Spellbinders outlast competition in Moab Adult Spelling Bee
Nov 15, 2012 | 469 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Master of ceremonies Annie Larsen presents trophies to the winning team of spellers, Maggie Wyatt, Katie Stevens, and Deb Shank. Photo by Penny Richards
Master of ceremonies Annie Larsen presents trophies to the winning team of spellers, Maggie Wyatt, Katie Stevens, and Deb Shank. Photo by Penny Richards
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It took 13 rounds, 32 difficult words and nearly two hours to eliminate 14 teams and decide a winner in the second annual Moab Adult Spelling Bee held last Thursday, Oct. 8 at Star Hall.

  The final two three-person teams remaining in the event were the Spellbinders and Moab Sun News. In round 13 of the contest, the Sun News team missed “hors d’oeuvre” but Spellbinders got it right, and also nailed the ensuing clinching word, “asphyxiant” (which also happened to be last year’s winning word) to claim the title.

  The Spellbinders team members (Katie Stevens, Deb Shank, and Maggie Wyatt) each received a trophy and a frozen turkey for their efforts.

  Six teams went out in the fifth round alone, with “incandescence” knocking out Moab Auto Group, “diaphanous” eliminating both the Grand County High School and Grand County Middle School faculty teams, and “depilatory” plucking the Spot-On Spellers, The Times-Independent, and Zions Bank from the competition.

  Several of the teams dressed in clever costumes, with the D.D. Top team from Eastern Community Credit Union winning the prize for best costume. Various prizes donated by local merchants were also given away as door prizes. The event was a fundraiser for the Grand County Education Foundation.

  A total of 15 teams competed in the event. Listed in reverse order of elimination, the teams were: 1) Spellbinders, 2) Moab Sun News, 3) Sloan Law Firm Spelling Bees, 4) KZMU, 5) Grand County School Board, 6) Moab Auto Group, 7) (six-way tie) Spot-On Spellers, Zions Bank, The Times-Independent, Grand County High School faculty, Grand County Middle School faculty, and Eastern Utah Community Credit Union (D.D. Top), 13) Central Utah Insurance Swinging Spellers, 14) (tie) Moab Grill (Alice in Wonderland) and New York Life/Moab Toastmasters. 
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