Winners in the 2007 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper contest: 

Seventy-one daily newspapers submitted 3,215 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics, photos, design and videography from 2007. 

Entries were judged by editors from the Ventura County Star, Camarillo, Calif., Division V; the Erie (Pa.) Times-News, Division IV; Potomac News, Woodbridge, Va., Division III; The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, and Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas, Division II; and State Journal, Frankfort, Ky., Division I. 

DIVISION V, Newspapers with a daily circulation of more than 75,000 

• General Excellence: 1, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 2, The Columbus Dispatch; 3, The Cincinnati Enquirer. 
• Best Videographer: 1, Randy Walk, The Columbus Dispatch; 2, Lew Stamp, Akron Beacon Journal; 3, Chris Griffith, Dayton Daily News. 
• Best Graphics Artist: 1, Andrea Levy, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 2, Rick Steinhauser, Akron Beacon Journal; 3, Jeff Basting, The (Toledo) Blade; HM, Ted Pitts, Dayton Daily News. 
• Best Photographer: 1, Gus Chan, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 2, Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 3, Neal C. Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch. 
• Best Spot News Photo: 1, Ken Love, Akron Beacon Journal, "Fatal Fire"; 2, Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal, "Stand Off"; 3, Roadell Hickman, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Waiting for Help"; HM, Carrie Cochran, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Stabbing". 
• Best Feature Photo: 1, Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Whisper"; 2, Ken Love, Akron Beacon Journal, "Sunrise Buggy"; 3, Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Nurse". 
• Best Sports Photo: 1, Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Smash Mouth"; 2, Neal C. Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch, "Jacket Flop"; 3, Mike Cardew, Akron Beacon Journal, "Bitter Loss"; HM, Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Head Over Rails". 
• Best Photo Essay: 1, Gus Chan, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Johanna: Facing Forward"; 2, Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal, "Stand Off"; 3, Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Born Too Soon"; HM, Shari Lewis, The Columbus Dispatch, "An Interrupted Life". 
• Best Full Page Layout: 1, The Columbus Dispatch, "College Football Preview"; 2, Stephanie Collier, Dayton Daily News, "Candy"; 3, Emmet Smith, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Cleveland Arts Prize"; HM, Pat Kastner, The Columbus Dispatch, "Summer in the City". 
• Best Page One Layout: 1, The Columbus Dispatch; 2, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 3, The (Toledo) Blade; HM, Joe Reedy and Joshua Meo, The Cincinnati Enquirer. 
• Best Web Site: 1, Dayton Daily News; 2, Akron Beacon Journal; 3, The Columbus Dispatch. 
  

DIVISION IV, Newspapers with daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999 

• General Excellence: 1, The (Canton) Repository; 2, The Lima News; 3, Springfield News-Sun. 
• Best Videographer: 1, Andy McGinn, Springfield News-Sun; 2, Samantha Sommer, Springfield News-Sun; 3, Stephanie J. Smith, The (Lorain) Morning Journal. 
• Best Graphics Artist: 1, Michael Weiss, The (Canton) Repository; 2, Eri Hashimoto, The (Canton) Repository; 3, John Cruz, The (Youngstown) Vindicator. 
• Best Photographer: 1, Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun; 2, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository; 3, Kelli Cardinal, The Lima News; HM, Michael S. Balash, The (Canton) Repository. 
• Best Illustration: 1, Eri Hashimoto, The (Canton) Repository, "Merry Christmas"; 2, Michael Weiss, The (Canton) Repository, "Small Business"; 3, Nate Warnecke, The Lima News, "Halls of History". 
• Best Spot News Photo: 1, Duncan Scott, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, "Murder Sentence"; 2, Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun, "Grief"; 3, William D. Lewis, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, "Firefighter"; HM, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Life and Death". 
• Best Feature Photo: 1, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Heavenly Jump"; 2, Stephanie J. Smith, The (Lorain) Morning Journal, "Firehose"; 3, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Winter's Serenity"; HM, Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Purim". 
• Best Sports Photo: 1, R. Michael Semple, Warren Tribune Chronicle, "Dirty Dancing"; 2, Maribeth Joeright, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, "Sand Storm"; 3, Steve Schenck, Warren Tribune Chronicle, "Facemask"; HM, R. Michael Semple, Warren Tribune Chronicle, "Baseball". 
• Best Photo Essay: 1, Andrea Morales, The Lima News, "Keeping His Balance"; 2, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Snow Opener"; 3, Maribeth Joeright, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, "Teeba". 
• Best Full Page Layout: 1, Scott Brown, The (Canton) Repository, "2007-08 Cavs"; 2, Mark Meszoros, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, "A Goodfella Gets His?"; 3, Jessica Garringer, Springfield News-Sun, "Smile". 
• Best Page One Layout: 1, The (Lorain) Morning Journal; 2, The (Canton) Repository; 3, The Lima News. 
• Best Web Site: 1, Springfield News-Sun; 2, The (Canton) Repository; 3, The (Youngstown) Vindicator. 

DIVISION III, Newspapers with daily circulation of 13,000 to 24,999 

• General Excellence: 1, Sandusky Register; 2, Middletown Journal; 3, The (Newark) Advocate; HM, The (Defiance) Crescent-News. 
• Best Videographer: 1, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register; 2, Abigail Bobrow, Sandusky Register; 3, David Greber, The (Hamilton) JournalNews. 
• Best Photographer: 1, Gary Stelzer, Middletown Journal; 2, Luke Wark, Sandusky Register; 3, Abigail Bobrow, Sandusky Register; HM, Trevor Jones, Zanesville Times Recorder. 
• Best Spot News Photo: 1, Charlie Walters, The (Newark) Advocate, "Rollover Recovery"; 2, Luke Wark, Sandusky Register, "Walk Away Tom"; 3, Pat Auckerman, Middletown Journal, "Firefighters in Smoke"; HM, Abigail Bobrow, Sandusky Register, "Flood Call". 
• Best Feature Photo: 1, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register, "Girooffe"; 2, Andrew Dolph, The Medina Gazette, "Taste of Freedom"; 3, Cameron Knight, Middletown Journal, "Kids Fest"; HM, Mike Schenk, The (Wooster) Daily Record, "Map Reader". 
• Best Sports Photo: 1, Nick Graham, Middletown Journal, "Minor League"; 2, Luke Wark, Sandusky Register, "Clyde Wins"; 3, Nick Daggy, The (Hamilton) JournalNews, "Riding Dirty". 
• Best Photo Essay: 1, Gary Stelzer, Middletown Journal, "Brook Akers"; 2, Bridget Commisso, The Medina Gazette, "Heaventrain"; 3, Nick Daggy, The (Hamilton) JournalNews, "West Side All-Stars"; HM, Sarah Wright, Chillicothe Gazette, "Doggie Daycare". 
• Best Full Page Layout: 1, Lance Cranmer and Phil Gray, Chillicothe Gazette, "Take Two"; 2, Art Price, Sandusky Register, "Safari So Good"; 3, Mark Froelich, The (Defiance) Crescent-News, "Waterway Opportunities". 
• Best Page One Layout: 1, Middletown Journal; 2, Sandusky Register; 3, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. 
• Best Web Site: 1, Middletown Journal; 2, Sandusky Register; 3, The (Newark) Advocate; HM, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. 

DIVISION II, Newspapers with daily circulation of 8,000 to 12,999 

• General Excellence: 1, The (Massillon) Independent; 2, Troy Daily News; 3, The Marietta Times; HM, The Marion Star. 
• Best Videographer: 1, Kenesha R. Beheler, Mount Vernon News; 2, Samantha Deem, Mount Vernon News; 3, Joni Bowen, The (Alliance) Review; HM, George Breithaupt, Mount Vernon News. 
• Best Photographer: 1, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal; 2, Mark Pummell, The (Celina) Daily Standard; 3, Erin Pence, The Sidney Daily News; HM, Tom E. Puskar, Ashland Times-Gazette. 
• Best Spot News Photo: 1, Wayne Maris, The (East Liverpool) Review, "Foot on Subject"; 2, John Halley, The Athens Messenger, "Billboard"; 3, Kevin Whitlock, The (Massillon) Independent, "Parents Grieve"; HM, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, "Bucolic Scene Interrupted". 
• Best Feature Photo: 1, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, "Battle Weary"; 2, Kevin Whitlock, The (Massillon) Independent, "At the Polls"; 3, Kevin Graff, The (Alliance) Review, "Fire Safety"; HM, Erin Pence, The Sidney Daily News, "Another Bad Call". 
• Best Sports Photo: 1, Mark Pummell, The (Celina) Daily Standard, "Football Catch"; 2, Erin Pence, The Sidney Daily News, "Leap for Second"; 3, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, "Look Out Below"; HM, Aaron Carpenter, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, "Looseball". 
• Best Photo Essay: 1, Erin Pence, The Sidney Daily News, "United Wagon Train"; 2, Ashland Times-Gazette, "Oh, What A Ride!"; 3, Lindsay Niegelberg, Portsmouth Daily Times, "A Holy Haven"; HM, Charlie Longton, The (Fremont) News-Messenger, "Sunset". 
• Best Full Page Layout: 1, Jack R. Weber Jr., The (Alliance) Review, "Happiness by the Handful"; 2, Dave Breeding, The Marion Star, "Ohio Readies for Ethanol Impact"; 3, Ryan Good, The (Tiffin) Advertiser-Tribune, "Early Climate Change Victim?"; HM, Dave Breeding, The Marion Star, "It's About Growing Up". 
• Best Page One Layout: 1, The Marietta Times; 2, Michael Buettner, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, Robert McCune, The (Massillon) Independent. 
• Best Web Site: 1, Mount Vernon News; 2, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, The (Alliance) Review. 

DIVISION I, Newspapers with daily circulation up to 7,999 

• General Excellence: 1, The Ironton Tribune; 2, Coshocton Tribune; 3, Wapakoneta Daily News. 
• Best Videographer: 1, Trevor Jones, Coshocton Tribune; 2, Cassandra Shope, Washington Court House Record Herald. 
• Best Photographer: 1, James E. Mahan, Piqua Daily Call; 2, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune; 3, Jonathon Bird, Port Clinton News-Herald; HM, Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune. 
• Best Spot News Photo: 1, James E. Mahan, Piqua Daily Call, "Crash Anguish"; 2, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune, "Wreck"; 3, Kevin Dye, The (London) Madison Press, "Drive-through"; HM, Jonathon Bird, Port Clinton News-Herald, "Fire". 
• Best Feature Photo: 1, James E. Mahan, Piqua Daily Call, "Trampoline Kids"; 2, Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune, "Vigil"; 3, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune, "Leaves"; HM, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call, "Soldier's Return". 
• Best Sports Photo: 1, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune, "Pull"; 2, Jonathon Bird, Port Clinton News-Herald, "Margaretta Soccer"; 3, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune, "Hurdle"; HM, Charles Caperton, The Xenia Daily Gazette, "Goal Stop". 
• Best Photo Essay: 1, Ty Wright, Coshocton Tribune; 2, Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune, "Fall Colors"; 3, Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune, "Fair Play". 
• Best Full Page Layout: 1, B.J. Lisko, The Salem News, "Masters Preview"; 2, Greta Silvers, Piqua Daily Call, "Going Nuts"; 3, Jason Smith, The (Fostoria) Review Times, "Take a Trip on a Tube". 
• Best Page One Layout: 1, Angela Adair, Port Clinton News-Herald; 2, Ray Dyson, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum; 3, Coshocton Tribune. 
• Best Web Site: 1, Marysville Journal-Tribune; 2, Angie Matticks, Hillsboro Times-Gazette; 3, Washington Court House Record Herald.