Who's who? It's mom, uh, no ...

About 100 mother-daughter duos participated.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
NILES -- Susanne and Stephanie Edwards walked out of Eastwood Mall Saturday with $500 worth of merchandise for which they hadn't paid a dime.
It was their prize as winners of the mall's second annual mother-daughter lookalike contest. The Lowellville ladies bested a field of some 100 mom-and-daughter duos. The prizes were donated by mall merchants, said Melissa Householder, marketing director.
Stephanie, 18, said she urged her mom to join her in the contest after one of her teachers at the Mahoning County Joint Vocational School noticed their resemblance in a photograph.
Although both said they're told frequently how much they look alike, it was the first time they'd entered such a contest. They'll be back next year to defend their title.
"As long as we can keep our shapes," 42-year-old Susanne said, laughing.
Mistaken identities
Susanne and Stephanie said they're frequently mistaken for each other, even by people who know them. "A lot of people think she's my sister," Stephanie said.
Second place went to 34-year-old Renee Stanton of Niles and her 9-year-old daughter, Taylor. Like many of the participants, the Stantons sported lookalike outfits to accentuate their physical resemblance.
In fact, all 12 of the finalists had chosen to wear matching outfits.
"It's part of the fun," said 46-year-old Jean DeLost of North Lima. She and her daughter, Nina, 17, wore matching white pants and black vests, and even had matching black hair ties holding their blond hair in matching ponytails.
The DeLosts made the final cut but weren't too disappointed at not winning the big prize.
Better luck next year
"Next year," Nina said, laughing and hugging her mom. "But I don't know what we could do to look more alike."
Michelle Battee of Girard and her daughter, Adrianne, 16, wore matching smiles and New York Knicks jersey dresses. Michelle said the dress was her daughter's idea.
"I'm 42. I didn't want to wear this, but she told me that was what we were wearing," said the smiling Michelle, a nurse who works for Forum Health.
After they took their turn walking across the stage for the judges, Michelle said she thought they had a good chance to advance to the finals. They weren't selected, however.
Janice McLaughlin, 52, and her daughter, Dawn Butler, 25, both of Newton Falls, weren't so optimistic after their stage stroll.
McLaughlin described their chances as slim. Butler, more bluntly, said, "None."
They were one of a handful of families who brought three generations to the contest. Butler's 2-year-old daughter, Micaiah, joined them to create a mother-daughter-granddaughter combination.