(KTXL) — Some of California’s best young spellers competed in the 2023 California State Spelling Bee on Saturday and two Northern California students came away with podium victories.

The event, hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, was held in Stockton and 88 students from across 27 counties competed for their chance to be state elementary or junior high champion.

Two Northern California students took the first and second place spots in the elementary division with Shasta County’s sixth grade student Tristan Friesen correctly spelling the winning word culottes.

Runner-up from Placer County was fifth grade student Priya Sekera.

In the junior high division, Santa Clara County students Vikrant Chintanabonia, eighth grade, and Shradha Rachamreddy, seventh grade, would end up sharing the championship title.

There were 47 students competing in the elementary division, which consisted of students between grades fourth through sixth.

In the junior high division, there were 41 students between grades seventh and ninth.

In order to compete in the State Championship, all students must be certified county champions by their home county’s superintendent of schools.