Nearly 100 Scrabble teams from all over the U.S., including six teams from Magnolia, traveled to Florida on recently to compete in the National School Scrabble Championship.

Bear Branch Junior High (BBJH) eighth grade students Emily Ward and Amanda Sass, or the “AE Destroyers,” placed first in state and seventh in the national tournament making them the first all-girl team to place in the top ten and the all-time highest scoring Texas team at the National School Scrabble Championship.

Pictured is Amanda Sass (middle right) and Emily Ward (bottom right) and Scrabble competitors (left) in their final round.

The “Bingo Boys” team, which consists of BBJH seventh grade student Jack Titzman and Bear Branch Elementary (BBE) fifth grade student Jacob Sass placed third in the state and 16th in the national tournament.

The Nichols Sawmill Elementary team of fifth grade students Koby Lee Winters and Spencer Frazier earned “Highest Scoring Team” for their grade level.

The other three teams were also from Nichols Sawmill Elementary.

The “AE Destroyers” and “Bingo Boys” say they began their experience with Scrabble in their Gifted and Talented Program at BBE.

Parent Patricia Sass said they lacked competition and sought an opportunity for them to enhance their Scrabble skills. She visited the Houston Adult Scrabble Club where she met Benjamin Withers and he agreed to be their coach.

Withers taught them strategy, time management and the ability to recognize words fast, according to Titzman. Sass has now been to the national competition four times, Titzman attended for the third time. Ward and Jacob Sass attended for their first time.

Nichols Sawmill Gifted and Talented teacher Cherrie Edwards began teaching competitive Scrabble about eight years ago. She said she saw an article about Scrabble and its academic benefits so she joined the school’s Scrabble Club.

In order to participate in competitive Scrabble, students must be in fifth through eighth grade. The six teams won at state and regional competition making it to the national competition.

At the national level the teams compete in seven games. The teams that win the most games are then ranked on a point spread which declares the winners. The “AE Destroyers” won six games and their points placed them in seventh.

“The teams did very well,” Edwards said. “You wouldn’t think a Scrabble game would be a nail biter, but it is.”

Sass and Ward said they won $250 and several other prizes including board games and Scrabble snacks.

However, Sass and Ward will no longer be eligible to compete in School Scrabble as they will be entering high school. The two say they want to continue playing in the Houston Scrabble Club.

The “Bingo Boys” claim they will be the national champs next year.

Withers said Jacob Sass is a “real prodigy” because of his age and word knowledge and Titzman is “very advanced” for his age, as well.

Edwards and Withers say they will continue practicing and working with the students during the summer and fall to prepare for next year.

The 2011 national champion’s team from Toronto won $10,000 and an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Good Morning America.

For more information about Scrabble, visit scrabbleassociation.com. For information about joining a team email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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