Quintessential ‘Ohio Has Talent!’ winner

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The barbershop quintet Quintessential, comprised of students from Versailles High School, won Saturday’s “Ohio Has Talent!” competition with their rendition of a medley of songs made famous by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Noting they were inspired by the Broadway hit, Jersey Boys, which chronicles the life of Valli and the Four Seasons, group members Quincy Baltes, Isaac Buschur, Brody Hyre, Mitchell Rawlins, and Kyle Wuebker, who have performed together since they were in elementary school, were well-prepared for the annual contest sponsored by Community Health Professionals in Van Wert.

The group, whose members also participate in the Versailles High School Marching Band and Show Choir, won $1,000 for its efforts.

Taking second place was a singing duo comprised of Bobby Klosterman and Courtney Bettinger of Coldwater High School in Mercer County, while Gabe Bailey, an eighth-grader at South Adams Middle School in Berne, Indiana, came in third with his piano and voice performance.

Others performing were Awakened Commotion, an a capella singing group from Hardin Northern High School in Dola; Bella Chorvas of Ohio City, who earned an honorable mention award for her singing performance; Kasey Middaugh, a sophomore at Bellefontaine High School; Craig and Michelle Muhlenkamp, a swing dance duo from the village of Russia.

Also, Autumn Pelok, a sixth-grade singer from Wauseon Middle School; Jeff Davis of Lima, who sang an Elvis Presley number; Emily Jackson, a singer who is also a student at Celina High School; May and Yan Coppler, a mother-daughter singing duo who sang Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Pie Jesu”; Claudia Cromly, a singer from Swanton; the Mallet Ensemble from Delphos St. John’s High School, which also earned an Honorable Mention award; Drawing Blanks, a band consisting of Hannah Sunderman and Alex Sunderman of Johnstown, and Evan Reed of Pataskala.

Also, Julia Lyall of Powell, a dancer who is also a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School; Sarah VanBrocklin, an, eighth-grader from Botkins who has been participating in musicals since first grade; Morgan Bland, a junior at Hicksville High School who played the violin; and Lima resident Lauren Dunlap, who sang.

The annual fundraising event for Community Health Professionals’ hospice and home nursing programs drew approximately 1,000 people to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.