Southwest Ohio has a new reigning spelling champion Abhilash Yarlagadda

CINCINNATI -- Southwest Ohio has a new C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N speller, eighth-grader Abhilash Yarlagadda, from Sycamore Junior High School.

Ken Chen, of Wyoming Middle School, placed second, and William Culbertson, of Walnut Hills High School, placed third.

Yarlagadda will represent the Tri-State at the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., later this spring.