'Perpetual' Leads Speller to Victory

Sahil Doshi flexed his sixth-grade spelling muscles to the max Monday afternoon and won the spelling bee.

He defeated Aritro Nandi, second-place finisher, and James Khor, third-place finisher, after 17 rounds.

Doshi nailed "motley" in the 16th round. Nandi missed on "reconcile" and Khor was incorrect on "cologne."

In the championship round, Doshi nailed "perpetual."

"I feel really good, especially after practicing so much," Doshi said.

He called the experience both "nerve-wrecking" and "intense." He advises others to "study hard" and "make sure you know what sounds go with what."

Doshi defeated 22 other fifth and sixth graders in Monday's spelling bee. The 22 finalists were whittled down from 70 students who competed in a written pre-qualification test.

Doshi will go on to compete in the Western PA Spelling Bee at Children's Hospital in March.

Share your congratulations with the spellers! Tell them in the comments.