PEQUOT LAKES — Sixteen Pequot Lakes Middle School students — preternaturally skilled in the ways of spelling — walked through the architrave of the school auditorium in a manner that was in no way pellmell, some of whom likely squinched with pangs of nervousness, before they worked to deduce the correct spelling of prevalent words in an effort to be caparisoned with the trappings of a spelling bee champion.
In the end on Thursday, Feb. 23, eighth-grader Drake Bowers came away as the district champion, with “deduce” being his championship word.
He engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth with eventual runner-up Jacob Harrison, who was ultimately eliminated on the word “amenities.” The two exchanged attempts at words like “immersion, “emblem” and “prevalent” for several rounds.
Grade-level winners were Payslen Kerger, grade 5; Lauren Nelson, grade 6; Brekkin Glazer, grade 7; and Levi Winkka, grade 8.
Other words on the spell list included “crematorium,” “forsooth,” “chemotherapy,” “mullioned,” “tilapia,” “hurdygurdy,” “undine” and “cirrhosis.”
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Bowers will now take part in the Regional Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 22, at Sourcewell in Staples, with Harrison attending as an alternate.
Others competing were Lucy Helbing, Sam Harsha, Sailor Grace Arnold, William Craig, Ruby Haugen, Julian Kurten, Ridge Rowland, Gus McKenna, Grant Schlagel and Jobey Tvedt.
Dan Determan, sports writer/staff writer, may be reached at 218-855-5879 or dan.determan@pineandlakes.com . Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Dan .
The Trust Project
