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Seventh-grader Yanni Fallon (left) and eighth-grader Matthew Zisi face off in the last rounds of the Regional Spelling Bee in Fredericksburg.
Sophie German (left), a sixth-grader from Stafford County, was among the final three at yesterday's bee.
Lamar Johnson (standing, center), a sixth-grader from Westmoreland County, was one
Dad Christopher, mom Jeanine and sister Victoria react |
Thirty-eight rounds.
That's how long it took home-schooled eighth-grader Matthew Zisi to win the Regional Spelling Bee held yesterday in Fredericksburg.
For the final 22 rounds, Matthew and seventh-grader Yanni Fallon engaged in a war of spelling attrition, each knocking off words that had adults in the audience shaking their heads.
Sixteen students from the city and surrounding counties participated in yesterday's contest, held at James Monroe High School and sponsored by The Free Lance-Star.
A little perspective: Nearly 30,000 area youngsters participated in competitions feeding into the regional bee, and all 16 who made it to the James Monroe stage had won a division-level bee or its equivalent.
There are no easy words at the Regional Spelling Bee, and in the early rounds spellers stumbled on such challenges as "mirage," "chronic," "renovate" and "androcentric," the practice of placing men at the center of one's world view.
By Round 7 just three spellers remained: Matthew, a Spotsylvania County resident representing home schools; Yanni, representing city schools; and sixth-grader Sophie German, representing Stafford County schools.
The three blasted through such words as "paradox," "libretto," "castanets," "machismo," "ergonomic" and "beleaguer" before Sophie tripped on "provolone."
For the next 30 minutes it was just Matthew and Yanni, locked in a spelling back-and-forth that emphasized their differing styles.
Matthew was deliberate. For almost every word he was given he asked the pronouncer, Free Lance-Star Editor Ed Jones, the language of origin, the definition or for use in a sentence.
Yanni simply pronounced the word back to Jones to make sure he'd heard correctly, then spelled with confidence.
Round 17: Matthew, "poltergeist." Yanni, "samurai."
Round 22: Matthew, "mariachi." Yanni, "angstrom," which is a unit of measurement for the length of light waves.
Round 30: Matthew, "verboten." Yanni, "precipice."
Finally, in Round 37, Yanni tripped on "hollandaise" after Matthew's correct spelling of "metamorphosis."
Matthew had to spell one last word to win, and when Jones pronounced the Round 38 word "alkali," Matthew couldn't suppress a grin.
As he pronounced the last letter in "A-L-K-A-L-I," you could almost hear an exclamation point.
Afterward, Free Lance-Star Associate Publisher Nick Cadwallender pointed out that it was just bad luck that threw the unfamiliar "hollandaise" in Yanni's path.
"You are an incredible speller," Cadwallender told Yanni. "If not for that one word, we would have been here another hour."
Associate Publisher Florence Barnick then loaded Matthew up with prizes including an unabridged dictionary and an oversize check for $1,500.
The newspaper will also pay expenses for 13-year-old Matthew and his family--mom Jeanine, dad Christopher and sister Victoria, 11--to go to the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held June 2-4 in Washington.
Afterward, Matthew was all smiles as he accepted congratulations and handshakes from audience members.
He credited prayer and preparation for his win. He said he studied every word in the "Spell It!" book published by the Scripps national bee to help youngsters prepare for competition.
Besides spelling, Matthew enjoys studying history and playing piano and violin.
Laura Moyer: 540/374-5417
Email: lmoyer@freelancestar.com
Winner: Matthew Zisi, eighth grade, home-schooled
Runner-up: Yanni Fallon, seventh grade, Fredericksburg city schools Other spellers: Sophie German, Stafford County schools; Megan Hellmann, Holy Cross Academy; Duncan Paterson, Dahlgren School; Andrew Marino, Fauquier County schools; Emily Constable, Spotsylvania County schools; Lamar Johnson, Westmoreland County schools; Leah Myers, King George County schools; Ian Dow, Fredericksburg Christian Schools; Aaron Crawford, Orange County schools; Tae Anh Kim, Culpeper County schools; Sara D'Addio, Fredericksburg Academy; Matt Sweeney, Caroline County schools; Haley Dihlmann, St. Patrick School; and Michael Camlin, Colonial Beach schools Judges: J. Martin Bass, Stafford County Circuit Court judge; Betty Merrill, retired Latin teacher at James Monroe High School; and Phil Jenkins, managing editor of The Free Lance-Star
