'AMERICAN IDOL' Mooney grad wins $100G in trivia contest

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR
Joanne Petrella of Tampa, Fla., formerly of Youngstown and a 2001 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, won $100,000 in an American Idol Trivia Contest sponsored by Cingular Wireless and held in Los Angeles.
Petrella was selected along with 16 other contestants nationwide after entering the contest and qualifying with bonus entry points acquired by frequent text messaging. She received air, hotel and transportation for herself and a guest for three days in Los Angeles, along with tickets to the "American Idol" show May 23, the finale May 24 and a VIP party after the shows.
Petrella completed the preliminary test May 22, and was awarded a place in the final five competition the next day which went into a sudden death playoff. Petrella became the winner by answering trivia questions about all "Idol" contestants from the first season to the present.
Tamyra Gray, an "American Idol" contestant from Season One, was the host of the contest.
Petrella graduated from the University of South Florida on May 6 with a bachelor's degree in public and cultural communication.