Spelling Bee...3rd place (but really tied for 2nd!)

Dude competed in his school's spelling bee today. We totally forgot the camera, bummer and a half. Two kids from each classroom are chosen to compete in the school bee. Dude was chosen by a mini classroom spelling bee that he won first place in. The school Dude goes to is for 3rd through 5th grades so he was one of the youngest competing. He was so excited and I was so nervous because he refused to practice the list of words. There were 50 students total in the spelling bee. There was a drawing to determine the order and Dude drew numero uno, so he was the first one. He spelled animal, system, surprise, and superintendent (which he asked for a definition and then surprised everyone at the ease in which he spelled it). Then it was down to the final three. Dude, a fourth grader, and a fifth grader. Dude was asked to spell gratuitous. He did a great job sounding it out, but added an extra "s" at the end. The fourth grader was next and misspelled inexplicable. The fifth grader spelled rheumatism correctly for 1st place. So, you'd think Dude and the fourth grader would have a spell out for 2nd place, right? Wrong. Because Dude went first in the round and missed, it automatically made the fourth grader the 2nd place winner and Dude the 3rd. Not very fair if you ask me, but we are SUPER proud all the same. WAY TO GO DUDE!!!!! Last 3rd grader standing!