Veteran contestants took top honors Friday night, during the third and final installment of preliminary competition of the Miss Mississippi Pageant.

If you go

The final night of the Miss Mississippi Pageant will be at 8 tonight at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Tickets are $50 and are available by calling 601-638-6746. The show will be broadcast live on WLBT, local cable Channel 3. Audience members must be in their seats by 7:30 p.m.

Miss Deep South Rachael Shannon, 23, of Byram, and Miss New South Anna Tadlock, 23, of Brandon, both in the pageant for the fourth year, tied in talent and will receive a $300 scholarship. Miss Heartland Danielle Smith, 23, of Meridian, and a third-year contestant, took the swimwear honor and will receive a $200 scholarship.

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“This is my fourth year here, and my goal every year is to win a talent prelim — and it’s finally happened,” said Shannon.

Excited, yet relaxed, she plans to put every effort into tonight’s competition if named a top 10 finalist. Shannon, who has been taking voice lessons for the past 12 years, sang “Don’t Cry Out Loud” by Melissa Manchester.

The 2008 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi said, “I’m going in it having a great time, knowing it’s my last year here and my last time on stage.”

Tadlock, Friday night’s other talent winner sang “A New Life,” the same one she sang during the 2007 pageant and for which she won a talent preliminary.

“I’ve gone above and beyond anything I thought I would do here,” said Tadlock, who also tied in swimwear during Thursday night’s preliminaries.

Looking toward tonight, she said, “I’m ready. I hope I get the chance to bring everything back on stage.”

Friday night’s swimwear winner, Smith, said, “I’m honored because I worked really hard. I achieved a goal.”

It was her first-ever preliminary win.

Smith prepared by working out vigorously over the past six months.

“I worked at a gym this summer, so I’m used to working and dancing and teaching classes or taking classes,” she said.

During Friday’s program, outgoing Miss Mississippi Christine Kozlowski bid farewell by reading excerpts from a journal she kept during her reign. She will crown a new queen in a live broadcast, at 8 tonight, on WLBT, local cable Channel 3.

The show will be hosted by Michael Young and 2006 Miss Mississippi Taryn Foshee. Tickets are $50 and are still available, and audience members must be in their seats by 7:30.

Preliminary scores from Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will determine the top 10 finalists, who will be announced at the beginning of tonight’s competition. Those 10 will compete in four phases — talent, swimwear, evening wear and on-stage question.

Other scholarship and award winners announced Friday night were:

• Miss Gulf Coast Julie Hall, 20, of Picayune, Community Service Scholarship, $1,500.

• Miss Magnolia Melissa King, 24, of Tupelo, Academic Scholarship, $1,500.

• Miss University Brook Beard, 22, of Madison, Quality of Life Scholarship, $1,000.

• Miss Delta Blues Bethany Pratt, 19, of Banner, Children’s Miracle Maker Award.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com