Usrey defeated 33 other contestants from the school system in this year's bee, but he said he didn't spend too much time studying for the competition. In fact, he said he only spent about 15 minutes reviewing the words he might be asked to spell in Tuesday's competition.
So, how did he manage to wade through words like "unconstitutional," "miasma" and "fabulist?"
"I read a lot and that helps because I'm seeing the words," said Usrey.
The contest came down to two contestants - Usrey, an 8th grader, and Evan Zimmerman, a 5th grade student at Riverbend Elementary School.
Zimmerman slipped on the word "prairie," but Usrey spelled that word and the word "safari" to capture the 2013 championship.
"I can't believe I got that [word]," he said. "I was pretty lucky with that."
Usrey and Zimmerman will now move on to the next round at the regional level.
Gabby Cochran of East Hall Middle School, who finished third, will serve as an alternate if the boys are unable to compete in the next round.
North Hall Middle School's William Usrey accepts the winning trophy from last year's winner Sabrina Steptoe
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/1/257722