FORT WAYNE - Liesl Schroedl, a Lakeview Middle School seventh-grader, was the runner-up in Saturday's Journal Gazette 53rd Annual Area Spelling Bee.
Winner was Ray Pigmon, an eighth-grader from Edgerton Local Schools, Williams County.
Pigmon won the bee in Round 41. Schroedl was eliminated in Round 40 after she misspelled inaugurator. Pigmon won by correctly spelling Nostradamus.Pigmon will represent northeast Indiana at the 80th Annual cripps Howards National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., May 28 to June 1.
Schroedl advanced to Saturday's competition after beating Washington Elementary sixth-grader Tim Ahlersmeyer during the Kosciusko County spelling bee in January. They went 50 rounds before Schroedl came out on top.
In the 50th round, Ahlersmeyer, who went first for each round, misspelled his word. Schroedl then correctly spelled exacerbate and kohlrabi for the championship win.
Liesl is the daughter of Steven and Yvette Schroedl. She was the county champion speller for a second time this year, having won in 2006 as a Sacred Heart School sixth-grader.
