After a few rounds the field, which had representatives from virtually all public middle and elementary schools, private schools, as well as Catholic and Lutheran Schools, had been narrowed to fourteen spellers, six of which were from are Lutheran schools. Before long the field was just five. After two young spellers from Northwest Allen were eliminated there were just three, an eighth grader from Northwood Middle School (FWCS), an eighth graders from St. Paul Lutheran, eventual champion Elizabeth Cage, and 5th grader Kyla.

Kyla stumbled on precocious (ironically a word that describes her well). The very next round the young man from Northwood misspelled a word and Miss Cage, daughter of one of the St. Paul pastors, captured the crown.

Kyla's folks and her older sister, past champion Serene, now a sophomore at CLHS, were very proud of Kyla as she battled students four years her senior.

"There is always next year" they reminding the young spelling virtuoso.

Kyla's outstanding performance adds to an excellent run by Concordia spellers of two thirds and one first in the last three years.