Trevor native competed in Miss Wisconsin

Trevor native Mary O'Connell competes in the preliminaries of the Miss Wisconsin pageant last week in Oshkosh. O'Connell, now a television news reporter in Rhinelander, finished in the top 10 at the pageant (Submitted Photo/The Report).
Trevor native Mary O’Connell competes in the preliminaries of the Miss Wisconsin pageant last week in Oshkosh. O’Connell, now a television news reporter in Rhinelander, finished in the top 10 at the pageant (Submitted Photo/The Report).

O’Connell advanced to semifinals

By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer

Elkhorn native Malainey Myrin had a philosophical attitude approaching last week’s Miss Wisconsin pageant as Miss Wood Violet.

“I came here with the expectation that I got last place or I got first place, I would still be putting everything out on the stage that was 100 percent me,” said Myrin, who won a pair of awards but did not make the cut to the semifinals. “I’m happy with the outcome no matter what I had.”

Myrin, who was one of three young women to earn a last-minute entry to Miss Wisconsin this year through a first-ever sweeps pageant, won the swimsuit competition on the second day of preliminaries.

In addition, after not being named among the top 10 Saturday evening, Myrin won the non-finalist interview award.

The top 10 competitors with the highest combined score through swimsuit, talent, evening gown, on-stage question and private interview made the cut to the semifinals. A “People’s Choice” finalist was also named.

The eventual winner was Miss Green Bay, Courtney Pelot, who won a $10,000 scholarship with the title along with the chance to compete at Miss America in September.

The other sweeps winners from April also had a strong weekend. Miss Great Lakes Madeline Kumm ended up as first runner-up to Pelot, while Miss Badgerland Catherine Smith won her talent preliminary Thursday and the non-finalist talent award.

Miss Burlington Area ChocolateFest Haley Lynam was also thrilled with the experience, even though she, like Myrin, did not make the finals.

“I made a lot of friends. I spent most of my week with Courtney (Pelot), so I was bawling my eyes out, I was so excited for her,” said Lynam, who added that her roommate was Kumm.

She said she was grateful for the opportunity to compete, and enjoyed the experience.

“I have four more years left, so hopefully I can enjoy this experience again,”

Two other former Miss BAC’s competed at the event. Miss West Allis Ashely Monti missed making the finals, but Miss Metropolitan Milwaukee Mary O’Connell made the cut to the semifinals.

“I feel great. I had a great time, I had a blast,” said O’Connell, who is now a television journalist in Rhinelander after growing up in the Trevor area.

O’Connell was one of a handful of competitors who were competing in their final Miss Wisconsin, having reached the age limit.

“I’ve been around, (it’s) my 10th year with the organization,” said O’Connell, who also competed in the Miss Wisconsin’s Outstanding Teen competition, as well as the Miss New York pageant as a student at Syracuse University. “It’s a little bittersweet, but it’s a lot of fun.

“I would not be the person I am today without this organization.”


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