Big Night for Miss D.C. and Miss Mass.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Miss Massachusetts won in two categories Wednesday night as preliminary competition continued in the Miss America Pageant.

Twenty-two-year-old Abbie Rabine, of Wenham, Massachusetts, won a six-thousand-dollar scholarship for her private interview with judges. She also nabbed a three-thousand-dollar scholarship for winning in swimsuit.

It was the second of three nights of preliminaries. Other winners included Miss Tennessee Stephanie Culberson in evening wear, and Miss District of Columbia Marshawn Evans in talent.

In the preliminary competitions, the 51 contestants are divided into three groups of 17 women. They compete in different categories each night, and their scores determine which ones make the Top 20.

The Top 20 will be announced during the live telecast of the Miss America Pageant on Saturday night, which concludes with the crowning of Miss America 2002.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Author: 6 ABC - Action News