It took 10 rounds and finally came down to “hypnotic,” “obscure,” and “nationalism,” for Nicole Boyle, Bluffton sixth grader, to win this year’s middle school spelling bee.

The bee, held on Dec. 11, included 12 contestants from grades six, seven and eight. Another sixth grader, Caleb McKenzie, was runner-up.

ALL CONTESTANTS PHOTO AT THE BOTTOM.

McKenzie and Boyle, the two remaining contestants, spelled words correctly, back and forth from rounds 7 to the end, as McKenzie tripped on “hypnotic.” Boyle then spelled her next two words correctly to become this year’s champ.

Competitors this year were:
Sixth grade
Caleb McKenzie
Bryan Zimmerman
Nicole Boyle
Caitlin Dailey

Seventh grade
Pearl Lewandowski
Daniel Siders
Jonah Blackburn
Grace Myers

Eighth grade
Ben Baxter
Gabe Colley
Dale Crow (absent)
Libby Schaadt
Oliver Burner

Bluffton’s winner advances to the Allen County spelling bee later this winter.