Middle School 7th-grader Trey Williams won the 52nd Charlotte Observer Regional Spelling Bee Monday in Charlotte, nailing “protius” and “conquistador” after his remaining competitor missed a word in the 12th round.

Trey, 13-year-old son of Laura and Bryson Williams of Fort Mill, is an avid video-game player and loves to read. He said he practiced for the bee just once, the night before. Many bee participants study and practice at least an hour a day for weeks.

After Gideon Whaley of Midland (N.C.) missed “baleen” by inserting two “l’s,” Trey confidently spelled the final two words. He qualifies for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., May 29-June 2.

Because of Trey’s win, York (S.C.) County has pulled even in regional bee victories with Mecklenburg (N.C.) County, where The Charlotte Observer is headquartered. It was Fort Mill Middle School’s third win in the bee that dates back to 1955. Sean Hou, an FMMS student, won in 1997 and 1998.

This year’s regional bee featured 28 spellers who had won school-system bees in 15 counties.

Last school year, Trey was runnerup in the Fort Mill School District’s system bee, eliminated when he misspelled “enchilada.” Trey’s father works for Sun Chemical, which manufactures printing ink; Trey’s mother is director of children’s ministries at St. John’s Methodist Church in Fort Mill.

Runnerup Gideon Whaley, now a 7th grader, competed as a 5th grader against his brother Gabe, then in 8th grade, in their school system’s bee (Cabarrus County public schools) two years ago. Gideon finished second to his brother in that bee. Gideon, a budding soccer star, scored both goals as his team of players 12 and 13 won their age group’s championship game, 2-1, Sunday in a tournament in the Charlotte United Futbol Club.

Third-place Elisha Alexander at 10 years old was one of the regional bee’s youngest spellers. Elisha, a 5th-grader at Jefferson Elementary School in York (S.C.), stayed with Trey and Gideon until he misspelled “virulence” in the 10th round.