Congratulation to Catherine Wagner for winning today's Wake County Spelling Bee.

Wagner, 13, an eighth-grader at St. Michael School in Cary, came out on top of a field that included 78 competitors, mostly from the Wake County school system. The event lasted more than 4 1/2 hours and 23 rounds.

Wagner's prizes will include an all-expenses paid trip in June to Washington D.C. for the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Wagner will be the first student to represent Wake in the national competition since 1997.

National Spelling Bee (8pm, ABC) - You can fill your quota of adorable, intelligent youngsters tonight when the championship rounds of the 83rd annual Spelling Bee begin in Washington, DC. Earlier rounds are broadcast on ESPN beginning at 10am. You can also follow The Bee on Twitter (@ScrippsBee) for a blow-by-blow account of the action. At left is a frustrated speller from Thursday's early rounds (courtesy of ScrippsBee).

Friday Night Lights (8pm, NBC) - After the death of his father, Matt gets support from the Taylors and from Landry. Also, Vince jeopardizes his football future (and pretty much his future in general) trying to provide for his mother.  

Dateline: Disaster in the Gulf (9pm, NBC) - Ann Curry anchors a special two-hour report on the massive oil spill along the Gulf coast.

Whale Wars (9pm, Animal Planet) - The third season opens with Captain Watson leading three ships out of different ports on a campaign against illegal whaling in the Antarctic.