Images: Hometown Idol Takes the Stage in Berkley

Hopeful stars took the stage Saturday during the Berkley Hometown Idol competition and belted out tunes for an enthusiastic audience at the .

Event producer Robin Wojta of Berkley estimated that more than 200 people turned out Saturday night to cheer for the 21 contestants in three categories.

"I'm thrilled with the turnout," Wojta told the crowd, which packed the American Legion post's basement for the first-of-its-kind event in Berkley.

An excited energy buzzed through the room before the performers took the stage, with young fans eagerly whispering in their parents' ears: "When does it start?"

Opening act Rachael Wojta answered by taking the stage to warm up the crowd with a Loretta Lynn song. Then she said, "Because we didn't have enough attitude with that first song, I'm going to bring a little more," and followed with a tune by Taylor Swift, whose music – along with Christina Aguilera's – was a favorite of the night.

Capitalizing on the momentum, master of ceremonies Tim Downey introduced the judges: Alison Donahue, a cellist who plays in the duo Cello-Bella! and has been featured on NPR; Mike Wilhelm, a member of Beatles tribute band the Buntles, who also performs with Cello-Bella!; and vocal coach Kevin Savel. The trio had the unenviable task of selecting the finalists in each category, which included junior, for ages younger than 13; teen, for those 13 to 19 years old; and adult, for contestants 20 and older.

"Encourage your performers," Downey urged the crowd. "Give them your heart, and they'll give you their heart and soul."

He was right.

Michelle Smith, a sixth-grader at who sang A Moment Like This, and the other competitors gave it their all.

"It's nerve-racking," Michelle said. "You're not really sure – because it's live – if your voice is going to crack or do something weird."

Despite all the heartfelt performances, there could only be three finalists in each category. They were:

Junior

• Isabelle Swiatkowski — first place
• Cassidy Gifford — second place
• Alexis Stuart — third place

Teen

• Confidence Killion — first place
• Natalie Rogers — second place
• Ruta Ulcinaite — third place

Adult

• Daryl Shannon — first place
• Sweet Sounds — second place
• Paul Soli — third place

Each finalist won a gift pack filled with prizes from sponsors including , , , C Moon Productions, , Green Bottle, , , Matt's Mix, , and They also received $20 for third place, $40 for second place and $100 for first place.

The finalists will advance to the state Hometown Idol competition in late November, where the winner will receive an opportunity to record a full-length CD.

Correction: The American Legion Post in Berkley is number 374.