Havreite places at Miss Montana pageant

Havre Daily News staff

The reigning Miss Montana did not pass her crown onto a fellow Havreite at the annual pageant Saturday in Glendive, but a hometown girl did place at the annual scholarship competition.

Hannah Pepprock of Havre, 20, was named third runner-up at the pageant, earning her a $1,500 scholarship from Stockman Bank.

The winner of this year's pageant was Madison Murray of Corvallis, 18, whom Havre-native Lauren Scofield, Miss Montana 2016, crowned at the end of the pageant.

The competition was heavily from Havre this year, with Maddie Tommerup and Alara Vogel also contestants in the 2017 pageant and scholarship competition.

Murray, whose platform is "Volunteerism: Turning your passion into action," won a $5,000 scholarship and will advance to Atlantic City, N.J., to compete in the Miss America Pageant in September.

Pepprock, whose platform was suicide prevention, also earned the $1,000 Miss America State Award for Academic Achievement.

The other top finishers were First Runner Up Abigail Helland of Glasgow, 21, with a $2,500 scholarship from Mid-Rivers; Second Runner Up Kate Shea of Helena, 22, with a $2,000 scholarship, sponsor not listed, and Fourth Runner Up Justiss Firemoon of Poplar, 22, with a $1,250 scholarship from Sheridan Electric Cooperative.

Tommerup competed with a platform of raising awareness about child abuse and neglect, while Vogel's platform was "Loving Your Authentic Self: Promoting Positive Body Image in Today's Youth."

All contestants at the pageant earn at least an $850 scholarship.

The Havre contestants all had connections aside from being from the same town. Pepprock was at her first pageant, but said earlier this month she was persuaded to compete by Vogel, who is a sorority sister as well as a high school friend.

Vogel was at her second pageant, competing last year at the same pageant where Scofield earned her title.

Tommerup competed in her first pageant this year, saying earlier in June she was encouraged by a teacher to enter the pageant due to her talents. Once Scofield heard she was entering the pageant, Tommerup said, the reigning Miss Montana reached out to her to give her more details about the competition.

In the teen competition of Glendive's pageant, Friday night Alexi Baisch of Glendive, 17, was crowned Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen and will compete July 25-29 in Orlando at the national competition. Rosie Ramirez of Helena, 15, was first runner up, winning $750 from Cross Petroleum, Sloan Orrell of Belgrade was second runner up, receiving a $500 scholarship from American Bank Center, and third runner up was Halle Fatzinger of Bloomfield, earning a $300 scholarship from American Ford.  She also won the Spirit & Leader Award chosen by the production staff.