OCEAN CITY — On Saturday night at the Ocean City Music Pier, Sarah Avellino completed the 2024 triumvirate of queens representing America’s Greatest Family Resort.
Avellino was crowned Junior Miss Ocean City 2024, completing a week of pageants that saw Lola DeMarco become Miss Ocean City 2024 and Stella Fleming win the title of Little Miss Ocean City 2024.
Sarah Smith was the first runner up and Suzy Bautista was the second runner up. The other contestants were Arianna DiAntonio, April Wright, Gia Ermilio and Brooke Delanzo.
Avellino said she felt like she was dreaming when they called her name as the newest Junior Miss and she looked stunned as she walked over to be crowned by her predecessor, Junior Miss Ocean City 2023 Antonella DiAntonio, who just minutes before had taken her final walk on the runway.
“When they said my name I went fully numb,” Avellino said. “I felt like I was dreaming. I don’t know how this is real. I’m just so excited and happy right now, I can’t get my words straight.”
The 14-year-old will be a freshman this fall at Villa Maria Academy High School in Malvern, Pa., where she will do cheerleading, sing in the choir (she earned a music scholarship to the academy) and hopes to be an ambassador to bring other eighth-graders to Villa Maria.
“I’m so excited to meet Lola and Stella, they seem like such nice girls. I’m excited to see what the year brings. I’m so excited for everything,” she said.
Although the family planned to stay up late Saturday night celebrating the win, Avellino was ready to head right to work the next morning at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, where her brother, Scott, 21, is a cook and sister, Maggie, 19, is a waitress.
“I got all my dresses with my Uncle Bill’s money,” she said.
It would not surprise anyone that Uncle Bill’s was Sarah’s sponsor for the pageant.
“I’m so proud of her. She worked really hard. She’s done a lot with Ocean City and to see her compete and work hard, we couldn’t be prouder,” said her father, Scott Sr. “We’re so excited for see what the next year brings us.”
“It just means everything because she worked so hard,” her mother, Mimi, said. “We just believe in her so much, but for her to believe in herself so much and be so confident up there tonight was a win for us no matter what. I’m very proud of her.”
“I’m really excited for her,” brother Scott said. “I’ve seen her talent and I’m glad everyone else has gotten to see her talent and I’m glad the judges saw her talent the way I see it.”
Big sister Maggie added, “I am so proud of her. She has worked so hard for this and I’m just glad she got recognized.”
The family summers in Ocean City and lives in the off-season in Newtown Square, Pa.
“We’re here all summer and all holidays. Because this man had to have a business up in Pa.,” Mimi said, looking at her husband, “I made a deal with him that I would live up there in the winter but he has to buy me a shore house and we have to be here all summer long and all holidays.” (Mimi grew up here.)
“We’ll call that (the house in Pa.) our vacation ski house,” Scott Sr. said, laughing.
Pageant directors were Samantha Heckler and Lauren Gillian.
A pair of former Miss Ocean City winners emceed the pageant — Tricia Bowman Branch also was Miss Cape May County and Miss New Jersey and Gwen Goldberg Fritsch also was a Miss Cape May County.
Junior Miss Ocean City 2024 Awards
Program Book: Gia Ermilio
Hostess Award: Suzy Bautista
Spirit Award: April Wright
Miss Congeniality: Sarah Avellino
Service to Community: Brooke Delanzo
Academic Achievement: Arianna DiAntonio
Poise and Composure: Sarah Avellino
On-stage question: Suzy Bautista
Interview: Sarah Smith
Talent: Arianna DiAntonio
Second runner up: Suzy Bautista
First runner up: Sarah Smith
Winner: Sarah Avellino
–STORY AND PHOTOS By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
