Mr. OCHS is Crowned

mvitale

There was plenty of dancing and singing.

By MADDY VITALE There was dancing, singing, lip syncing, and even a “workout” routine, minus the weights. In the end, there could be only one Mr. OCHS. Friday night, to a crowded auditorium at the high school, James Craver, 18, of Ocean City, captivated the crowd to become the crown-holder. No, it wasn’t his white platform shoes. It was his rendition of “Purple Rain” by Prince. He also wowed the judges with his entrance, alongside his mother, who he spun around and danced with to the applause of the crowd.

Contestants from left, Fred Green, Quinn O'Brien, James Craver, Aidan Murray and Ori Levy-Smith give an entertaining closing act. At the end of the night, people hugged James and the fellow contestants shook his hand. “I am so excited. I’ve been watching this since I was in the seventh grade,” he said, moments after being crowned Mr. OCHS 2022. James, who is active in the Ocean City Theatre Company, will be attending school in New York City in the fall to study fine arts. During the show, James and four other contestants entertained the audience with their performances.

Emcee John Bruno gives James Craver a question as Keira Janto smiles. There was the formal wear competition, the personality interview, a fitness competition, talent competition and casual wear segment. First-runner up was Fred Green. His casual wear created a chuckle when he strutted onto the stage in ski gear. His duet with senior Natalie Argento left the audience cheering. The People’s Choice award went to Ori Levy-Smith, who wowed the crowd with his energy in his exercise routine. The winners received prizes, including gift cards from local businesses.

James Craver sings "Purple Rain." The other two contestants were Quinn O’Brien and Aidan Murray. Master of Ceremonies John Bruno noted that all of the contestants showed confidence and courage to get up on the stage and perform in front of the crowd. The friendly-competition was canceled last year due to COVID-19. And even though there were just five contestants this year, Bruno said there was certainly quality over quantity. The student emcees were cheerleaders Maura Dougherty, Mallory Gould, Ava Kelly and Grace Thompson. They also did the choreography. Brenda Colon-Smith coached the program. Judges were Drew Fasy, Damon Bready, Natalie Ragazzo and Maddy Vitale, OCNJDaily.com reporter and the author of this story.