(KRON) — After three hours of spelling, two Santa Clara County junior high school students were named as co-champions of the 2023 California State Spelling Bee, and earned spots to compete in the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Eighth-grader Vikrant Chintanaboina from Discovery Charter School – Falcon Campus, and seventh-grader Shradha Rachamreddy from BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Upper School, became co-champions last weekend.

Judges declared Rachamreddy, 13, and Chintanaboina, 14, as winners after exhausting an extensive list of words at the state’s spelling bee championship held in Stockton. The two super spellers out-spelled 41 stellar students from counties across the state.

Shradha Rachamreddy competed at the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., on May 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

State spelling bee officials said some of the words correctly spelled by Rachamreddy and Chintanaboina were: gyascutus, myrmidon, onomatopoeia, perihelion, marocain, cernuous, insouciance, chiaroscurist, vacuousness, sesquicentennial, argillaceous, viscount, sacrilegious, vociferate, albumen, obdurate, rondeau, heinousness, olecranon, and planetesimal.

Shradha Rachamreddy is seen competing at the 2023 California State Spelling Bee. (Image courtesy San Joaquin County Office of Education)

“A big congratulations to them both for their determination and dedication to challenging their competitors and themselves,” said County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mary Ann Dewan.

Vikrant and Shradha will compete at the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee and face off against 229 other spellers from schools around the country. The 94th Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held on May 31 and June 1.

“We look forward to seeing their accomplishments at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. All of Santa Clara County is rooting for them,” Dewan said.

Vikrant Chintanaboina, then 13, of San Jose, also competed at the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md. on May 31, 2022. (AP Photo /Jacquelyn Martin)

Vikrant is a true veteran when it comes to spelling on Scripps’ national stage. He competed in 2022 tying for 49th place, and in 2019 tying for 51st place.

Shradha is also an experienced speller. She is returning to the national bee after tying in 2022 for 23rd place, and in 2019 for 51st place.

Vikrant Chintanaboina competes in the 2023 California State Spelling Bee. (Image courtesy SJCOE)

The state spelling bee was hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education.