2023 Catholic Schools Week

Can you spell ‘dynasty’? This team defines it

Members of the Spell Bowl team of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis are all smiles as they celebrate the school’s third consecutive Indiana State Class 2 Championship. (Submitted photo)

By John Shaughnessy

In any given year, the Catholic high schools in the archdiocese always compete for—and often win—state championships.

In this school year, Lily Cridge of Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis won her second consecutive state championship in girls’ cross country.

The boys’ soccer team of Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis earned its second straight championship in Indiana’s Class 2A tournament while the girls’ volleyball team of Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville claimed the Class 3A state championship.

And Bishop Chatard’s football team captured the Class 3A state championship.

Then there is the team that won its third consecutive Indiana State Class 2 Championship—the Spell Bowl team of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis.

Can you spell “dynasty”?

Actually, spelling “dynasty” wouldn’t be any kind of challenge for the Roncalli Spell Bowl team members, especially considering some of the daunting words they faced this year:

nosocomephobia
gochujang
lachrymal
phosphatidyl
Oberammergau
roentgenium
quixotically
Fontainebleau

Once your head stops spinning, consider that eight of the 10 spellers on the Roncalli team had perfect scores in the state championship.

“The competition involves a team of 10 spellers,” explains Jennifer Schonfeld, Roncalli’s Spell Bowl coach. “Each speller goes up to the stage individually and spells—writes down—nine words during their round. The announcer gives the word, a sentence using the word, and then 10 additional seconds to write the correct spelling. The overall score is a team effort—10 spellers with nine rounds for a total of 90 correct words possible.”

All in all, the Roncalli team spelled 85 of its 90 words correctly.

“I was blown away by how well they did,” Schonfeld says. “This is truly the best score our team has ever gotten, and I was very impressed that a whopping eight spellers had perfect rounds. I couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and dedication. Everyone on the team lifted each other up. They really do a great job of supporting one another.

“It’s a joy to coach them every year and get to know the kids outside of class. I’m honored to share this accomplishment with them.” †