Tri·gem·i·nal: The word that put an Ocean Bay student in the National Spelling Bee
Alex Nikolov was cool and collected as he correctly rattled off words during The Sun News’ 32nd Annual Regional Spelling Bee at St. High School Saturday afternoon.
The fact that the Ocean Bay Middle Schooler showed up a mere five minutes before the event started didn’t faze him. Nor did failing in his first attempt to clinch the win.
However, the sixth-grader’s cool demeanor was disrupted suddenly just minutes after winning when his 6-year-old brother jumped into his arms for a big hug.
“I was surprised because usually he doesn’t really care about things I do,” Alex Nikolov said of his brother Niki, who gloriously hoisted his sibling’s trophy following post-bee obligations.
The elder Nikolov secured the title in the 12th round by spelling “trigeminal” correctly after runner-up Magnolia Moran, a seventh-grader at Socastee Middle, was incorrect in her attempt to spell “nihilism.” The victory clinched Nikolov a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in Washington, D.C. in May. It will be his second trip to the nation’s capital as he went there as a fifth-grader for a field trip.
“I’m semi-surprised because I came here last year and I got out,” said Nikolov, who enjoys dancing, tumbling and playing Roblox in his spare time. “But then that gave me more courage basically and I was able to spell better words this year.”
There wasn’t a ton of drama as five competitors were eliminated in the sixth round, leaving only Nikolov and Moran to compete in a spell-off in order to determine a winner. The most nerve-wracking moment came in the 10th round, when Nikolov was one letter off from spelling “emolument” correctly to win.
“I got a little bit discouraged, but I knew that I still had a chance so I kept on trying and focusing,” said Nikolov, who wants to be an architect when he grows up.
For Moran, meanwhile, it meant she was still in the competition.
“I was so relieved I still had a chance,” she said.
But two rounds later Nikolov came out on top, earning a chance to compete with some of the nation’s top spellers in D.C.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “I’m just a little bit scared about the studying and going against the best spellers.”
Moran, obviously upset she’d come up short, tried to look on the bright side, acknowledging that she hadn’t made it this far the year before, and that she’s got another chance at it next year.
“It definitely gives me some hope that I’ll be able to win it next year,” said Moran, who enjoys writing fiction and wants to be an author or an engineer when she gets older.
Both Nikolov and Moran earned a bevy of gifts for taking the top two spots. Nikolov’s top prize of going to the National Spelling Bee includes all expenses paid for he and a chaperone. If Nikolov can’t make the trip, Moran will be first up to take his spot.
“I was little bit surprised, but I felt good.”
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 7:43 PM.
