CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
A peak action photograph that captures the competitive spirit and game of an athletic team. Team sports action recognizes a photograph taken from an event where a number of persons form one side of the team, i.e. soccer, football, basketball, baseball, etc.



1st Place
Benny Sieu
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Green Bay Packer guard Marco Rivera gives Ellis Wyms of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a lesson in how to play some real hard-nosed football. Tempers between the two teams flared when Packer guard Chad Clifton was seriously injured after a "cheap" hit by Buccaneers' Warren Sapp.




2nd Place
Vincent Thian
AP
Malaysia's Nasaruddin Mohamad Azman, back, kicks the ball in the air against South Korea's Yoo Dong-young during the Asian Games sepak takraw men's team semi-final competition in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 5, 2002. Sepak takraw is similar to volleyball, but use of hands is not permitted. Malaysia won 3-0.



3rd Place
J.P. Moczulski
Agence France-Presse
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Orlando Hudson fumbles a shallow right-field hit allowing Seattle Mariners Jeff Cirillo a single during third inning AL action against in Toronto, Canada on 08 August, 2002. Cirillo later scored.



Honorable Mention
Don Emmert
Agence France Presse
Dustan Mohr (R) of the Minnesota Twins collides with Luis Rivas (L) as he makes a catch in the fourth inning against the Anaheim Angels during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series in Anaheim, CA, 12 October 2002.



Honorable Mention
Kelly Gillin
The Wenatchee World

Cody Burgess of Wenatchee (Wash) Valley College runs into the arm of Whatcom Community College's Kelly Colard but is still able to score on this drive during the first round game of the NWAACC women's basketball championships at the Tri Cities (Wash) Coliseum March 8, 2002.


Team Sports Action

1st Place
Benny Sieu
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2nd Place
Vincent Thian
AP

3rd Place
J.P. Moczulski
Agence France-Presse

Honorable Mention
Don Emmert
Agence France Presse

Kelly Gillin
The Wenatchee World


JUDGES' COMMENTS
"It shows diligence on the part of the photographer to stay on subject even after the play to catch a really quick, spontaneous moment like that."
ROBERT SEALE, Staff Photographer, The Sporting News

"I think we all liked the picture, but I think we had varying thoughts on which was First and which was Second."
MICHAEL D. SARGENT, Vice President/News Services, Getty Images