Ritchie wins spelling bee

Students packed into the Wapakoneta Middle School Auditorium on Wednesday, the final day before winter break, to watch their classmates duke it out on stage for a chance at the school-wide spelling bee crown.

In a tense final round, Cole Ritchie came out on top, correctly spelling 'cypress' to take the first place trophy, and now will begin preparation for the district bee.

Should he choose to accept the invitation.

"I'm still not sure if I want to do it," Ritchie said. "I don't want to study."

And who could blame him after already taking on a rigorous practice schedule leading up to the school-wide bee. Ritchie practiced every hour of every day to prepare...

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