2008 ONPA Pictures of the Year

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Named after Chief Logan of the Mingo Indian tribe, Logan is a small town in Southeast Ohio’s Hocking Hills. The purple & white Chieftains, a powerhouse for many years, have gone 51-5 in the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League since 2000 and, midway through their season, are pummeling opponents by an average margin of 27 points.
Showing support for their own, like many other throughout Logan, the McGuire family displays number 50 of Taylor McGuire, on game day, Friday morning, September 26, 2008.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

McGuire, a senior and football player at Logan High School, welds door hinges together during metal shop class. “I’m looking to go to college and welding is kind of my backup plan,” McGuire said.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

At a junior high pep rally, the varsity women’s volleyball players wear purple polka-dot sox in support of the Chieftains.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Junior high students struggle to touch a symbolic victory baton in a pep rally for the Logan Chieftains.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Jillyan Kline, 17-year-old senior, wears a traditional papier-mâché hat during game day on Friday.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Members of the varsity squad share a laugh before suiting up for the game.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

The Chieftains don their uniforms and gear before facing a tough Blue Devil team.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Senior members of the cheer squad help each other get ready before Friday’s home game.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Visibly excited for their match up with the Blue Devils, the undefeated Chieftains chant war cries and jump in a team huddle shortly before the start of the game.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Logan star-quarterback, Patrick Angle (7), evades a tackle from a Zanesville linebacker, James Fowler (56), during a long and ultimately successful drive by the Chieftains.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Head coach, Dale Amex, hesitantly congratulates his football team after their first competitive game of the season; they narrowly beat Zanesville, 16-14.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

As custom dictates with every home game win, the Chieftains ring the victory bell after defeating the Blue Devils on the final drive of the game. Logan would play three of their final four games on the road and finish, 11-0, undefeated.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Repelling from the Bentley Hall roof in Ohio University, on September 17, 2008, Cadet Bo Chabrian, a freshman from Dayton, receives help from Sgt. 1st Class Brian Detamone, a cadre with the ROTC Bobcat Battalion.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Always the life of the party and a favorite in Rochester, N.Y., Jim Pelc, also known as Scooter The Clown, tells mother-in-law jokes to (from left) Christina Vad, Andrea Vad, 5, Veronika Balazsy and her son Dan Vad, on Sunday morning, August 24, 2008.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Next in line to get a haircut from his cousin, Martino Dungey, 13, waits in the dark seconds after the power goes off in his home, in Columbus on March 3, 2008. Severe snowstorms damaged power lines throughout the Midwest subsequently cutting power to tens of thousands of homes.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Abbey Bacon throws a decoy duck into the "Dock Dogs" pool, while her chocolate Labrador, Zeus, jumps in after it, on September 27, 2008, in Nelsonville. Held at the Hocking College campus, Dock Dogs was one of many events in the Rocky Great Outdoor Adventure festival.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Fighting on top of the Frontier Field infield, (right) DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley is hit with a jab from Ashley “Treasure” Theophane, on July 31, 2008. Theophane defeated Corley in eight rounds by unanimous decision, in Rochester, N.Y.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Waiting to march to breakfast, soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard, wait in formation, on Saturday morning, May 3, 2008, in Ohio’s Camp Perry.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Austin Sutliff, 16, of Reading, Pa., receives medical aid from Hocking College emergency medical technicians after being thrown-off and stepped-on by a bull, on Sept. 28, 2008, in Nelsonville. A cowboy for the past four years, Sutliff competes in the Bull Ride Mania rodeo circuit and similar competitions.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

With nowhere to spend the night on May 6, 2008, Champaign waits outside her boyfriend’s apartment in Athens, Ohio, while her his pit-bull, Milo, keeps her company. Before moving to Athens, looking for a new start, Champaign spent the last couple of years living from shelter to shelter in Columbus.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise know as the Mormon Church, believes that the Book of Mormon is a scriptural account of Jesus Christ in the Americas and on par with the Bible.The Church currently claims over 10 million members world-wide with
approximately 50,000 of those serving as missionaries far from their homes. Single members between the ages of 19 and 25 are encouraged to fulfill their duty by spreading the gospel for two years. Elder Bradley Merrill of Littleton, Colo. and Elder Todd Balls of Mesa, Ariz., pray with members, during Sunday services in The Plains, Mormon church, on May 25, 2008.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

The men of The Plains Mormon church, discuss community service opportunities after Sunday services.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Elder Merrill plays keep-away from one of the church’s youngest member, Bryce Peterson, 2, in The Plains.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Resting by the Athens bike-path, Elder Merrill and Balls meet with church member, Carmela Sneesby and her family. The elders listened to the Sneesby family problems and encouraged them to attend church more often in order to better deal with stress.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Visiting a member in The Plains, Elder Balls sits and waits for his mentally handicapped host to finish reading a bible passage.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Elder Merrill (left) and Balls visit an Athens resident, John White (center), whom they call a stray-sheep. White assured them they would be welcomed inside had he not been attending guests and “doing illegal thing.”

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Church members, (left) Abe Ogle, 10 and his brother Sam Ogle, 12, pray with (left) Elder Merrill and Balls after dinner, in Athens.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Elder Barker, from Seattle, Wash., prepares to greet churchgoers for his first time in The Plains, on Sunday morning, June 1, 2008. Days earlier, Elder Merrill was transferred to another post and Baker was his subsequent replacement.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Elder Barker, fresh off his new transfer, prays with David, a local town personality in The Plains.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

Elder Balls (left) and Barker do cold-calls almost every day but describe them as most difficult part of the mission.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

More often than not, people do not open their door to the missionaries but they always knock a couple of times anyway.

First Place, Student Photographer of the Year - Diego James Robles / Ohio University

In their Athens apartment, after a hard day of work, which started at 6:00 in the morning and will finish past 10:00 at night, Elder Barker and Balls pray for guidance and the ability to better serve their lord, on Tuesday, June 3, 2008.