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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — An eighth-grader at Alcott Middle School in Norman has won the Central Oklahoma Spelling Bee for the third year in a row.
The Oklahoman (http://bit.ly/1AXwaLb ) reports that 14-year-old Cole Shafer-Ray won the contest Sunday after spelling "bustard," a large bird.
"He's gotten a little taller each year. We've watched him grow," said Susie Grimes of Yukon, who was the pronouncer for Sunday's bee.
Schafer-Ray went through 23 rounds to beat his competitors for a place at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
He said he had never heard the winning word before and completely guessed how to spell it.
"Every other word I spelled I knew what it meant, but I'd never heard of a bustard," he said. "I just kept asking questions about it until I took a guess on how to spell it."
Schafer-Ray enjoyed this year's competition, and is excited to have another chance to compete at the national competition.
"I think it's been about the best and most competitive in the three years I've been doing this," he said.
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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com
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