By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Coby Heller ran Dowagiac's streak of Cass County spelling titles to four Tuesday after finishing second to his friend, Clay Hewitt, in 2003.
Coby, who turns 14 April 23, is the son of Virginia and John Heller.
Coby said he went into competition with a good feeling about his prospects.
Though he makes wordplay look simple, numbers have his heart.
Mathematics is his favorite subject. "I'm thinking about being an accountant," said Coby, who hopes to run on Central's track team this spring.
In his spare time he watches television and plays video games, "and I like to play outside a lot."
Coach Denise Stockwell has produced four county champions in nine years, but she missed the Silver Creek Township neighbors and best friends Clay and Coby matching each other word for word from the 11th round until the 31st round last February because of surgery.
Twenty-eight spellers qualified for the afternoon individual competition where a missed word means sudden death and a seat in the audience, including fifth graders Trent Conn and Brian Craft, both of Cassopolis, and sixth graders Kelsey Foote of Dowagiac, Sasha Lanier of Cassopolis, Morgan Henry of Marcellus and Jalen Williams, Amelia Breslin and Alan Wagner, all of Edwardsburg.
Nine exited after the first round, joined by seven in round two and two each in rounds three, four and five. One speller tripped up in round six to reduce the field to the final five, who all survived a flawless round seven.
Two went out in round eight and all three missed in round nine, including Coby and second-place finisher Mary Mitchell, an Edwardsburg eighth grader, on "palladium."
Since both missed the word, play continued to round 10.
Coby finished by correctly spelling "geochrony," the system of time division used in geology; and "quotidian," occurring daily.
Coby receives a championship plaque and a $50 savings bond.
Mary also won a $50 savings bond.
Dowagiac seventh grader Elizabeth Kolden finished third, followed by Edwardsburg eighth grader Andy Hall in fourth and Edwardsburg seventh grader Lexi Ludwig, fifth.
In morning team competition, Cassopolis fifth graders were first with 38, followed by: Edwardsburg (32), second; Marcellus (26), third; and Dowagiac (19), fourth.
Members of the victorious Cassopolis team included Ryne Nickel, Trent Conn, Brain Craft, Brenan Westrick and Amber Williams.
Edwardsburg won the sixth grade contest with 40, trailed by: Dowagiac, Marcellus and Cassopolis, all with 31.
Edwardsburg's team consisted of Dakota Yancy, Julianne Phillips, Amelia Brolin, Jalen Williams and Alan Wagner.
The Eddies also captured first among seventh graders with 46 to edge Marcellus at 45. Dowagiac (35) was third and Cassopolis (33), fourth.
Representing Edwardsburg were Lexi Ludwig, Jacey Nissen, Lindsey Davis, Justine Gray and Brett Mitchell.
Edwardsburg's eighth grade team was also triumphant. Andy Hall, Jenee Antonin, Megan Drone, Mary Mitchell and Tammy Jo Schlenther tallied 43 points. Marcellus was second with 41 to nip Dowagiac's 40. Cassopolis tallied 26 for fourth.
Lewis Cass Intermediate School District hosted the 21st annual spelling bee in the auditorium at Southwestern Michigan College's Dale A. Lyons Building.