COEUR d’ALENE — The defending North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee champion claimed the title once again on Saturday, becoming the second speller ever to win the bee two years in a row.

Joseph Moran, a North Idaho Homeschool Educators Association sixth-grader, will represent North Idaho when he competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in late May.

“I feel good. I’m excited I get to do it again,” a smiling Joseph said as he sat on the edge of the stage in the North Idaho College Schuler Performing Arts Center after clinching his win and being showered with confetti.

When the judges flashed the green light to let him know he spelled the champion word of “surveillance,” he said he had one thought.

“I was like, ‘Did this really happen?’” he said. “I expected that the thing would have been over by then because last year was only 15 rounds and the previous one before that was only eight. This one was 26.”

A history-maker for one-on-one rounds — 14 — and almost a record-breaker for number of total rounds, the spelling bee was also a nail-biter.

Thirty-five students from nine North Idaho school districts entered the bee, but were slowly eliminated until it came down to three.

At Round 9, Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy sixth-grader Emma Fisch and Sandpoint Middle School seventh-grader Urielle Abad joined Joseph in the word war for top spot.

Emma made it to round 12, then Joseph and Urielle duked it out for 14 more rounds until Urielle finally got a red light when he slipped up on the word “narcissistic.”

“It was nerve-racking,” said Joseph’s mom, Sally Moran. “It was tough competition, it seemed tougher this year.”

Joseph said he and his family would celebrate by dining out. His little brother, Adam, also competed in the bee this year and made it to Round Four, tying for eighth with four other spellers.

"I was a little bit nervous,” the fourth-grader said, adding that it was exciting to see his brother win first place.

The only other time a student won two consecutive years was when Sabrina Smith, a then-student of Christian Center School, won in 2009 and 2010.

Lakes Magnet Middle School eighth-grader Elisabeth Edmonds placed seventh and went out in Round 5.

"I'm really nervous. I was here last year and got third place," she said during a break early in the bee. "I'm excited, but I'm also nervous and kind of hyped up."

Spelling bee coordinator Mindy Patterson said the spellers "keep getting better and better and better. It's pretty amazing."

"This is my favorite event," she said. "Just seeing these kids and watching them do something they love to do is just so fun."

Not only is it fun, but it's an important event for the students, Patterson said.

"This is their time to shine. It's something special for them," she said. "I have school districts in the area that aren't participating, and I want them to participate. It's important for kids to have that outlet to do what they are good at."

For information on the Scripps National Spelling Bee where Joseph will again compete against students from around the nation, visit www.spellingbee.com.