Freshmen pageant features pirates

Carolyn Walser / senior photographer Nathan Banister, a Mr. freshman contestant from Shorts Hall models his swimwear during the pageant on Tuesday evening.

Contestants participated in a wide range of activities, from dancing as pirates to modeling swimwear during the Mr. Freshman 2005 pageant.

The Mr. Freshman 2005 pirate- themed pageant, "Curse O’ the Centennial Class" was held by the Freshman Class Council Tuesday night in Grafton-Stovall Theatre to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Freshman Class President Brandon Eickel said he had high expectations for the pageant.

"I hope this event will provide a fun and exciting atmosphere for freshmen students while promoting class and school unity," Eickel said.

Grafton-Stovall was filled with mostly freshmen, but several upperclassmen and even some family members were in attendance.

As the events commenced, the17 Mr. Freshman candidates scuttled on stage as pirates in a brawl. Within moments, they had broken into a choreographed dance which included the famous Radio City Rockettes’ kick line, and from there the pageant took off.

The contestants’ personalities shined throughout the three-hour- event. The Mr. Freshman potentials introduced themselves as they strutted in beachwear ranging from polka-dotted trunks to straw hats to Speedos. Contestants also demonstrated talents of guitar-playing and Spandex-clad ribbon dancing. All Mr. Freshman candidates posed in formal wear provided by Classic Tuxedos.

Mr. Gifford Hall, Will Cox, who reached the top five, asked his mother to escort him onstage for the formal wear segment of the night. Deborah Cox did not realize prior to the contest that she was the only mother-escort. Afterward, she said, "It was great. It was a wonderful moment for me. I’ll never forget it … All I saw was Will."

The panel of nine judges selected Mr. Dingledine, Marton Lonart, as the 2005 Mr. Freshman. Lonart was crowned and awarded a gold sash.