By Jean Shanley
06/18/07 — Some people are calling them “The A Team.”
The team is comprised of Ashley Borchilo of Saegertown, Miss Crawford County; Alycia McCullough of Cochranton, Miss Greater Johnstown; and Amy Swonger of Saegertown, who is Miss Franklin County.
The three Crawford County residents will compete this week at the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Pageant at Nazareth High School.
(Although the Miss Crawford County Pageant is open only to those who reside in Crawford County, other pageants across the state are open pageants meaning anyone from the state can compete. That is how non-residents can represent other counties.)
The three, along with 22 other contestants, will participate in various events throughout the week. Preliminary competition is Wednesday and Thursday evening. The new queen will be crowned at the conclusion of the final pageant June 23.
Borchilo, Contestant No. 8, and Swonger, Contestant No. 7, will compete in swimsuit and evening wear on Wednesday and talent and on-stage question on Thursday.
McCullough, Contestant No. 20, will compete in talent and on-stage question on Wednesday and swimsuit and evening wear on Thursday.
All three think it’s an advantage to have other contestants from their home county in the pageant together.
Borchilo said, “I think it will be good. It’s nice to have people you know there.” She said it’s a great representation for Crawford County to have three young women competing.
According to McCullough, when there is tension because of the competitive atmosphere, having girls she has known as friends will definitely help them do better. “We have an extra bond,” she said, and “we can count on one another.”
“I know Ashley. She and I were title holders at the same time,” Swonger said. Borchilo was Miss Saegertown and Swonger was Miss Meadville.
And McCullough has encouraged Swonger in her efforts to compete at the state level and has given her a “tremendous amount of inspiration,” Swonger said, adding, “There’s a lot of talent here in Crawford County.”
All three also mentioned how supportive the entire community has been to them in their individual and collective efforts in the pageant system and with their service platforms.
That support is important, they all agreed, as they prepared to compete for the title which no one from Crawford County has ever won: Miss Pennsylvania.
Jean Shanley can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jshanley@meadvilletribune.com.
