Miss Hopatcong 2012: Alexis Breheny

Alexis Breheny had felt pressure before. But this was different.

The 18-year-old had spent her Pope John basketball career, leading the team in scoring and assists and eventually landing a scholarship to St. Thomas Aquinas College.

But Breheny had a tough time adjusting to the limelight of the Miss Hopatcong stage Friday night.

Not that it mattered, though.

Breheny still walked away with the crown, taking over for 2011 winner Carly Wolff. Breheny will compete for the Sussex County "Queen of the Fair" title in August.

Patch spoke with Breheny Saturday at Hopatcong Days in .

How does it feel to be called "Miss Hopatcong?" It's an awesome feeling. I've never done a pageant before, so it was awesome winning this. I was so nervous up on stage. They told us our question when we went to practice. So I kept on rehearsing it and rehearsing it and I thought I had it down. But when you went up on stage, I think I was more nervous for that than my basketball games.

What was the toughest part of the competition? The one question was, "Why do you want to be Miss Hopatcong?" It's really hard because there are just so many ways you can answer that. It was difficult. I brought basketball into it and spoke about how Miss Hopatcong should be confident, have leadership skills and have a positive mindset. And I was captain of my team junior and senior years. You have to have all that stuff on and off the court.

Why did you decide to compete? We were actually driving down the road and there was a sign. It read, "Miss Hopatcong." And my mom was like, "You should go for it." And I was like, "Really? All right. Why not?" It was one of those moments.

So, when they announced your name … It was an awesome feeling. A lot of my friends were clapping and cheering in the back and they were going nuts so it was a great feeling.