WASHINGTON, D.C. — Madison County student Austin Hoke was eliminated from the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday when he misspelled “Sioux,” the name of the American Indian tribe.

Hoke, 14, an eighth-grader at Mount Vernon Middle School in Fortville, spelled the word as “sou” during the second round of the event in Washington, D.C.

This was his third trip in four years to the national competition. He was sponsored by The Herald Bulletin after winning the local bee on March 11.

He is the son of Roger and Diana Hoke.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were five contestants from Indiana left in the quarterfinals. The finals are will air live on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. today.

For updates, visit the Web site at www.spellingbee.com.