marine Corps beat Army to remain undefeated.

Air Force’s Nicholas Dadgostar crosses the finish line in the 100-meter dash open at the 2014 Warrior Games at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Thursday, October 2, 2014.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Lara Ishakawa warms up in the pool before the start of the championship swim events at the 2014 Warrior Games at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.

Army’s Brian Boone warms up before the start of preliminary heats in the swim competition at the 2014 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.

Col. Shane Tomko, commander of the Wounded Warrior Regiment, congratulates Adam Vickers, gold medalist in the men’s recumbent cycling race at the 2014 Warrior Games at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Monday, September 29, 2014.

Air Force assistant swim coach Cami Stock hugs retired Staff Sgt. Nicholas Dadgostar following a preliminary heat of the 50-meter freestyle swim at the 2014 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs. Dadgostar was injured in a diving accident and only recently returned to the water.

The US Air Force Academy Falcons defeat the US Naval Academy Midshipmen 30-21 at the US Air Froce Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Saturday, October 4, 2014. The halftime program served as the closing ceremony for the Warrior Games.

–Sports Picture Story 2nd Place: Rob Ostermaier/Daily Press–From the historic Yorktown Battlefield to the largest naval base in the world, Hampton Roads lives and breathes the military. In addition to producing athletes that go on to compete at Division 1 colleges and universities across the country, Hampton Roads is also home to a large military population. This series of portraits celebrates the best in athletics from a region marked by its military strength. These young athletes, like the men and women who protect our country, represent the best of their field. From Left to Right: Connor Rinoski, Allyson Babinsack, Rachel Brewer, Lia Batchelor, Chantel Ray and Austen Delnicki are photographed on the flight-deck of the carrier of the USS Harry S. Truman. These athletes excelled at their sport earning the title “All-Star”. The USS Truman is the eighth of the Nimitz-class carriers and was commissioned in 1998. The super carrier can accommodate approximately 90 aircraft and the flight deck is 4.5 acres and is capable of launching aircraft from two forward and two waist catapults.

Grafton swimmer Jonathan Spires is photographed with an F-15 Eagle on display at Langley Air Force Base. The F-15 is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter that went into service in the 1970’s.

Schekel Wallace is the defensive football player of the year from Lafayette High. He is pictured with a RS-1 diesel locomotive. This train engine was used in WWII to move supplies over a railroad that ran from Persia to get supplies behind the lines to the Russians. This mission became especially important in the winter when Russian ports were frozen closed.

Chase Pinder of Poquoson High is the baseball player of the year. Pinder is in front of the USS Wisconsin. The Wisconsin first saw action in the Pacific in 1944 and served her final combat mission during Desert Storm.

York High’s Connor Rinoski is the golf athlete of the year. Rinoski is teeing off from the deck of the USS Truman using the arresting cable. There are four of the heavy steel cables that snag the tailhook of the aircraft bringing it to a stop on the flight deck. An aircraft coming in to land ideally tries to snag the “3 wire” as it’s referred to.

Corey White from Heritage High is the male volleyball palyer of the year. He is pictured with a U.S. Army CH-54 Skycrane helicopter at Ft. Eustis. It is capable of carrying many different types of loads from vehicles to artillery pieces weighing up to 20,000 pounds.

Reeves Trott of Lafayette is the male soccer player of the year. Reeves is on the USS Wisconsin underneath the 16 inch guns. The Iowa-class battleship has nine guns that fire explosive rounds some over 2,000 pounds and can accurately engage targets up to 23 miles away.

Kelly Esch is the girls volleyball player on the year from Jamestown High. She is pictured with a two and a half ton Army M35 truck also known as the famous “deuce and a half.” This beloved multipurpose vehicle has served in one form or another since WWII to transport supplies and men on the battlefield.

Terrence Dingle of Denbigh High is the offensive football player of the year. He is posing on an M60 Patton tank which entered service with the Army in the early 1960’s. The M60 was the main battle tank of the Army until being replaced by the M1 Abrams. These tanks are still in use with militaries in Egypt, Israel and Turkey and were last used in combat my the Marines during Desert Storm.

–Sports Picture Story 3rd Place: L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot –The 52nd Annual East Coast Surfing Championships, were held this year at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. More than 200 professional surfers competed in the world’s second-oldest continuously-run surfing contest.

The 52nd Annual East Coast Surfing Championships, were held this year at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. More than 200 professional surfers competed in the world’s second-oldest continuously-run surfing contest.

Michael Dunphy kicks up a wall of spray as he cuts back on a wave during the Vans Pro Final today Aug. 24, 2014 at the 52nd Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships (CE-ECSC) presented by Vans at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Michael who is from Virginia Beach, Virginia won the event. (L. Todd Spencer / The Virginian-Pilot)

Holmes Clarke gets covered up on a small beach break during the semifinal of the Grand Master event at the world’s second-oldest continuously-run surfing contest the 52nd Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships .

Brogie Panesi gets some air during his Men’s Pro Heat at the 52nd Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships.

Michael Dunphy of Virginia Beach, Virginia wins the Vans Pro Final at the 52nd Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships.

–Sports Picture Story HM: Jonathon Gruenke/The Daily Press–Wrestlers prepare backstage at Cozzy’s Comedy Club before performing in the Extreme Midget Wrestling Federation.