38-pounder takes top prize in Dudkiewicz pumpkin contest

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HADLEY — John Hanscom, a third-grader at Hadley Elementary School, won the $100 first prize in the second annual pumpkin-growing contest sponsored by Edward Dudkiewicz in honor of his late brother, Myron.

John raised a 38-pound pumpkin. Seth Chartier and Tyler Prats took second place by each growing 17½-pound pumpkins. They will split the $50 prize. Sara Czajkowski and Dylan Vinton took third with 14½-pounders. They will share $25.

All began growing their pumpkins while in the second grade, the grade Myron Dudkiewicz was in when he grew a 188-pound pumpkin. It was deemed the largest in the country. He died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer.