Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Contestants from Texas and Utah have won the first night of preliminary faceoffs in the Miss America competition.
Miss Texas Margana Wood won the swimsuit competition Wednesday night, while Miss Utah JessiKate Riley won the talent competition with a violin solo that drew loud applause from the audience in Atlantic City.
The next Miss America will be crowned in Sunday night's nationally televised finale.
On Saturday, the contestants will show off their state-specific footwear in the annual "Show Us Your Shoes" parade along the Boardwalk.
The contestants are vying to succeed Savvy Shields, last year's Miss Arkansas who won the title a year ago.
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This story has been corrected to show the first name of Miss Texas is Margana, not Morgana.
Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
Contestants in the 97th Miss America competition take the stage in Atlantic City N.J. on Wednesday Sept. 6, 2017 in the first of three nights of preliminary competition. The new Miss America will be crowned Sunday night. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
The Associated Press
Contestants greet onstage in the swimsuit completion during the first night of Miss America 2018 preliminaries in Atlantic City, N.J., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
The Associated Press
Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J., dances during the first night of Miss America 2018 preliminaries in Atlantic City, N.J., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
The Associated Press
Miss Pennsylvania Katie Schreckengast, of Palmyra, Pa., plays her saxophone during the first night of Miss America 2018 preliminaries in Atlantic City, N.J., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
The Associated Press
Contestants leave the stage after the swimsuit completion during the first night of Miss America 2018 preliminaries in Atlantic City, N.J., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
The Associated Press