Osage County’s top spellers of 2023, front, from left, Kenzie Bellinger, Mady Rose, Haley Fine, Alaina Richardson, Malachi Samson, back, Jack Moulin, Iris Sherry, Nolan Wolfe, Kynlee Ard, and Averi Doan. Osage County News photo.

LYNDON, Kan. – In a “gargantuan” win, competing against nine other accomplished spellers, Osage City seventh-grader Jack Moulin took the top spot at the Osage County Spelling Bee, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at Lyndon High School auditorium.

Competing in the bee, hosted this year by Lyndon Middle School, were champions and alternates from five schools in the county, each having competed in their respective school’s competition. Competitors were Iris Sherry, 6th grader, and Nolan Wolfe, 7th grader, from Burlingame; Alaina Richardson, 6th, Kynlee Ard, 7th, Carbondale Attendance Center; Averi Doan, 8th, Malachi Samson, 7th, Lyndon; Mady Rose, 8th, Hailey Fine, 5th, Marais des Cygnes Valley; Jack Moulin, 7th, Kenzie Bellinger, 7th, Osage City.

2023 Osage County Spelling Bee champion Jack Moulin and runner up Kynlee Ard.

Jack won the championship in the seventh of lightning fast rounds. Spellers appeared to step up to the microphone with the confidence of studious orthographers, but first round jitters took out four competitors on the words “sunflower, shamrock, gradual, and shoulder”. With six sure spellers, round 2 and round 3 were perfect rounds, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats for round four. Round four whittled the field down to five, with “demolition” eliminating another contender. In round five, pertinacious words “domineering, incentive, and moxie” sidelined three spellers, leaving the county’s two top spellers, Kynlee Ard and Jack Moulin, to square off for the title. Final-round pressure took Kynlee out with “pedigree”, and Jack correctly spelled “gargantuan” to move into the top spot.

In round seven, Jack spelled one more word correctly, “January”, to clinch the championship and give Kynlee the runner-up position. Jack’s win makes him eligible to represent Osage County at the Sunflower State Spelling Bee, Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Newman University, Wichita, Kan. Kynlee will serve as alternate speller.

Jack and Kynlee each were presented a plaque and all competitors received a medal recognizing them as one of Osage County’s best spellers.