The countywide contest was held Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the USD 408 Performing Arts Center with 20 spellers represented from elementary and middle schools in Centre, Marion, Hillsboro, Goessel and Peabody.
The bee was single elimination, and 59 words later and in the ninth round, Spachek was declared the winner, but it wasn?t without a fight from Colton Terronez from Peabody Elemen?tary School.
Terronez and Spachek would battle back and forth for three more rounds.
With only four contestants left, Terronez and Spachek were vying for first and second place with Tabitha Orborny and Justin Bina, both Centre Elementary School students, looking for a third and fourth.
After an additional nine rounds for third place, Bina won with the correct spelling of ?apricot.?
?We were all excited about the 20 students who competed in this year?s spelling bee,? said Rod Garman, Marion Elementary School, who also officiated the competition.
In addition to the top four participants, other students in the bee were Kylie Beeler and Amy Makovec at Centre Junior High School; Zach Fruechting and Tori Smith at Marion Elementary School and Nick Meyer, Marion Middle School.
From Goessel Elementary was Alicen Meysing and Lydia Smith and Austin Strunk and Dane Kruger at Goessel Junior High School.
Lauren Henderson and Abi Hurst represented Hillsboro Elementary School with Erin Wiebe and Jakob Hanschu from the middle school.
Lily Partridge represented Peabody Elementary School and Seth Topham and Christian Gard were the top spellers from Peabody Junior High School.
More than 75 people attended the morning spelling bee to watch the outcome.
