Two Mathews County teenagers dominated the regional spelling bee held Saturday in Hampton, outlasting the rest of the competition by many rounds.

Baylor Towne won for the second year and earned a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in Washington, D.C. Caleb Selph held on round-for-round, word-for-word, until tripping over "cruller."

Baylor Towne, home-schooled, is also a prodigy in music, playing violin, viola and piano with the Court House Orchestra, Williamsburg Youth Orchestra, and Strings & Things. Caleb Selph, a student at Thomas Hunter Middle School, is preparing to attend the national Quiz Bowl with teammates from his school’s Junior Beta Club, having won at the state level.

Both students bring pride to their home county and to their teachers. We predict that a bright future is spelled out for them.
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