Karthik Nemmani swayed onstage in a blue hoodie, hands clasped behind his back.

In any other year, the 14-year-old from McKinney, Tex., would not have made it to the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

But as a wild-card contender in Thursday’s contest, he took home the top prize, besting a four-time veteran who was all but favored to win.

Naysa Modi was graceful and poised, a 12-year-old from Frisco, Tex., who had participated in previous Scripps national bees but had never won.

This was not the first time she had squared off with Karthik. The middle-schooler had vanquished him in March at the Golden Chick Dallas Regional Spelling Bee.