War of words

By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Karen Cover clasped her hands, stepped up to the microphone and, with thoughtful hesitation, correctly spelled paraphernalia to win the 69th annual Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee just before noon Saturday.
Karen, a seventh-grader from Reed Middle School, Hubbard, and runner-up Kellianne Craig, a seventh-grader from St. Christine School, Youngstown, had been onstage together for more than half an hour, bantering 33 words back and forth, before Karen outspelled her opponent.
Ninety-six pupils representing schools from throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties participated in the bee. Thirty-four were eliminated in the first round. An additional 39 were eliminated in round two.
Narrowing the field: By the end of round three, 10 contestants remained: Karen; Kellianne; Paul Hay, grade eight, Poland Middle School; Matt Kalbfell, grade six, Western Reserve Middle School; Gabe Adkins, grade six, Jackson Elementary, Niles; Angela Rovnyak, grade eight, Byzantine Catholic Central; Justin Ginnetti, grade eight, St. Nicholas School; Ashshena Stephens, grade eight, McDonald Junior High; Anthony Palmer, grade eight, Edison Junior High; and Korbin Gebhart, grade seven, St. Joseph School, Austintown.
All but Karen, Kellianne and Paul were eliminated by the end of round four. At the bottom of round five, Paul misspelled pomander -- a mixture of aromatic substances usually made into a ball and enclosed in a perforated bag or box -- leaving Karen and Kellianne to battle it out.
Trading words: The girls correctly spelled words for several rounds before Karen stumbled in her attempt to spell boisterous -- full of exuberant, uninhibited and often excessive spirits -- in round nine.
Once all but two contestants have been eliminated, spellers must spell the word their opponent misses as well as their own new word to be declared the winner.
Kellianne spelled the word correctly but misspelled the next word, invidious -- of an unpleasant or objectionable nature.
The pattern continued, with neither girl able to correctly spell two words in a row until 26 words later, when Kellianne misspelled recrudescence -- the act of breaking out again; renewing morbid or dangerous activity after abatement.
Karen correctly spelled that word and the following word, paraphernalia (equipment; accessory item) to win the grand championship and a family trip to Washington, D.C., where she will compete in the 75th annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in May.
Surprised: Karen never dreamed she'd make it to the final round, let alone become grand champion.
"I wanted to make it through the first round; that was my goal," she said.
"We were thrilled when she made it past the first round," said her mom, Julia Cover.
This was Karen's first time competing in The Vindicator's bee, and she studied only 20 minutes a night, at the most, she said. Most of her studying was done online.
Repeat competitors: This was Kellianne's fourth time competing in the bee. The daughter of Dr. John V. and Diane Craig, she studied with help from her dad. She will be eligible to compete again next year if she is the top speller in her school again.
This year, two pupils competed in The Vindicator's bee for the fourth time: Kellianne and Michael Colucci, an eighth-grader at Struthers Middle School.
Four pupils made their third appearance, and 13 returned for a second time.
Michelle S. Lee, a fourth-grader at Williamson Elementary, was the last contestant from Youngstown city schools left standing. For her accomplishment, she received a $100 savings bond.
Prizes: In addition to the all-expense-paid family trip to Washington, provided by The Vindicator, the champion received a trophy; a $100 U.S. Savings Bond from Jay Sugarman, chairman and chief executive officer of iStar Financial; a $100 bond from the Rotary Club of Youngstown; a $100 bond from the Downtown Kiwanis of Youngstown; a watch from Smith & amp; Co. Jewelers; flowers from Burkland Flowers; a Merriam Webster's Third New International Dictionary and its Addenda section; a Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary; a Scripps Howard Spelling Ace watch; and a Scripps Howard fanny pack and T-shirt.
The second-place winner received a trophy, a $100 bond from Ohio Edison, a $50 bond from Downtown Kiwanis and a Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee backpack and sweat shirt.
The third-place winner received a trophy, a $50 bond from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce and a Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee sweatshirt and T-shirt.
First-, second- and third-place winners also received a copy of The Vindicator's "These Hundred Years."
The newspaper also provided all participants with a dictionary, official spelling bee T-shirt and school champion certificate of achievement.
kubik@vindy.com