On Sunday California crowned two new queens!  India Williams is Miss California USA and only the fourth African-American to hold the title.  She is also the first Miss winner from the Bay Area since 2004 (although she now attends college in Los Angeles).  Miss California Teen USA 2017 is Jaanu Patel who is their first titleholder of Indian heritage.

India was a non-finalist at Miss CA Teen USA 2014 and 2015 and will be the fifth 2014 Teen contestant to compete at Miss Teen USA or Miss USA (the others are Miss CA Teen USA 2014 Bianca Vierra ), Melanie Mitchell (CA Teen USA 2015), Athenna Crosby (CA Teen USA 2016) and Nadia Mejia (CA USA 2016).   Jaanu was competing in her first state pageant.

Kristen Bradford's Crown Diva group ran away with a title yet again (India was Miss Santa Monica) and also had Victoria Olona (Beverly Hills) in the top five.  For the second year in a row, Catherine Watters placed first runner-up in the Miss division, Victoria placed second runner-up, two-time semi-finalist Carly Diamond Stone was third runner-up and fourth runner-up went to Miss Earth US 2015 and 2015 second runner-up Brittany Payne.

Among the semi-finalists was another Crown Diva girl, Carolina Urrea, last year's fourth runner-up; last year's second runner-up Lauren Smolka; Miss California Teen USA 2012 Alexa Jones; and past Teen runners-up Toneata Morgan and Charli Burnett.

In the Teen competition, India's Santa Monica Teen sister titleholder Samantha Ramos, also non-finalist in 2015, placed first runner-up; second runner-up went to newcomer Dominique Arciniega; third runner-up was 2016 semi-finalist Riley Hunsucker; and another newcomer Janiece Love placed fourth runner-up and also won Photogenic.

The Teen top 20 included 2016 2RU Jessica Duhay and past semi-finalists Giselle Cabebe, Lauren Dorn, Erin Graham and Emma Reed.

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Three-time runner-up Cassandra Angst is the new Miss Pennsylvania USA 2017 and Lauren Weaver is Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA!  (& the second Teen USA contestant with that name in four years - let's not confuse her with AR's Lauren Weaver!)  Cassandra is from Philadelphia and Lauren is the first titleholder from Windber.  This is the second consecutive year that the previous year's first runner-up won the Miss PA USA title.

Amazingly, the top four contestants in the Miss pageant had all been first runner-up at least once (in either Miss or Teen).  In addition to Cassandra being first runner-up last year, first runner-up Alex Taylor, second runner-up Alana Andersen and third runner-up Madison Longstreth all placed 1RU at Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA, every year from 2011-2015.  Madison ended up assuming the Miss PA Teen USA 2011 title the day after her 1RU placement, and went on to place in the top 15 at Miss Teen USA.  Alex was first runner-up for three years from 2012-2014 - this was her fourth year as a first runner-up.  Alana was first runner-up at Miss PA Teen USA 2015 and second runner-up last year.  Fourth runner-up went to Natalie Romano who was a semi-finalist in 2015 & 2016.

The top 15 included past Teen runners-up Robin Stoner, Brielle Corrente and ​Julia Pauline and 2016 semi-finalists Chelsea Koryak and Monet Tiberii.

In the Teen pageant, all five finalists were competing for the first time.  In order the runners-up were Kailey Grill, Chandler Swift, Alexandra Smelko and Karina Latsko.  2016 third runner-up Brooke Calle  was among the top 10 and also won the Photogenic award.  Congeniality went to another semi-finalist, Natalia Salmon​.
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How awesome is this touching display of sportsmanship from four-time runner-up Alex Taylor? (click to view larger)

Last weekend Brooke Harris was crowned Miss Maine USA and Victoria Timm was crowned Miss Maine Teen USA 2017!  Brooke won in her fourth year, having improved every year from semi-finalist in 2014, to second runner-up in 2015 and first runner-up last year.  She is the first titleholder from Lee, and the first from northern Maine since 2011.  Newcomer Victoria is  from Scarborough, the most recent since Donna Schlieper in 2006.

Brooke was the only contestant in the top five who had competed previously and one of only three in the top ten.  The others were semi-finalists Sara Disselkamp, 3RU last year and Lindsay Abrams who was a non-finalist in 2016 and top ten in 2015.  The runners-up were, in order, Simonne Pastore, Yasmine Brown, Hannah Fleming and Carolyn Brady​.  Hannah also won the Photogenic award and Carolyn won Congeniality.  

Teen first runner-up Hailey Robinson and fourth runner-up Alyssa Gould were both competing for the first time.  Second runner-up went to 2016 semi-finalist Kaitlyn Beckwith (also the Congeniality winner) and third runner-up was Paige Veilleux-Adams, who was last year's first runner-up.  Photogenic was awarded to semi-finalist Evelyn Townsend.  

History was made in Kansas this weekend and it wasn't just Vanbros' 25th anniversary!  For only the third time in the history of Miss Teen USA state pageants, a sister crowned a sister - Miss Kansas Teen USA 2016 Madison Moore crowned her younger sister and fourth runner-up Malerie Moore as the new Miss Kansas Teen USA 2017.  Miss Kansas USA 2017 is three-time semi-finalist Catherine Carmichael, who started her USA pageant career as a semi-finalist at Miss Kansas Teen USA 2009.  Catherine won the Swimsuit award and Malerie was the Evening Gown winner and Miss Photogenic.

Swapping placements from 2016, Miss Colorado Teen USA 2009 Taylor Schettler placed first runner-up and two-time runner-up Rachel Morris placed second runner-up & won the Interview award.  Third runner-up went to Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013 Alyssa Klinzing, who was competing in her first Miss pageant.  Miss Kansas 2016 first runner-up Cassie Lohmeyer placed fourth runner-up and was the only one of the top 11 who had not competed in a USA pageant previously.  

Semi-finalists included 2016 runners-up and former Miss Kansas Teen USA titleholders Jessie Colonna (2008) and Alexis Rewalt (2009), and other past SFs Tobie Roberts (4RU at Miss KS Teen USA 2014), Jordan Christian, Meagan Johnson and Lindsay Cunningham.  Tobie also won the Evening Gown award.

Two-time Teen runner-up Faith Tyrell won the Congeniality award and an Honourable Mention for highest placed non-finalist, and Jordan Christian was Miss Photogenic. 

​In the Teen pageant, Malerie was the only contestant in the top five who had competed previously.  The four runners-up were, in order, Yasmine Flores, Lauren Savolt, Allie Marx and Gracie Williams.  Allie won Miss Congeniality and the Activewear award and Yasmin was the Interview winner.  Two-time runner-up Riley Alston and two-time semi-finalist Makennah Whightsil both made the top 13.  

It was the 25th anniversary of Vanbros' first pageant as directors (their first titleholder was Miss Kansas Teen USA 1992 and future MIss USA 1RU and Survivor winner Danielle Boatwright).  Their two Miss USA winners Shandi Finnessey and Olivia Jordan were among a large group of Kansas' and other former & current titleholders who attended the pageant and were announced on stage prior to the crowning.

Miss Kansas USA 2017: Catherine Carmichael (SF 15, SF 14, SF KS TUSA 09)
1RU: Taylor Schettler (2RU 16, CO TUSA 09)   
2RU: Rachel Morris (1RU 16, 1RU 15, 4RU 14) 
3RU: Alyssa Klinzing (KS TUSA 13, SF 12)
4RU: Cassie Lohmeyer
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Semi-finalists:
Jordan Christian (SF 16)
 Jessie Colonna (3RU 15, 2RU 13, NF CA USA 13, KS TUSA 08) 
Lindsay Cunningham (SF 16, SF 15, NF 14) 
Meagan Johnson (SF 14)
Alexis Rewalt (SF 15, SF 14, SF 13, KS TUSA 09, 2RU 08) 
Tobie Roberts (SF 15, 4RU KS TUSA 14, NF 13)

Congeniality: Faith Tyrell
Photogenic: Jordan Christian

Miss Kansas Teen USA 2017: Malerie Moore (4RU 16) 
1RU: Yasmine Flores
2RU: Lauren Savolt 
3RU: Allie Marx
4RU: Gracie Williams  

Semi-finalists:
Riley Alston (3RU 16, 1RU 14)
Haley Lightfoot  
Maci Clark  
Aspyn Keck 
Megan Reinhart 
Cyara Heredia Ruiz 
Kirsten Stokes 
Makennah Whightsil (SF 16, SF 15) 

Congeniality: Allie Marx 
Photogenic: Malerie Moore ​

Congratulations to DeAnna Johnson, Miss Georgia USA 2017 and Taylor Ward, Miss Georgia Teen USA 2017!  Both were competing in their pageant for the first time, although DeAnna was a contestant on The Voice so is no stranger to the limelight.  She is the first Miss Georgia USA with no previous experience since 2012.  In contrast, Taylor is the ninth MUO newcomer to win the Georgia Teen title in the past decade.

First runner-up in the Miss pageant was Brenda Smith-Lezama, who started her pageant career placing second runner-up at Miss GA Teen USA 2012 before winning Miss Missouri Teen USA 2013 while a freshman at the University of Missouri.  She went on to place in the top fifteen at Miss Teen USA.  Second runner-up was newcomer Bailey Rogers and third runner-up was another newcomer, Dala Hufstetler.  Fourth runner-up went to 2016 semi-finalist Erin O'Sullivan.

The top fifteen included 2016 second runner-up Mackenzie Blair Griffith, three-time Florida Teen runner-up Olivia Caputo, and past semi-finalists Sara LaChapelle and Brittany Deaville.  

In the Teen competition, 2016 semi-finalist Hollyn Adams was the first runner-up.  Newcomers Emmakate Few and Emmaline Farmer (what are the olds off such similar names?!) placed second and third runner-up respectively.  Fourth runner-up went to last year's 1RU, Karson Pennington (2016 second runner-up Kelly Hutchinson placed 1RU in Alabama just before the Georgia pageant).  The only returning contestant among the rest of the semi-finalists was 2015 SF Hunter Maddox.