Brothers bring rivalry back to the Bee

Tennesia Malcolm, Staff Reporter

ST ANN'S BAY, St Ann:

Call it déjà vu if you will. It was the same parish and the same two spellers who kept the audience entertained for several minutes after all the others had been eliminated. In the end, it was the same outcome.

But there were some differences too. Different venue, different coach, and a different reaction from the runner-up.

This time there were no tears from 11-year-old Daniel Harrison who once again watched older brother Sajaey take the trophy in the St Ann final of The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee competition.

Prepared for defeat

Mother and coach of both boys, Sandra Harrison, said she had prepared the younger of the two for possible defeat.

"I told him he's young and he can come back," she said.

Her advice seemed to have worked, as Daniel gracefully accepted defeat. Boys will be boys, so there were no hugs, but he expressed joy at Sajaey's win.

"I'm glad he won, but I'm going to take it next year."

His superior spelling can no doubt cause him to do just that. In fact, such was the brothers' ability that even fellow spellers were in awe. Third-place winner Shandae Barnett commented, "I couldn't manage them."

But though the brothers stood together when it mattered, Sajaey admitted that they do go toe to toe sometimes.

"When he spells a word wrong and I tell him, he doesn't want to accept it and I tell him, 'Come on, don't lie'," the 13-year-old champion shared. That's where the verbal tussling normally begins between the taller Daniel, who is more outspoken than the laid-back Sajaey.

According to mom Sandra, Sajaey's tendency to be laid-back may have cost him a coach.

"(Former coach) Mrs Valerie Bailey-Wishart said only Jesus can come off the cross and get her to coach him again, but I have confidence in him that he can reach far," Harrison said with a conviction that only a mother could possess. Still, she thanked the former coach for all she had taught.

Round two of the sibling rivalry played out at the Evansville Business Complex in St Ann's Bay yesterday where 60 spellers turned up.

tennesia.malcolm@gleanerjm.com