A Bibb County seventh grader is one step closer to the national spelling stage after winning the regional spelling bee Saturday at Fort Valley State University.

Junus Searcy, a Rutland Middle School student, won first place, according to Paula Phelps, district 6 spelling bee consultant. He won on the word “anachronism.”

Junus will now advance to the statewide spelling bee. If he wins there, Junus will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Pooja Prabakaran, of Blackmon Road Middle School in Columbus, earned second place, and Jordan Rogers of Kings Chapel Elementary School in Perry, placed third, according to Steve Wroblewski, assistant principal of Huntington Middle School in Warner Robins.

Paolo Francisco, a student at Huntington Middle School, placed fifth in the competition.