Bangor Daily News veteran Larry Mahoney has been named the 2003 Maine Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Mahoney, who has been on the NEWS sports staff since 1972, also won the award in 1981, ’82, and 2000. Members from the Maine chapter of the NSSA vote on the award.

Mahoney, who covers a wide range of sports for the NEWS on the pro, college, and high school levels, is perhaps best known to readers for his coverage of college hockey.

“Larry is a tireless worker who tackles every writing assignment, big or small, with equal enthusiasm,” NEWS sports editor Joe McLaughlin said. “Besides college hockey, he has also taken on another huge beat, auto racing, and has done a great job with it.”

Mahoney also produces a Wednesday column, which is a potpourri of topics dealing with Maine sports.

Mahoney, a 1972 Bangor High grad, played football and baseball for the Rams. He and his wife, Sally, have two sons, Michael, 22, and Andrew, 19.

Also earning an award from the NSSA is Rene Cloukey of Presque Isle, who has been named the Maine Sportscaster of the Year.

Cloukey is the sports director at WAGM-TV in Presque Isle and recently celebrated his 20th anniversary with the station. He is a two-time winner, having taking home the honor in 1996.

Cloukey, an Ashland native, serves as the president of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club and is the information director for the Sunrise Conference. He also is on the area management team for the Aroostook Special Olympics.

Cloukey has three grown children, A.J., 26; Angela, 21; and Amber, 20.

The NSSA also named Joe Buck of Fox Sports and Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated as its national sportscaster and sportswriter of the year, respectively.