LOXLEY, Ala. — OK, most of us need a vigilant spell-checker to get through a simple letter or an e-mail.

It’s OK. The English language, with its magpie taking of words from many sources is filled with execptions to the “rules.”

There was a spelling mistake in the last sentence. Did you spot it? Hint: It is properly spelled as “exceptions.”

It’s enough to give a proofreader or a writer gray hair.

Still, about 28 Baldwin County students got up on the stage Feb. 3 at the Loxley Civic Center to try their hand at spelling words like “troika,” “providence” and “regatta” for a panel of judges that included Marjorie Ard, the Rev. Jim Batchelor and Tracie Brown.

The stakes were high — after winning their school spelling bees, the students had to face each other down so only one could win a trip to the Alabama spelling bee, which will be held March 7 at Spain Park High School in Hoover, near Birmingham. The winner of that bee will go on to the storied Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

The Baldwin county winner this year was Abigail Marie Akins of Perdido School.

The runner-up was Christian Tyszkiewicz is a sixth-grade student at Elsanor Elementary. If Akins can’t go to the state bee, Tyszkiewicz will take her place.

Tyszkiewicz won his school bee back in December, so he’s had time to study.

“It could have been 30 minutes or two hours (a day),” said Tyszkiewicz who also likes to play the “Medal of Honor” video games and shoot hoops. Because of his role as the county’s understudy, Tyszkiewicz will keep studying right up until time for the state competition.

“It helps me with my schoolwork,” said Tyszkiewicz of studying spelling. “It stimulates my mind.”

“I was so proud of Christian! He worked really hard! He was sick and out of school several days before the contest,” said Elsanor principal Susan Runnels in an e-mail.

“He’s very self-motivated. He’s always been a very strong student academically,” continued Runnels.

It all came down to the word, “muslin.” Both Akins and Tyszkiewicz seemed evenly matched, and then in the final round, Tyszkiewicz slipped on the word, “finesse.” He left off the final “e” in the word that means “skillful handling.”

Akins spelled the name of the sturdy cotton fabric and won the contest. The emotions on her face ranged from surprise to delight as she put a hand to her mouth in astonishment.

“I really didn’t expect to win at all,” said the seventh-grade student, still marveling at the large trophy she received.

“I knew this was going to be really hard on her nerves, said Andy Akins, Abigail’s father.

“I was a little surprised she was so nervous,” confessed the elder Akins. “She sings, writes and plays the guitar.”

Andy Akins added that Abigail sings and plays in coffee shops and other public venues near her home.

“We’re so pleased,” said Trachy Miller, librarian at Perdido School. Miller added that as far as she knew, this was the first time a Perdido student had placed in the district bee.

This was also the first time Elsanor had done so well in district competition.

“Three years ago, Jordan Hess (who was a 4th grader), placed 4th in the Spelling Bee. I don’t think Elsanor has had a winner or first runner up,” said Runnels.