VALDOSTA — Two syllables. 

Definition: a concentrated bombardment. 

Used in a sentence: Jon Liu successfully took on a “barrage” of words to spell his way to first place at the Lowndes County School System Spelling Bee Friday at Lowndes High School. 

Liu, an eighth grader from Hahira Middle School, correctly spelled the word “barrage,” winning him the title of Lowndes County School System spelling bee winner. 

The misspelling of the word “baba,” which is a rich cake soaked in rum and syrup, opened up the chance for victory to Liu. 

First, he correctly spelled “vigilante” and then followed with “barrage.” 

The outcome isn’t new for Liu. He has a strong history with the LCSS spelling bee. 

He won first place in the 2017 competition, and in 2015, when Liu was in fifth grade, he and his sister, Joyce, exhausted all 375 of the spelling bee words prior to Joyce claiming first place. 

Following this spelling bee, Liu will compete in the District 9 Spelling Bee to be held Saturday, Feb. 24 at Jones-Wheat Elementary School in Bainbridge. 

Miko Colasito, a fifth grader at Westside Elementary School, was the other finalist and received second place at the LCSS spelling bee. 

Ginsey Lawlor, a sixth grader at Lowndes Middle School, was the third-place winner. Lawlor was the second-place winner in the 2017 LCSS spelling bee. 

The spelling bee consisted of two winners from the Lowndes County elementary and middle schools for a total of 20 competitors. The schools included were Clyattville Elementary, Dewar Elementary, Hahira Elementary, Lake Park Elementary, Moulton Branch Elementary, Pine Grove Elementary, Westside Elementary, Hahira Middle, Lowndes Middle and Pine Grove Middle. 

The spelling bee judges were Willie Allen, Al Rowell and Tammi Sims with pronouncer Pam Guice, who provided the words to contestants. 

Kimberly Cannon is a Reporter with The Valdosta Daily Times. Her extension is 1376.