Vocalists and Novices Reign Supreme During Miss Ohio Prelims!

It’s notable that three of the five preliminary winners are first year competitors from closed local programs! As the term suggests “closed” locals are restricted to women in certain counties. Forgive my frankness, but women from closed programs typically do not do as well at Miss Ohio because they often come from communities that do not understand the caliber of competition at the state level. So, congratulations to Erica Gelhaus and the Miss Lake Festival program, Allison West and the Miss Ohio Valley program and Heather Lindsay and the Miss Hamilton program.



Erica Gelhaus won Talent on Wednesday night with an operatic aria and performed extremely well in all the phases of competition; this is very impressive considering it’s been nearly a year since she last was on a pageant stage. Her local, Miss Lake Festival, is closed only to women of Mercer County.




Miss Ohio Valley, Allison West, walked away with the Swimsuit award on Tuesday night. Allison competed with only eight others in a pageant also held nearly a year ago, which is closed to women of Belmont, Carrol, Columbiana, Harrison and Jefferson Counties.





Finally, Thursday night's Swimsuit winner, Heather Lindsay, also represents a closed local. Miss Hamilton is a newer program which is restricted to women of Butler, Clark, Hamilton, Madison, Montgomery, Preble and Warren Counties.




In contrast to the ladies above, the two other preliminary winners are Miss Ohio veterans representing “open” locals.

Friends Roberta Camp and Nanciann Strosnider are both making their third attempt at the Miss Ohio crown. Neither had won a preliminary award in years past.

Performing a Barbra Streisand favorite, Miss Lake Erie Nanciann Strosnider won Talent Thursday night. Miss Maple City Roberta Camp won Talent on Tuesday night with her gospel vocal “Blessed,” as well as Swimsuit on Wednesday.













[Photos by Jason J. Molyet.]