North Dakota
Meet Miss North Dakota, VNL’s Sophia Richards!
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – We’re kicking off our coverage of the 2025 Miss America competition!
VNL’s own Sophia Richards took to the skies on Friday, flying to Orlando, Florida to compete as North Dakota’s state delegate.
The 23-year-old is from Hope, ND. She tells us she had 8 students in her class.
“Growing up on a farm, everyone in my family just had such strong work ethic and that’s something I’ve grown up with my whole life,” says Sophia.
“I’m kinda the odd ball out of my family. We’re a big sports family! So when I was first interested in pageants everyone in my family was a bit apprehensive, like what are we getting into?”
Sophia was 16 years old when she competed in her first pageant, taking the title of Miss West Fargo before winning Miss ND.
She adds,“it took me 3 years to win miss north Dakota, I was a non-finalist my first year, then I was first runner up, then my third year I was the winner.”
“I was such an awkward kid, and I went to my first pageant where I saw all these beautiful, confident young women and that’s something I didn’t see in myself. I thought…. That’s exactly what I want to be like when I grow up.”
“Even if you don’t know me, or any of the other contestants, it’s such a testament to female empowerment.”
The notion of female empowerment doesn’t just exist on the stage for Sophia; she’s been building confidence and grace in young women around the state for the past three years
She says, “Biogirls is my community service initiative, nothing in my life has been more impactful. The self esteem crisis in young women is truly troubling. It’s something I’ve personally experienced and I want to make a difference. It’s a North Dakotan organization, so I’m really excited to bring it to the national stage and get it some recognition.”
When she’s not wearing the sash, she’s wearing a microphone
“I already landed my dream job hosting the lifestyle TV show North Dakota Today. I love my career at Valley News Live, I really don’t see myself anywhere else.”
“I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s been really hard this year. A lot of girls, when they win their state title, will actually quit their job or quit going to school for the year… and that just wasn’t in my nature.”
With only 6 days until the miss America competition, her focus hasn’t left the crown
“I’ve had things done, pulled out of my skin, and teased waxed, tanned and sprayed that I never thought I would before.”
“I’ve been having my friends ask me questions, I’ve been doing mock interviews… but I think the most important thing is to just be incredibly in tune with myself.”
She’s got a little help from friends, family and even some guardian angels.
“I have a stuffed animal that my aunt gave me before she passed away. And all the pageants I’ve won, my mom has actually had that stuffed animal sitting with her in the audience so she can ‘watch me’.”
“You are actually more likely to have a son compete in the Super Bowl than have a daughter compete in Miss America. I mean it’s hard. When you’re in a pageant and getting up on stage, you’re telling the judges: this is who I am, take it or leave it.”
Copyright 2024 KVLY. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
-
Texas36 seconds agoPeanuts, beans and more: Texas Roadhouse discontinued these menu items
-
Utah8 minutes agoHere’s what Utah football player Lance Holtzclaw told U.S. senators about student-athletes’ pay
-
Vermont11 minutes agoNew UVA Coach Cassese Makes Splash, Hires Feifs as Top Assistant
-
Virginia16 minutes agoVSP issues senior alert for missing 63-year-old
-
Washington23 minutes agoWashington priest removed as exorcist after linking UFOs to work of demons
-
Wisconsin26 minutes agoFree fishing, trails and parks kick off Wisconsin’s summer | Paul A. Smith
-
West Virginia38 minutes agoWest Virginia High School Football: Huntington-Spring Valley to clash at Marshall university stadium.
-
Wyoming40 minutes agoWyoming reports first rabies case of season in Sheridan County
