The Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant preliminary competitions wrapped up Saturday night at the Vicksburg City Auditorium. 

As in the previous preliminary competition that was held earlier in the day, there was a tie during Saturday night’s event. 

Miss Hattiesburg’s Outstanding Teen Jane Granberry, who was one of the talent winners in the first preliminary competition, was the winner of the evening gown and on-stage question phase of the competition as well as Miss Modern South’s Outstanding Teen Tori Johnson. 

Miss Southern Oaks’ Outstanding Teen Evans Rhett won the talent portion of the competition. 

“It was overwhelming to be named a preliminary winner and it’s just amazing and an honor. I almost started crying” Rhett said, after her named was called. 

“I was having to hold back the tears,” she said. 

Rhett sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” from “The Wizard of Oz.” 

While she takes no formal vocal lessons, Rhett did say she had been practicing the song “a lot” with her local pageant director. 

Johnson, who is from Madison, said it is the on-stage question phase of the competition that makes her most nervous. 

“I seem to always pull through though and give a decent answer, she said, adding she was “surprised and ecstatic when she heard her named called as one of the preliminary winners. 

Granberry said she was also surprised when she heard her name called as a preliminary winner of the evening gown and on-stage question phase of the competition. 

“But I am really excited because I know I spent a lot of time formulating my words and trying to become a successful speaker.” 

Granberry said she has been working with an interview coach to prepare for the pageant. 

Thirty-five contestants are competing for the title of Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen. The final competition and crowning will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday and the top 10 finalists will be named.

These contestants will re-compete in all phases of the competition except for the private interview and one will be crowned the 2019 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen and go on to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, which will be held in July.