Why? Fluke – correctly spelled by Liam Ferry – was the winning word.

Fifteen students took the stage at Beaty-Warren Middle School on Wednesday in an attempt to take the crown, which also brings a spot in the Western Pa. Spelling Bee on March 24 in Pittsburgh.

The first five rounds brought the total number of spellers down to nine – words including dazzle, finally, glittery, thoughts, nighttime and sudsy knocking students out of the competition.

Those nine students sailed through rounds six through 10 before two were knocked out in round 11 on poisonous and inventory. Two more were tripped up – on insulation and stitchery – in round 14.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A total of 15 students from across the county participated in Wednesday’s Spelling Bee including, from Warren County Christian School fifth-grader Avery Galbraith.

That left five students left in the field, all from Beaty-Warren Middle School.

One each was eliminated in round 17 (inscrutable), round 18 (syllables) and third-place finisher Phoebe Lee-Wickert in round 19 (flummox).

That left Ferry and Evan Tidrick, both eighth graders, as the two left standing.

They went back-and-forth for seven rounds before the word “verve” tripped up Tidrick.

Ferry had to spell one more word – fluke – to win the Bee.

“We are incredibly proud of each of the student spellers and alternates who are here today,” Kylie Harris, principal at Sheffield Elementary and administrative coordinator for the Bee, said.

She said that the National Spelling Bee dates to 1925 and has grown to where “children in many grade levels all across America participate in local school and regional bees, many with the hopes of continuing to progress to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.”

Kelli Knapp, executive director and district administrator at the Warren Public Library, was the moderator of the event and judges included Youngsville Borough Police Chief Todd Mineweaser, WCSD Safety and Security Coordinator Brandon Deppen and John Papalia with the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry.