Fox Valley contestants seek love on 'The Bachelor'

Two Fox Valley natives are vying for a chance at true love in the new season of "The Bachelor," which begins at 7 tonight on ABC.

Amanda Goerlitz, 24, of Lake in the Hills, and Trina Scherenberg, 33, formerly of Algonquin, are among 30 women trying to win the heart of Chris Soules, an Iowa farmer.

Soules came aboard the popular reality show after being sent home on the last season of "The Bachelorette."

Goerlitz works at the Judith Svalander School of Ballet in Crystal Lake. She was dubbed Miss Windy City 2014, and also was first runner-up for Miss Illinois 2014. She was named Miss Northern Illinois 2013 and has competed in several pageants over the years, including Miss McHenry County Fair.

Goerlitz is a 2008 graduate of Huntley High School and earned her bachelor of arts degree in public relations from Western Illinois University with a minor in dance.

In her ABC bio, Goerlitz said she would like to run her own ballet studio and that her choice fictional character was Allie from "The Notebook."

"Noah loves her so much, and to find that and have it last a lifetime is a rare thing," Goerlitz said.

Scherenberg is a former special education teacher for Crystal Lake South High School in District 155, where she worked from 2008 until last year. She now lives in San Clemente, California.

In her show bio, Scherenberg said her greatest achievement was earning two master's degrees with a 4.0 grade-point average. She received a literacy arts degree from Northern Illinois University and a master of arts degree in teaching from National Louis University. She earned her bachelor's degree in communications-public relations from Purdue University.

She said she can't live without her "dog, pizza, my girlfriends, my mom, random adventures."