JACKSON — The staff of The Natchez Democrat won 28 total awards, including 13 first-place awards, Friday at the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Managing Editors meeting.

The Democrat competed against like-sized newspapers including, The Oxford Eagle, The Greenwood Commonwealth, The Bolivar Commercial and The (Brookhaven) Daily Leader in Mississippi and The Thibodaux Daily Comet, The Ruston Daily Leader and The (Houma) Courier, among others.

First-place awards included:

Spot news story — Cain Madden, “Cook saves 3-year-old from drowning.”

Spot sports story — Michael Kerekes, “It’s just time to go.”

Sports column — Jeff Edwards, “Maybe God does care about sports.”

Spot news photo — Ben Hillyer, “Monday fire.”

General news photo — Hillyer, “Godspeed Jack.”

Sports feature photo — Hillyer, “Unsung heroes.”

Feature photo — Hillyer, “All thumbs up.”

Illustration — Hillyer, “Queen for a day.”

Multi-picture — Hillyer, “God had another plan.”

Personality portrait — Hillyer, “Day by day.”

Headlines — Edwards, Julie Cooper and Hillyer.

Layout and design — staff.

Graphics — Hillyer, “Is now the time?”

Second-place awards included:

Editorials — Julie Cooper, “Mayor has to decide, weak or strong.”

Feature photo — Hillyer, “Wet and wild.”

Multi-picture — Hillyer, “Never too old.”

Personality portrait — Hillyer, “Facing the problem.”

Graphics — Hillyer, “On stable ground.”

Third-place awards included:

Editorials — Editorial board, “EDA issue isn’t about EDA anymore.”

Personal columns — Hillyer, “A discovery of pride and wonder.”

Spot sports story — Edwards, “Simply dominating.”

Sports enterprise story — Edwards, “Field of dreams.”

Spot news photo — Hillyer, “Collaborative effort.”

Sports action photo — Hannah Reel, “Trinity dive.”

Sports feature photo — Reel, “Special day.”

Multi-picture — Hillyer, “Until spelling do us part.”

Personality portrait — Hillyer, “Doors fan.”

Layout and design — staff.