A fourth trip to the Morgan County Spelling Bee turned out to be a charm for Hartselle’s Lily Norris, as she won the championship trophy in competition with 31 other school winners Feb. 4. 

A Hartselle Intermediate School sixth grader, Norris ousted defending champion Deep Patel by correcting spelling “legato” and “solitaire” in the 12th round.  

Deep, a fifth grader at Leon Sheffield Magnet School in Decatur, left Norris the last speller standing when he incorrectly spelled the word “antipathy.” He had earlier erred in his spelling of a word in the opening round but was allowed to re-enter the competition on an appeal to the panel of judges.  

In addition to receiving a championship trophy, Lily advanced to the state Spelling Bee, which will be held in Birmingham during the week of May 24-29.  

She is the daughter of Paul and Paige Norris of Hartselle.  

Some of the words that caused problems for contestants were “sieve,” lozenge,” “serpentine,” “sirloin,” “factoid” and “outrageous.” 

School winners wait off stage for the start of the 2020 Morgan County Spelling Bee at Hartselle High School Feb. 4.

The Spelling Bee was conducted in the Hartselle High School Auditorium, beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at 10:45 a.m. 

In addition to the winner and runner–up, school winners were Bryant Maze, Austin Junior High; Benjamin Lowman, Austin Middle; Iman Mosley, Austinville Elementary; Bodie Goss, Barkley Bridge Elementary; Kyler Mantz, Banks-Caddell Elementary; Paige Willits, Chestnut Grove Elementary; Annika Kallas; Cotaco School; Rowan Blackwood, Crestline Elementary; Brayden Schrimsher, Danville Middle; Colton Penney, Danville-Neel Elementary; Ashlyn Jones, Decatur Heritage Christian Academy; Ian DeLeon, Decatur Middle; Emma-Glenn Roby, Eastwood Elementary; Callie Smith, Eva School; Anna Grace Delucenay, F.E. Burleson Elementary; Reed Dillard, Falkville Elementary; 

Ella Kyler, Falkville High; Kingston Dawson, Frances Nungester Elementary; Cynthia Gonzalez, Julian Harris Elementary; Killian Altman, Lacey’s Spring School; Jordan Davis, Oak Park Elementary; Zane Ferguson, Priceville Elementary; Garrett Britnell, Priceville Junior High; Ian Wickwire, Saint Ann Catholic; Grace Sanders, Union Hill School; Scarlett Lancaster, Walter Jackson Elementary; Adeltz Blanco-Tabaras; Addison Borden, West Morgan Elementary; Allie Cooper, West Morgan Middle; and Anthony Nava, Woodmeade Elementary. 

Dr. Sam Houston pronounced words, and Martine Bates Fairbanks, Randy Sparkman and Reba Wadsworth served as judges. The host team consisted of Dena Mayfield, Shanna Coan, Amy Hill and Tammy Baylis.