Andrea Johnson/MDN Luke Wegner, a seventh-grader at Our Redeemer’s Christian School, correctly spelled “tarmac” to win the Ward County Spelling Bee on Wednesday held at Minot State University. Looking on are runner-up Jameson Eaton, a fifth-grader in the Journey Program at Edison Elementary, and Deb Sisco with the spelling bee. Both boys will go on to compete at the state spelling bee in Bismarck in March.

Luke Wegner, a seventh-grader at Our Redeemer’s Christian School, won the Ward County Spelling Bee on Wednesday after an epic 19 rounds in the oral round.

Luke correctly spelled the words secret, caroling, barrier, vortices, Himalayan, turnip, badger, garment, conductor, dawdle, developer, manifesto, flabbergast, inclusion, cattail, Corgi, Riviera, jamboree and tarmac to claim the title.

He will go on to compete at the state spelling bee in Bismarck in March.

Jameson Eaton, a fifth-grader in the Journey program at Edison Elementary, was the runner-up in the spell-down and, he said, the youngest student competing at the bee. Jameson will also go on to compete at the state bee.

He said he was a little nervous but the jitters didn’t show as he traded banter with the announcer, Perry Olson.

“You say ‘no pressure’ but you’re actually making it harder,” he told Olson.

In another round, Olson complimented Jameson’s good sportsmanship.

“Jameson claps loudly when all his competitors get the word right,” said Olson. “I like that.”

Jameson correctly spelled the words parcel, brayed, trifecta, abundance, bonfire, crayon, omen, casino, carnival, galaxy, guardian, aromatherapy, mangrove, arborio, Goliath and pilferer. He asked Olson to repeat the last word because “I just wanted to hear you say pilferer.”

Jameson was tripped up by the last word he was given to spell: firmament.

He said firmament was the hardest word he was asked to spell and he plans to study ahead of the state bee.

Students qualified for the oral round with their scores on a written spelling test in the morning.

Other qualifiers for the oral round included Jason Adams, an eighth-grader at Sawyer; Saoirse Adkins, a sixth-grader at Memorial Middle School at Minot Air Force Base; Rebecca Altschuler, an eighth-grader at South Prairie; Taya Baric, an eighth-grader at Nedrose; Elaina Carlson, an eighth-grader at Memorial; Seth Ericsson, a seventh-grader at Erik Ramstad Middle School, Anna Hall, a sixth-grader at Our Redeemer’s Christian School; Aiden Keilman, an eighth-grader at Memorial; Katie Leiss, a seventh-grader at South Prairie; Madison Lyman, an eighth-grader at Jim Hill Middle School; Elliot Magcales, an eighth-grader at Ramstad; Lucky Patel, an eighth-grader at Ramstad; Jadon Pugatch, an eighth-grader at Our Redeemer’s; Jireh Rosalin, a sixth-grader at Jim Hill; Kaidan Smith, an eighth-grader at Des Lacs-Burlington; Chu Chu Ugobi, an eighth grader at Our Redeemer’s; Nathan Walters, a seventh-grader at Jim Hill; Leon Yang, a fifth-grader in the Journey program at Edison; and Moira Yarbrough, a sixth-grader at Ramstad.

Winners on the written test included:

Eighth grade city winner: Elliot Magcales, Ramstad, first place; Lucky Patel, Ramstad, runner-up.

Seventh grade city winner: Seth Ericsson, Ramstad, first place; Nathan Walters, Jim Hill, runner-up.

Sixth grade city winner: Moira Yarbrough, Ramstad, first place; Saoirse Adkins, Memorial, runner-up.

Fifth grade city winner: Leon Yang, Edison, first place; Jameson Eaton, Edison, runner-up.

Eighth grade county winner: Chu Chu Ugobi, Our Redeemer’s, first place; Rebecca Altschuler, South Prairie, runner-up.

Seventh grade county winner: Luke Wegner, Our Redeemer’s, first place; Katie Leiss, South Prairie, runner-up.

Sixth grade county winner: Anna Hall, Our Redeemer’s, first place; Brynn Hanson, Des Lacs-Burlington, runner-up.

Fifth grade county winner: Lia Butz, Our Rdeemer’s, first place; Sadie Lemer, Berthold, runner-up.