Saturday, March 26, 2011

Congrats to the Winners of Miss Ohio Sweeps Pageants!

[Seven new titleholders with Miss Ohio!
Left to right: Alyssa W., Alyssa P., Jenna F., Priya S., Miss Ohio Becky M., Miss CC Jessica N.,
Alicia H. and Ashley B.]

Sweeps Two Winners!

Miss Mohican Valley: Jenna Fowls
Miss Huron County: Priya Sharma
Miss Heart of Ohio: Alicia Huyghe

1st RU: Liz Wong
2nd RU: Nina Haaskivi

Sweeps One Winners!

Miss Buckeye State: Ashley Bowman
Miss Ohio River: Alyssa Phillips
Miss Willard: Alyssa Waldman

1st RU: Alicia Huyghe
2nd RU: Rebecca Ribley

Friday, March 25, 2011

Congrats to the New Miss Cuyahoga County, Jessica Nelson!

I'm excited to announced that new opportunities have opened up for three local competitors!

Jillian Bumpas won the first local she tried, Miss Cuyahoga County, back in July. She is a Musical Theatre major at Baldwin-Wallace college and has been given a huge theatrical opportunity that has caused her to resign her title. 1st Runner-up at the pageant, Allison Goodwin, was crowned Miss Vacationland so the new Miss Cuyahoga County is original 2nd Runner-up, Jessica Nelson!

Jessica has been a dedicated contestants for a couple years, also placing this season at North Coast and Northwestern Ohio. She is a Pre-Veterinary student at the University of Toledo and member of the Rockets Marching Band. For pageants, she dances and is an active volunteer with the Humane Society. Her platform blog.


I think it's very likely that Jessica would have won a Sweeps title today, meaning another crown has been opened up for someone else! Congratulations to Jessica and best of luck to Jillian!

Best of Luck to the Miss Ohio Sweeps Program!

Tomorrow 16 women will compete for six Sweeps crowns at Willard High School. Like last year, the titles will be Miss Willard, Miss Huron County, Miss Buckeye State, Miss Heart Of Ohio, Miss Mohican Valley and Miss Ohio River. Per Miss America rules only three crowns can be given at a time, so two separate pageants will take place in one day. The first pageant begins at 4 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m.; tickets are $10 or $15 for both shows.

Contestants will give two interviews for two separate panels of judges. The first panel is Kasi Collins, Fremont; Charlie Vallance, Columbus; John Aiello, Norwalk; Angela Thomas, Tiffin; Blythe Gresser, Columbus; and Bonnie Gregory, New London. The second judging panel is Tom Dunlap, Liz Truxell and Tina Beier, Norwalk; Brian McIntyre, Cleveland; Alex Thompson, Sandusky and Jeana Jones, Akron. The Judges Chair will be Nanci Keinath, with Jan Moll and Dolly Ruffing auditing.

Last year two Sweeps winners made the Top 10 at Miss Ohio, Tera Coleman and Whitney Fricke. Whitney did not compete again this year; Tera competed in one local but is not trying for another Sweeps title. 2010 Sweeps winners Devon Stansbury and Stephanie Betlz were Non-Semifinalist at Miss Ohio, but were among the highest scholarship recipients. Devon is the only of last years six to already be headed back to Miss Ohio (as Miss Lake Festival). Stephanie competed twice, recently placing at Muskingum Valley, thus her absense from the contestant list is extremely surprising. Finally, Rebeka Zoz did not competed again this season, making Liz Wong the only 2010 Sweeps winner to be competing there again this year.


Miss Ohio, Becky Minger, and Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen, Cecili Weber, will emcee and entertain at both pageants. Six of the following contestants will be rewarded with a trip to Miss Ohio and $500 scholarship!

Ashley Bowman
Age: 21
Education: Kent State University
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Get Up! Get Out! Get Going!”
Pageant Past: competed – Clayland; competed - CO; 2nd RU - MC


Jenna Fowls
Age: 21
Education: Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Dating Violence”
Pageant Past: 1st RU, I, Prelim T, SS & EG - Musk. V




Nina Haaskivi
Age: 21
Education: Bowling Green State University
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Real Women, Real Beauty.”
Pageant Past: 3rd RU - MC; 3rd RU - Musk. V


Alicia Huyghe
Age: 23
Education: Cleveland State University
Talent: tap dance
Platform: “CUE: Children Understanding the Environment”
Pageant Past: competed - Musk. V


Heather Isbell
Age: 20
Education: New York Institute of Photography
Talent: vocal
Platform:“Never Give Up!: Encouraging Youth To Pursue Their Dreams”
Pageant Past: competed - Vacationland; National American Miss and community queen festival experience


Ashliegh Jarzenski
Age: 19
Education: Ashland University
Talent: dance
Platform: “REACH: The Benefits Of Volunteering”
Pageant Past: competed – GC/CC; competed – NC; competed - M/NCO




Maria Minnick
Age: 21
Education: Owens Community College
Talent: dance
Platform: “Celebrate Diversity”
Pageant Past: SS – GC/CC; competed - MV/AAC/FT; 2nd RU - Vacationland; competed - MC


Jessica Nelson was slated to competed, but accepted the title Miss Cuyahoga County the night before.


Erin O'Brien
Age: 18
Education: DePauw University
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Women's Heart Health”
Pageant Past: competed - MV; competed - CO


Alyssa Phillips
Age: 19
Education: Bowling Green State University
Talent: dance
Platform: “Don't Suffer For Love”
Pageant Past: competed – MV/AAC/FT; 1st RU - NWO; Congeniality - M/NCO; 1st RU Vacationland; 1st RU - MC; 2nd RU & Spirit - Musk. V


Rebecca Ribley
Age: 19
Education: Ashland University
Talent: vocal
Platform:“Raising Awareness of Hunger in America”
Pageant Past: 3rd RU – GC/CC; competed - NC; competed - M/NCO; semifinalist - Musk. V


Priya Sharma
Age: 22
Education: Cleveland State University
Talent: dance
Platform: “Creating Positive Attitudes 101: Promoting Healthy and Positive Attitudes For Our Children”
Pageant Past: 3rd RU – NC; competed - M/NCO

Allison Vance
Age: 19
Education: Ashland County West Holmes Career Center
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Suicide Prevention Awareness”
Pageant Past: competed at Maple City


Alyssa Waldman
Education: Otterbein College
Talent: vocal
Platform:“It's Abuse: A Relationship Abuse Awareness Campaign”
Pageant Platform: competed - WCO/LSF/CL; T – MV; 2nd RU & T tie – Clayland; competed – MV/AAC/FT; Non-Semifinalist Talent award at Miss Ohio 2010 as Miss Northwestern Ohio

Shayle Welch
Age: 20
Education: Bowling Green State University
Talent: vocal
Platform: “Supporting And Promoting Diabetes Research.”
Pageant Past: competed – MV/AAC/FT; competed - MC


Veronica Wende
Age: 19
Education: Hillside College
Talent: vocal
Platform: "’Shine On’ Through Tissue and Organ Donation”
Pageant Past: competed at Miami Valley; Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2009

Elizabeth Wong
Age: 20
Education: Oberlin College
Talent: dance
Platform: “Cardiac Awareness”
Pageant Past: competed – NC; 3rd RU - NWO; competed - M/NCO; competed - MC; Semifinaist - Musk. V; Miss Huron County 2010

Although this information was published in today's Norwalk Reflector, it was a bit hard to come by; I greatly appreciate the source who acquired it for me!

Surprising omissions to this list are Anna Reis, Stephanie Betlz, Christina Muha, Jena Sweigart, Abby Daniel and Tera Coleman. Hopefully the found the 2010/2011 season valuable and return next year!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

2011 Miss Ohio Sweeps Eligibility

As with every local pageant, message board posters are asking who is competing in Sweeps. I find this sooooo annoying for several reason. No one is going to see that post and say, "oops, I totally forgot I had the list right here in my back pocket..." If contestants get the list at a forum or per email, it'll come out without any baiting. Some pageants are known for getting pre-pageant press or listing their contestants on their website, but past that, any response you get on a message board is pure speculation. Sweeps has neither a forum nor press, so what's the point? To be perfectly honest, I think those posts annoy me mainly because I fear people think maybe it's me; it's not. Most local directors in Ohio know where to find me and if they choose to trust me with their list I greatly appreciate it. If I don't get a list and have extra time, I may see if the usual suspects have posted about competing on Facebook. In the case of Sweeps, the possibilities are so vast, I'll just be waiting for a text message or email the day of (for which I'm also very grateful). How vast? Around 65 ladies are eligible, but the program is usually lucky to get 20 competitors. Here they are, organized by how often they competed this season:

Alyssa Phillips - competed – MV/AAC/FT; 1st RU - NWO; Congeniality - M/NCO; 1st RU Vacationland; 1st RU - MC; 2nd RU & Spirit - Musk. V
Jessica Nelson – 2nd RU – GC/CC; 4th RU – NC; competed – MV/AAC/FT; 4th RU - NWO; competed - Vacationland; competed - MC

***

Christina Muha – competed – GC/CC; competed NC; competed – MV; competed - Vacationland; competed - MC
Elizabeth Wong – competed – NC; 3rd RU - NWO; competed - M/NCO; competed - MC; Semifinaist - Musk. V

***

Alyssa Waldman – competed - WCO/LSF/CL; T – MV; 2nd RU & T tie – Clayland; competed – MV/AAC/FT
Jena Sweigart – 1st RU & I – LF; 2nd RU - WCO/LSF/CL; competed – MV; 1st RU – MV/AAC/FT
Maria Minnick – SS – GC/CC; competed - MV/AAC/FT; 2nd RU - Vacationland; competed - MC
Rebecca Ribley – 3rd RU – GC/CC; competed - NC; competed - M/NCO; semifinalist - Musk. V

***

Abby Daniel - competed - MV; competed - Musk. V; competed - GBC
Anna Reis - competed – MV; 1st RU & I - CO; 1st RU - GBC
Ashleigh Jarzenski – competed – GC/CC; competed – NC; competed - M/NCO
Ashley Bowman - competed – Clayland; competed - CO; 2nd RU - MC

***

Courtney Fraley - competed - M/NCO; competed - Musk. V
Erin O’Brien – competed – MV; competed – CO
Jocelyn Staugler – competed – LF; competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Kirsten Fennig – competed – MV/AAC/FT; competed - NWO
Nina Haaskivi - 3rd RU - MC; 3rd RU - Musk. V
Priya Sharman – 3rd RU – NC; competed - M/NCO
Samantha Hartings – 3rd RU – LF; competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Shayla Welch - competed – MV/AAC/FT; competed - MC
Stephanie Beltz – competed – Clayland; 4th RU - Musk. V

***

Alicia Huyghe - competed - Musk. V
Allison Vance - competed - MC
Amber Galloway - competed - MC
Ashley Lundy – NonF T - NC
Brandi Herceg - competed – Clayland
Caity Jackson - competed - M/NCO
Chelsea Hempfling - 2nd RU - NWO
Christina Marie Drake - competed - NWO
Courtney Drenan - competed - Musk. V
Danielle Williams - competed - MV/AAC/FT
Elizabeth Adamescu - SS - Vacationland
Emily Langenkamp – Excellence award – LF
Emily Moore - competed - NWO
Erica Clouse - competed - Musk. V
Erica Travis - competed - Musk. V
Erin Marie Ralston - competed – MV/AAC/FT
Grace Needler - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Haley Piper - competed - NWO
Heather Isbell - competed - Vacationland
Jamienne Scott - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Jenna Fowls - 1st RU, I, Prelim T, SS & EG - Musk. V
Jenna Strickler - competed - Musk. V
Jessica Burdette - competed - M/NCO
Kara Schoenhofer – 1st RU – WCO/LSF/CL
Katie Ulrich - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Kaitlin Howland - competed - GBC
Kristen Piasecki – competed – GC/CC
Kristy Halderman - competed - GBC
Lauren Gessner – 2nd RU – NC
Lauren Schwab - competed - GBC
Lindsay Davenport - competed - NWO
McKenna Armstrong - competed - M/NCO
Megan Wolery - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Mindy Fetzer - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Rachel Hertenstein – 2nd RU & T – LF
Rachel Jones - Talent - Vacationland
Rebecca Brunelle - competed - WCO/LSF/CL
Roxanne Romack – Memorial award - LF
Sierra Moore - competed - Musk. V
Tera Coleman – competed – CO
Tera Hubbard – 2nd RU – MV/AAC/FT
Veronica Wende - competed - MV
Victoria Puthoff – Memorial award – LF
Victoria Petrosky – competed – GC/CC

Monday, March 21, 2011

Pageant Pictures: Miss GBC

The following photos were found on the winners' Facebook pages; most are attributed to Mark Stiver:


Below: Miss Greater Butler County, Jane Covel with outgoing titleholder Nanciann Strosnider and the recently crowned Muskingum Valley's Teen, Matti Chrisman:




















Below: Miss Greater Butler County's Outstanding Teen, Brooklyn Thompson, with Miss Ohio, Becky Minger, fellow contestant Reagen Christman and outgoing Teen, Taylor Crowe:




Sunday, March 20, 2011

Congrats to the New Miss Greater Butler County, Jane Covel!


Miss Greater Butler County
Jane Covel

1st Runner-up: Anna Reis

Spirit Award: Jane Covel

Miss Greater Butler County's Outstanding Teen
Brooklyn Thompson

Friday, March 18, 2011

Updated: Best of Luck to the Miss Greater Butler County & Teen Program!

Saturday in Oxford two new titleholders will be crowned, Miss Greater Bulter County and Greater Butler County's Outstanding Teen! The pageant will take place at 7 p.m. in Bogan Elementary School. Details are on the Miss GBC website. Nicole Masters, Miss Hamilton 2006, will emcee and both outgoing titleholders will be on hand to crown their successors!

The outgoing Teen is Taylor Crowe. She was one of the youngest contestants at the Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen pageant, having not yet started high school! On the other hand, Miss Greater Butler County Nanciann Strosnider was a Miss Ohio veteran who has sadly "aged out."


Nanciann, or "Fancypants" as she was nicknamed during my generation of contestants was a FANTASTIC competitor; she was the class clown backstage, but onstage she had a stellar record. She was the stand-out newbie at Miss Ohio her first year, placing 4th Runner-up as Miss South Central Ohio 2005. The next year she made the Top 10 as Miss Portsmouth 2006, then returned to 4th runner-up as Miss Lake Erie 2007. The pattern continued when she was again in the Top 10 as Miss Northern Ohio 2008. As the hometown favorite, Miss Mansfield 2009 Nanciann won a Preliminary Talent award and was named 2nd Runner-up. After rumors of pageant retirement, she competed in one local last year, this, the last regular season pageant and headed to Miss Ohio for a sixth and final time. She won both the Preliminary Talent and Preliminary Swimsuit awards, but ultimately landed in the all too familiar position of 4th Runner-up. (Audible gasps were heard in the auditorium.)

And the Coulda-Shoulda-Woulda
Missy Award goes to...
Nanciann Strosnider

With all due respect to the past six Miss Ohios, she will go down in the Miss Ohio record books as a woman who could have done well at Miss America, would have been a fabulous representative across the state and should have been Miss Ohio. She will surely have much future success but will be missed on the stage in Mansfield...

One of the following six lucky ladies will take over Nanciann's last crown:

Abby Daniel
Education: Wright State University
Talent: jazz dance
Platform: Curing Cancer
Pageant Past: competed this season at Miami Valley and Muskingum Valley



Education: University of Cincinnati / Marketing & Graphic Design
Talent: dance
Platform: Girl Scouts of America
Pageant Past: 1st RU & Interview at Central Ohio; competed at Miss Miami Valley; Miss Portsmouth 2009



Jane Marie Covel
Education: Cedarville University / Business Finance
Talent: ballet en pointe
Platform: Education as a Means to Achieve Your Dreams
Pageant Past: Top 8 at Muskingum Valley recently; competed at this pageant last year


Education: Miami University
Talent: vocal
Platform:
Pageant Past: Top 10 at Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen; 1st RU at New Hampshire's Jr. Miss 2010



Kristy Halderman
Education: University of Toledo ?
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past:





Lauren Schwab
Education: Miami University
Talent: piano ?
Platform: possibly FAA / Agriculture ?
Pageant Past: 2008 Pork Queen




***
Teen Contestants



Brooklyn Thompson
Miss Portsmouth's Outstanding Teen 2008








Reagen Christman



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Apply for Miss Ohio's Sweeps Pageant!

Pageant Date: Saturday, March 26
email sweeps@missohio.org

Any and all women who have previously competed this season are eligible for the Sweeps or "Sweetheart" pageant for one last chance to get to Miss Ohio! Up to six titles will be given (if enough women apply) at two separate pageants held in one day in Willard! Miss Ohio Sweeps One will begin at 4:00 pm for the titles of Miss Buckey State, Miss Willard and Miss Ohio River; Sweeps Two will begin at 7:00 pm for the titles of Miss Heart of Ohio, Miss Huron County, Miss Mohican Valley. Contestants may compete in one or both pageants.

According to my records there are 63 women eligible to compete at Sweeps (plus any yet to be determined first timers at Miss GBC)! However, two-thirds only competed at one local pageant this season, making them unlikely to show up in Willard. There are only 10 uncrowned familiar faces who have competed in three or more pageants; 11 other eligible women previously tried twice this season.

Some fans feel that giving six titles at the Sweeps pageant is excessive and merely a means to sell more tickets to the state pageant. While that may be true, it's still an opportunity for a young woman to earn a title and experience competing at Miss Ohio. Although Sweeps winners have the significant challenge of limited preparation time for Miss Ohio, they historically do well. In 2002 Tiffany Haas even won the state crown as Miss Heart of Ohio! Last year Sweeps winners Tera Coleman and Whitney Fricke made the Top 10 while two other Sweeps titleholders, Devon Stansbury and Stephanie Beltz were among the highest scholarship recipients in Mansfield, despite being nonsemifinalist.

I strongly urge eligible women to enter! You've already done the paperwork and found a two-minute talent for at least one pageant, why not put all that hard work to use one more time? That being said, the name of the game will be to show the judges that you are the most ready to go directly to Miss Ohio with little preparation and can handle the whirl-wind of getting your paperwork submitted quickly.

I am normally shouting from the rafters that pageants are SUBJECTIVE!!! If all six titles are given, I fully expect some surprises, like a winner who has only competed once before or someone who never normally places. In pageants statistics do not matter, but IF they did, I'd put my money on these ladies:

Alyssa Phillips - competed – MV/AAC/FT; 1st RU - NWO; Congeniality - M/NCO; 1st RU Vacationland; 1st RU - MC; 2nd RU & Spirit - Musk. V
Jessica Nelson – 2nd RU – GC/CC; 4th RU – NC; competed – MV/AAC/FT; 4th RU - NWO; competed - Vacationland; competed - MC
Jena Sweigart – 1st RU & I – LF; 2nd RU - WCO/LSF/CL; competed – MV; 1st RU – MV/AAC/FT
Nina Haaskivi - 3rd RU - MC; 3rd RU - Musk. V

The ladies above have been seeking their first crown; experience will be on the side of the following eligible former titleholders:

Alyssa Waldman – competed - WCO/LSF/CL; T – MV; 2nd RU & T tie – Clayland; competed – MV/AAC/FT
Elizabeth Wong – competed – NC; 3rd RU - NWO; competed - M/NCO; competed - MC; Semifinaist - Musk. V
Stephanie Beltz – competed – Clayland; 4th RU - Musk. V
Anna Reis - competed – MV; 1st RU & I - CO
Tera Coleman – competed – CO
Brandi Herceg - competed – Clayland

These statistics do not include the last regular season pageant of the year, Miss Greater Butler County. I'll post the complete Sweeps eligibility list (according to my records) after Miss GBC, which takes place Saturday, March 19, or you can check out the "Ohio Stats" tab at the top of this page, under the header.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Pageant Pictures: Miss Muskingum Valley



Miss Muskingum Valley
Kylie Johnson


Miss Muskingum Valley's Outstanding Teen
Matti Chrisman

These photos are by Trevor Jones of the Zanesville Times Recorder. CLICK HERE for the entire album.

I couldn't help but notice how beautiful Alyssa Phillips looks playing the harp and I love Liz Wong's new gown:

Outgoing titleholders Heidi Negron and Megan Yocum:

Former Miss Ohio, Karissa Martin and Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen, Cecili Weber, perform: