The boys held out against the girls Saturday morning by taking the top three places in the 2019 Bell County Spelling Bee at the Temple College Pavilion.

Newton Tran, 13, an eighth-grader at Academy Middle School received the first-place $100 prize and traveling trophy from Mike Hicks, circulation manager of the Temple Daily Telegram, which produces the Spelling Bee. Jeb Rine, 13, an eighth-grader at Salado Junior High School, won the second-place plaque and $50. Shrey Gupta, 13, a seventh-grader at North Belton Middle School, took the third-place plaque and $25.

Fans of the 350,000 words in the English language can celebrate its variety at the Temple Daily Telegram’s 88th annual Bell County Spelling Bee on Saturday.

The 87th annual Bell County Spelling Bee went smoothly for a while on Saturday morning in the Temple College Pavilion. It looked like it would be a long day for the audience — mostly family members of the 42 contestants.

Simone Douglas, an eighth-grader at Union Grove Middle School in Harker Heights, spelled “miasma” to win the 86th Bell County Spelling Bee at the Temple College Pavilion on Saturday morning.

More than 50 students will compete Saturday in the 86th annual Bell County Spelling Bee sponsored by the Temple Daily Telegram.

Jackson Belobrajdic, a sixth-grader from Lake Belton Middle School, won the 85th Bell County Spelling Bee on Saturday morning at the Temple Civic Theatre, by spelling familial.

Lauren Carlson, an eighth-grader at Central Texas Christian School in Temple, correctly spelled “ogress” and won the 84th Bell County Spelling Bee at the Temple Civic Theatre on Saturday.

Middle school students aren’t alone at spending hours each day reviewing a long list of words in preparation for the 84th annual Bell County Spelling Bee. The three judges and pronouncer also have spent a good chunk of time reviewing the words.

“The word list is great nighttime reading,” judge Linda Barnes said.

Barnes has been a spelling bee judge for eight out of the last nine spelling bees and is the only returning judge to the bee this year.