OCEAN CITY – When the emcees called her name as the new Junior Miss Ocean City Saturday evening, Lynnie Becker thought she was dreaming, but then it was a dream come true.
“It feels like a dream, like I have to pinch myself to make sure this is real,” she said on the Ocean City Music Pier stage after the 2027 pageant Aug. 15. “I was like, ‘Wait a minute, is that my number?’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, it is!’ And then I heard my friends and then it just felt like a dream come true, like a Disney princess dream come true.” Lynnie was crowned by Junior Miss Ocean City 2026 Arianna DiAntonio.
It was the fifth time Lynnie, a rising eighth-grader at Ocean City Intermediate School, had competed in either the Little Miss Ocean City or Junior Miss Ocean City pageants. She was third runner-up in last year’s Junior Miss pageant, but she’s a runner-up no more.
Lynnie likes the city’s pageants.
“I enjoy making such great friendships. Me and Tallulah (Costal), me and Harlow (Halliday), me and Madison’s (Keenan) friendship has grown throughout the years,” she said of some of the other girls competing Saturday night.
“Literally, all of the girls I’ve just created such great bonds with and I’m really excited to spend it with them next year.”
Tallulah was first runner-up, Harlow was second runner-up, Maggie Morris was third runner-up and Madison was fourth runner-up.
Lynnie is 13 years old and looking forward to the start of the new school year.
“School is great because my friends are there and I love seeing them every day … and I love my teachers. My teachers are like some of my best friends. I get to see them a lot. Some of them are even my neighbors,” she said, “so getting to build the community with them is also amazing.”
When she’s not performing her Junior Miss duties with new Miss Ocean City 2027 Kayla Magazzu, a student at Ocean City High School, and new Little Miss Ocean City Shiloh Smith, a student at the Primary School, Lynnie can probably be found dancing. She danced in the talent competition at the pageant.
“I want to try out for the school volleyball team, but it’s an interesting time of the year for dance,” she said. “Most of the time you’ll find me dancing or in the summer, you’ll find me swimming in some sort of body of water.”
Her dad, Louis Becker, thought it was “pretty crazy” to hear his daughter’s name called.
“I think this is five years from Little Miss all the way to now. We’re just really proud of her and the amount of time she’s put in and just how much every year she just gets better and better and better,” he said.
“You never know who’s going to win until they crown them. And it was tight. Everybody in the competition was great,” he added. “The interviews were great. She just was a little bit better and we’re really proud of her. I mean, out of anybody I know, she deserves it.”
“I’m so incredibly happy and proud of her,” said Lynnie’s mom, Kristin Woozie Becker.
“She has worked hard for the past five years, and her hard work and dedication and confidence just growing each. She deserves it 100 percent,” she added. Kristin said she is looking forward to spending time with the other winners’ families. “And I’m just excited to have her enjoy every moment.”
For the coming year, Lynnie said she is most looking forward to spending time with Kayla and Shiloh.
“I love them so much. I was like, if it had to be one of the (queen) teams I really wanted it to be this year because I love those girls so much.”
Awards
People’s Choice: Madison Keenan
OCBP Award: Allie Pineo
Ad Program Book Sales: Harlow Halliday
Hostess Award: Ellie Canale
Evelyn Reed Spirit Award: April Wright
Miss Congeniality (tie): Vera Schuh, Ashlynn Ruskoski
Academic Excellence: Randy Scarborough
Joyce Trofa Community Service Award: Nicole Baccelliere
Poise and Composure (tie): Wavery Dunn, Madison Keenan
On-Stage Question: Lynnie Becker
Interview: Tallulah Costal
Talent: Vera Schuh
Fourth Runner-up: Madison Keenan
Third Runner-up: Maggie Morris
Second Runner-up: Harlow Halliday
First Runner-up: Tallulah Costal
Junior Miss O.C.: Lynnie Becker
The pageant was directed by Aggie Becker.
Jill Berenato was the hostess; the staff of the Music Pier provided audio and stage crew; A Bella Salon and Spa was the hair stylist; and Angela Biamonte-Kosar was the judges chairperson for judges Kylie-Gene Wright, the current Miss New Jersey, Jay Winn, Mark Gabriel, Angelique Cauterucci and Elisa Petrini. Just Right TV provided video; and sisters Arianna and Antonella DiAntonio were the choreographers.
Parker McAllen and Ashley Grecco were the emcees.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
