2014 Gazette Sports Photos of the year

It's not often that an advertisement in the background of a sporting event can contribute to a photo, but everything lined up for this photo of Iowa's Tony Ramos celebrating his 133-pound semifinal win at the NCAA Division 1 wrestling championships. His fans were seated over my shoulder, and he pointed to them after his win. Photographed at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Friday, March 21, 2014. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)

This year I was the photographer for The Program which covered the Cedar Rapids Jefferson football's season. Being in the locker room before games is not something we usually have the opportunity to photograph but Coach Brian Webb gave us great access to the team throughout the season. Here the J-Hawks get pumped up in the locker room for their first playoff game since 2008. Original caption: The Cedar Rapids Jefferson J-Hawks get pumped up in the locker room before their high school football game at Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)

'I like Paul Rhoads' style,' said Gazette photojournalist Jim Slosiarek of his photograph of Iowa State Cyclones head coach Paul Rhoads celebrating with the Cyclones Marching Band after winning their college football game against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. 'Photographing coaches is usually difficult since most are stoic. The ones that do, usually are beyond the reach of my 600mm lens or buried in the sideline somewhere.' 'It was nice to be able to capture Rhoads' fist push and also show a little more context.' Iowa State won 20-17. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Tyler Dralle (27) leaps over the the pile near the pitchers mound as the Cougars celebrate their victory over Davenport West during a Class 4A baseball substate final at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. During the post season of any sport we spend a lot of effort to try to guess the best position from which to capture the sometimes fleeting peak emotion at the end of the game and this day it paid off. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)

High school volleyball celebration is about the most expressive of any sport and I enjoy the challenge of making each game's celebration look unique, even when we shoot several games in a week. I settled on this angle for the culmination of this Class 5A Regional semifinal to capture as many contrasting emotions in my frame as possible from the court, bench, and stands as Cedar Rapids Kennedy came from 2-sets down to defeat Linn Mar. (From left) Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Kendal Meier, Ellie Anderson, and Gabbie Meyer hit the floor in celebration as Linn Mar players leave the floor dejected at Linn Mar high school in Marion on Thursday, October 30, 2014. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)