By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The look on Marissa Lake’s face said it all Saturday night.
As Waterford Union High School senior Ashlin Meyer was named the second-place finisher at Riverport Chorus’s 10th annual “Diva Quest,” Lake broke down into tears, unable to comprehend going from an also-ran last year to the winner.
“I was honestly surprised that I placed,” said Lake – a Wilmot resident and Shoreland Lutheran sophomore – after she was awarded the $1,000 top prize at the event, held at Waterford Union High School. “It’s such an honor to win.”
Lake was one of three Shoreland Lutheran students to make the top 10 – and the top five. Abby Shreve came in third, and Samantha Pinchard fifth.
Pinchard, the second-place finisher a year ago, endured a faulty microphone as the first soloist up in the event. After admittedly leaving the stage in tears afterward, she took the stage again after the other nine finalists had performed – and gave the audience a spirited version of “Anything Goes” from the musical of the same name.
She and Waterford senior Savana Schraeder were both three-year participants in the Diva Quest finals, and were given special $100 awards.
The participants drew from a wide variety of musical genres for the competition. Meyer picked the song “Stars and Moon” from “Songs for a New World” – a song about regret in making the wrong choices about what was important in this world.
Meyer joined Lake in saying she was surprised that she had done so well, adding that she wasn’t pleased with her performance.
“I’m very happy,” she said.
Shreve belted the Etta James’ classic, “At Last,” earning a $250 scholarship, while fourth-place finisher Jenna Terrell of Elkhorn added classic rock in the form of “House of the Rising Sun.”
Terrell and Pinchard each received a $100 award.
Lake joined the Broadway club for the win, though, following in the footsteps of the last two winners – Jenna Lindell and Becca Brewer, who sang “Wishing You Were Somehow Hear Again” and “Someone Like You,” respectively.
Lake handled the “Cats” classic “Memory,” a far cry from Melissa Ethridge’s hit song “I’m the Only One” that she tried last year.
“I knew what to expect, kind of how to prepare for the song,” said Lake of the prior year’s experience.
Natalie Lindell was the latest Lindell sister to try the finalist stage, working with a Dixie Chicks song, while Schraeder sang the song “Glory.” Annika Churchill of North Country Day School sang the popular song “Hallelujah.”
The final two entrants – Annette Triller of Wilmot and Camille Tracy of Westosha Central – were equally far apart in choices. Triller sang the Queen classic “Somebody to Love,” while Tracy took to the stage as Miss Hannigan, singing “Little Girls” from the musical “Annie.”
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