VICKSBURG – Miss West Central Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis of Brookhaven won second runner-up honors at the Miss Mississippi pageant Saturday night.

Prior to being named one of the 10 finalists at the beginning of Saturday night’s finals, Lewis won Friday night’s swimsuit preliminary and a $400 scholarship.

The 20-year-old Lewis, who is majoring in education at Mississippi State University, was later selected for the top five as Saturday night’s pageant continued.

She was a first-time competitor in the state event that chooses Mississippi’s representative for the Miss America competition in Atlantic City in September.

“Being on stage in a swimsuit surprisingly isn’t as nerve-wracking as it sounds,” Lewis told The Vicksburg Post Friday. “You have to be comfortable with yourself and, for me that comes from being fit and healthy.”

Lewis also was a community service finalist last week for her Teen Trendsetters mentoring program.

The Brookhaven native sang “Somewhere” from West Side Story in the talent competition.

Winning Miss Mississippi 2013 was Miss Amory Railroad Festival Chelsea Rick. She was crowned at the conclusion of the pageant, which was televised live Saturday night on WLBT-TV.

First runner-up was Miss University of Southern Mississippi Hannah Roberts, third runner-up was Miss Leaf River Valley Jordin Johnson and fourth runner-up was Miss University Caroline Conerly.

Preliminary scores in talent, swimwear, evening wear, on-stage question and private interview were combined to make a composite score, which determined the top 10. Those 10 competed again Saturday night in every category except private interview.

In other pageant activity last week leading up to the finals, Rick was the only contestant in this year’s pageant to take home two preliminary titles.

Rick won the talent preliminary Friday night.

“I’ve never won in talent,” said Rick, who has been competing in the state pageant each year since 2009. “It was my first goal in Miss Mississippi, to win talent.”

She performed “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” from the Broadway musical “Showboat.”

“I wanted to do my best,” said Rick, a doctoral student at William Carey University and native of Fulton. “I am more confident now, but I’m not getting ahead of myself.”

Preliminaries in this year’s pageant began Wednesday night. The composite score from the entire week was carried over into Saturday’s event and accounted for 30 percent of the overall score in the finals.

The contestants’ performances Saturday night in swimsuit counted for 20 percent; evening wear, 20; and talent, 30.

Four Miss Mississippi winners have gone on to become Miss America: Mary Ann Mobley in 1958, Lynda Lee Mead in 1960, Cheryl Prewitt in 1980 and Susan Akin in 1986.