THE PREDICTIONS (August 10, 2013)

This is quite the competitive year! Miss Teen USA 2013 should be competitive after all this is the year that the millennium enters its teens. As if Miss Teen USA wasn't hard enough to predict, after viewing the preliminaries and watching the delegates' online videos, I have come up with my final predictions for Miss Teen USA 2013. I'm still unclear as to whether there will be 15 or 16 semifinalists so I'm going to post 16 semifinalists with 5 alternates and 5 honorable mentions so here we go!

TOM'S FINAL PREDICTIONS FOR MISS TEEN USA 2013


Winner=West Virginia-Haley Holloway

This girl has been my winner from the moment I laid eyes on her. I get major star vibes from Haley and I just love her look so she was going to be my winner regardless of how she did in the preliminaries. She was outstanding in preliminaries and I hope to see her go all the way. Also, did you notice there have never been back-to-back black Miss Teen USA winners, yet there have been at Miss Universe (Wendy Fitzwilliam in 1998 and Mpule Kwelagobe in 1999) and Miss USA (Rachel Smith in 2007 and Crystle Stewart in 2008) so will Haley achieve this feat succeeding Logan West? Also, did you notice that both Logan and Haley have a sister named Sydney?? Is there a little bit of destiny here?

1st Runner Up=California-Cassidy Wolf

Cassidy is a super-impressive delegate that also has potential to take it all. A great body and gown compliment this blonde's overall look and she also interviews well so watch out for Cassidy.

2nd Runner Up=South Carolina-Tori Sizemore

South Carolina normally sends strong competitors to Miss Teen USA and Tori is the latest to add to this list. She seems to be a universally favored delegate so is heavily expected to do well this year.

3rd Runner Up=Maine-Delaney Seavey

Delaney has a lovely face and really has that teen look and body and she was good in the preliminaries so I'm looking for her to do well.

4th Runner Up=Michigan-Ruby King

Could Miss King be a Queen? She's a stunner with a great gown so she has potential to do very well in this competition to follow up last year's high placement for Michigan.

SEMIFINALISTS

Wyoming-Autumn Olson

Autumn's just gorgeous to me. She has a real glowing natural beauty and also looks like she has a pure heart. Perhaps she comes across as a diamond in the rough to some but I really hope the judges will see that sparkle in her because I think she is going unnoticed and I would love to see her do really well.

New York-Nikki Orlando

New York won the first Miss Teen USA title in 1983 but hasn't been able to get a 2nd Miss Teen USA crown. This year's bet from the big apple is Nikki who is another delegate that seems to have that all-around appeal. She seems strong in interview and gave a decent performance in preliminaries so she is also expected to do well.

Kansas-Alyssa Klinzing

Alyssa really had an impressive video which featured her signing all the answers to her questions and she was quite strong in the preliminaries as well with a unique gown.

South Dakota-Alexis Rupp

As we learned from my predictions in Miss USA 2012, South Dakota is a state that barely ever gets noticed. Even at Miss Teen USA, South Dakota has only placed twice way back in 1989 and 1986. Enter modelesque Alexis Rupp who is also the tallest delegate this year and here I am taking a gamble on South Dakota once again so we'll see if Alexis pulls off a placement for South Dakota.

New Jersey-Christina Thompson

Christina with her nicely toned body and gown and just overall strength has earned New Jersey a spot in my list this year.

Arizona-Olivia Argue

Olivia is another one that just has a natural beauty about her and seems to have performed well in all aspects of the competition so I also see her doing well.

Tennessee-Emily Suttle

Tennessee also has a history of doing well at Miss Teen USA and this year's bet looks poised to carry on the tradition performing well in the preliminaries also demonstrating strong interview skills.

Hawaii-Samantha Neyland

Samantha is sporting a unique look and she has already worked as a model so with that experience and great appearance, a lot of people are expecting her to make a splash at Miss Teen.

Nebraska-Jasmine Fuelberth

Another one with a lovely face and great interview skills. She does standout with this hairstyle so maybe it will work out for her in a big way.

Pennsylvania-Eboné Jimerson

I liken Eboné to Ashley Love-Mills, Miss North Carolina USA 2013. This girl just will not go unnoticed! Her video was entertaining and she really worked it out in preliminaries so she looks ready to clinch herself a spot in the semifinals.

North Carolina-Kelsey Barberio

And for the final spot, I have gone with Kelsey who I find to be very endearing and charming but I don't see her on too many other lists. To me, she seems like a fun person to be around which is a good quality for a potential Miss Teen USA to have so we'll see if Kelsey can do it.

ALTERNATES:

Illinois-Grayson Hodgkiss

She has a loud cheering section in the audience but I just find her a little off facially but there is a chance that she could make it.

Virginia-Caelynn Miller-Keyes

As mentioned earlier, this year is pretty competitive and this one is a possibility but she just didn't make enough of an impact on me so she is among my alternates.

Alabama-Lorin Holcombe

This is another decent delegate that could very well make it but I'm just not sure enough so she also fell into the alternates category.

Georgia-Julia Martin

Julia seemed very well prepared but her body looks a bit thicker so it could cost her a spot.

Nevada-Amanda Jenkins

She was in my list initially but fell out after preliminaries because I think her walk needs a lot of work and the body could be better. Even though her gown is really nice, I can see her missing the cut.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Iowa-Morgan Kofoid

Iowa sent a delegate that speaks in a very real way as I learned from her video so that may come across as appealing to some but perhaps not everyone so I wasn't quite sure what to do with her so here she is in the honorable mentions category.

Idaho-Lorena Haliti

An overall decent delegate that maybe doesn't quite have the body but has potential so we'll see how she does.

Maryland-Hannah Brewer

I placed her here only because other people seem to feel strongly about her but I don't see it.

Florida-Brianne Bailey

Her look is very Miss and although she is a formidable delegate, I can see her missing the cut.

Alaska-Kimberly Agron

Alaska is another state that rarely gets noticed but this year's delegate looks quite good and she also gave a decent interview so there are possibilities here but I'm just not sure enough.

Other delegates that I had my eye on but fell out after preliminaries included: Oklahoma and Delaware (who each had great potential but appear to have gained weight) and Wisconsin. There are so many delegates that could make it for one reason or another too, like perhaps Minnesota, Massachusetts or Montana among others but we shall soon see what happens!

The webcast for Miss Teen USA 2013 can be viewed on August 10 at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) on UStream at http://www.ustream.tv/missteenusa



FIRST ROUND PRETHOUGHTS (August 6, 2013)



Who will succeed the fabulous Logan West and be crowned Miss Teen USA 2013? The millennium has now entered its teens this year and it's time to crown another teen queen. The delegates for the 31st Miss Teen USA pageant are arriving in the Bahamas to prepare over the next few days for the big night. The traditional presentation show featuring all 51 delegates competing in preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competitions will be held on August 9 at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) and the webcast can be seen on UStream at http://www.ustream.tv/missteenusa and then the final show is on August 10 also at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) so I will be posting my final predictions for Miss Teen USA 2013 after I have had a chance to view the delegates in the preliminaries so early in the morning of August 10 is when I should have my predictions finalized and posted. You can also vote for your favorite as one delegate will be selected by an online vote at missteenusa.com but it is not clear if there will be 16 semifinalists like last year or if there will be 15 semifinalists like at Miss USA a few months ago. It likely will be 15 but my final predictions will include a 16th delegate just in case.


Video streaming by Ustream