Two Era staff members have been named finalists in the 2016 Pennsylvania Associated Press Newspaper contest.

Era Associate Editor Marcie Schellhammer has been named a finalist for best spot news coverage and best column writing, while Era Sports Reporter Pete Sirianni has been named a finalist for best sports/outdoor column writing.

The awards in actual order of finish — first and second places — will be announced at the Pennsylvania Associated Press Media Editors awards banquet May 19 in Lancaster.

Schellhammer has been with The Era since 2001, working as a reporter until 2010 when she was named associate editor. She is a graduate of Otto-Eldred High School and of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. A daughter of Shirley Whiteman of Rixford and the late Donald Whiteman, Schellhammer lives in Smethport with her husband, Kirk, and daughter, Emily.

This is her second honor for column writing, and her sixth for reporting.

The spot news coverage was for a story written about the February 2016 murder of O’Ryan Murphy, allegedly at the hands of his aunt and uncle, Scott and Kristy Murphy, in Ridgway.

The category of column writing requires the submission of three columns. Schellhammer submitted a column about a mistake made in a photo caption, which was caught (and circled in red pen) by her high school English teacher Richard Brown; a second regarding the nine-month budget stalemate in Pennsylvania, comparing it to a baby whose father won’t step up and take custody; and a third regarding her daughter’s battle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Sirianni has been with The Era since 2016, working as a sports reporter. He is a graduate of Kane Area High School and of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The son of Mark and Jan, Sirianni lives in Kane.

This is his first honor.

His three columns submitted included one about Port Allegany’s somewhat underdog run in the District 9 and state boys soccer playoffs and Kane High football coach Todd Silfies reaching the 50-win mark in just his fifth season at the helm; a second arguing for Penn State’s inclusion in the College Football Playoff despite realizing the school would likely be left out; and a third about a day on the course caddying for close friend and Pitt-Bradford golfer John Bedford in a pro-am tournament, an event Bedford won and dedicated to his late father.

Thirty-four newspapers submitted 1381 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports, features, photography and multimedia projects.