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The apple of Murphysboro's eye

By Adam Testa, The Southern

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 1:21 AM CDT

MURPHYSBORO - The shock of victory still hasn't worn off Laura Falat.

The 18-year-old from Murphysboro never thought of herself as being the pageant queen type, or at least she didn't until Saturday, when she was crowned as the 2007 Apple Festival queen.

"I'm still kind of in shock because I'm the farthest thing from a pageant girl you'd think of," she said.

Falat's father, Steve Falat, described his daughter as a "tomboy," saying it surprised him when she said she wanted to compete in the queen pageant.

Falat, a freshman mechanical engineering major at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was an athlete at Murphysboro High School and never really dressed up or wore makeup. She loved the thrill of the competition in sports, and now that's she is in college, she decided to try other forms of competition.

Participating in the queen pageant allowed Falat an opportunity to re-enter the competitive realm and also to live a different lifestyle, at least for a while.

"It's kind of neat to be able to be girlie for once," she said. "I don't get to be girlie very often."

Falat's motivation to enter the Apple Festival pageant was to be able to give back to the Murphysboro community.

While he was a little surprised at first about his daughter's plan to enter the pageant, Steve Falat said he had confidence in her ability and determination to win.

"Laura's the type of girl that when she sets her mind on something she really goes after it," he said.

Falat's duties as Apple Festival queen will include parades and other public appearances, as well as special events. Falat said the queen can also request to make some appearances if they choose to do so. Last year's queen, Jessica Herring, sang the national anthem at a Southern Illinois Miners baseball game this summer.

"I can't sing, but I'd do the seventh inning stretch," Falat said.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

351-5031