Suvechha Sarkar
With the stakes at an all-time high and the clock ticking louder than ever, the Semifinals come to a dramatic close in season 17 episode 9 of NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior.’ It is the last chance for the remaining athletes to secure one of the final 20 spots in the National Finals. As the final night of the Semifinals kicks off, the competitors are ready to give it their all because they know the next stage ups the ante with a two-lane racing course that begins next week. Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila guide us again through every nail-biting run, while Zuri captures the raw emotions from the sidelines.
The Final Night of the Semifinals Kicks Off With Emotional Stories
The third and final night of the Semifinals begins as Matt and Akbar announce that among the 10 iconic obstacles for the night, the new one is the Dungeon as the 9th obstacle. It made its debut five years prior and knocked out over half of the ninjas who reached it. The helm passes on to Zuri, who gives a preview of the hosts counting the most memorable celebrity moments on the course for the night. The rest of the obstacles that the athletes are facing are: #1 Quad Steps, #2 Lunatic Ledges, #3 Log Runner, #4 Crank It Up, #5 V Formation, #6 Warped Wall, #7 Salmon Ladder, #8 Corkscrew, and #10 Invisible Ladder. The game night officially commences with 37-year-old Gym Owner Spencer Johnson from Clive, Iowa, taking the stage.
Spencer and his father, Joe, began an initiative, Change Course, to give struggling individuals a second chance in life. In his confessional, the ninja reveals that he started the initiative for his father, who was in prison for 6 months, when he reportedly pleaded guilty to a Ponzi scheme. The incident made Joe realize that not every person receives equal opportunity in life, which led to the creation of the initiative. All Spencer wants is for his father to see him take on obstacles like he did in his life. As he begins his run, the hosts add that he was an elite gymnast and ranked in the top 30 in the country. Spencer last competed eight years ago, and in this year’s Qualifiers, he made it to the fifth obstacle. This time, he successfully overcomes eight obstacles before falling into the water on the ninth one.
When Zuri interviews him, Spencer says it doesn’t matter where one is because there is always going to be an obstacle. However, there is hope behind each challenge, and everyone needs to remember it. The next athlete for the night is 16-year-old rookie Brandon Griffin from New York. He has been a ninja superfan since he was two years old and later found his way into Gymnastics. He showcases those skills flawlessly by overcoming six obstacles, but the bar of the Salmon Ladder misses the mark shortly, leading to his fall. Next up is 16-year-old high school student Kenzie Hughes from Libertyville, Illinois. When she is not in ninja training, she is on the football field playing the sport. She is a defensive back and rusher, and explains that she needs lots of grip strength to hold onto the ball, just like some of the obstacles. The game requires Kenzie to have speed, agility, and strength, which are also needed on the course, so she is excited to take on the course.
As Corkscrew Claims Several Athletes, the Pressure Continues to Mount
Kenzie is one of the tallest women and the youngest female athlete of the night. She flies through the course and climbs the Warped Wall for the first time, but her grip gives out on the Corkscrew. Right after, the hosts take everyone to the fifth memorable celebrity moment in the list for the night, which came from Kameron Wimbley, a former football defensive end. In season 4, he completed the Qualifiers course, and at 255 lbs, he is the heaviest athlete ever to hit the Buzzer. Casey Rothschild from Holliston, Massachusetts, is the next player to take the stage. The former college athlete looks forward to getting into her third National Finals, but unfortunately, she falls into the water on V Formation. Following her is 19-year-old Boston University student Tate Becker from Concord, Massachusetts.
Tate overcomes seven obstacles back-to-back, but falls into the water on Corkscrew. Zuri then introduces 35-year-old Joe Moravsky from Monroe, Connecticut, as the next player. He has qualified for the National Finals every season he has competed in, which is 11 times. He also has 35 career buzzers, which is the most buzzers ever. In hopes of keeping his streak alive, he swiftly moves through the course and overcomes nine obstacles. He faced Invisible Ladder when it first debuted, but this time, he fails to climb all the way. Although there is a good chance he may be moving on to the Finals, no buzzer means a lower seat for the same. It is now the turn of Emily Gardiner from Bedford Hills, New York. She overcomes the fifth obstacle for the first time, gets past the 7th one to reach Corkscrew. Sadly, during the third spin, Emily falls into the water.
The next athlete is former track star Sebastian Ramos from East Harlem, New York. Despite a hiccup during the Lunatic Ledges, he overcomes seven obstacles but falls on Corkscrew. 22-year-old Luke Lowell-Liszanckie from Shelter Island, New York, is the next person to take the stage. The rookie surpasses the 8th obstacle, but the Dungeon sadly ends his run. The 10th contestant of the night is 15-year-old high school student Jason Behrends from Cedar Falls, Iowa. A few years back, at just 4’1”, he competed in ‘ANW Junior.’ Now, he is 4’11”, and he became the shortest athlete ever to hit the Qualifiers Buzzer. Jason remarks that he once again wants to prove that size doesn’t matter. Although he swiftly passes the first eight obstacles, he hits a snag on the Dungeon due to his weight. With force, he manages to overcome the obstacle and successfully presses the Buzzer at 05:10.01 after taking on two more of them.
The Youngest-ever Finisher Heightens the Energy of the Night
The outcome of Jason’s run makes him the youngest and the first finisher of the night. He is now also the smallest athlete ever to complete an extended obstacle course and hit the Buzzer. Right after, the hosts turn everyone’s attention to the fourth memorable celebrity moment on the course, which came from Jason Soares, an MMA Fighter, who in season 5 (2013) overcame a 10-obstacle Semifinals course to hit the Buzzer, becoming the only fighter to do so. Jason’s brother, Ben Behrends, follows suit right after and successfully presses the Buzzer at 04:16.79. With this, he has been to the National Finals for three straight years. The 12th athlete of the night is 5-time ninja veteran and Middle School Teacher Rachel Degutz from East Brunswick, New Jersey. Despite a fabulous start, her run is cut short on the eighth obstacle.
It is now the turn for Abby Clark from Bedminster, New Jersey, who has been to the National Finals three times. She has her fiancé, Joe Capo, on the sidelines, and the pair runs a ninja gym together. She meticulously overcomes the first seven obstacles but falls into the water on Corkscrew. However, the hosts announce that she still has a good chance of moving on to the Finals, depending on her speed. The next athlete to take the stage is 20-year-old Ninja Coach Xavier Dantzler, AKA X, from Queens, New York. He competed for the first time in the 2021 Qualifiers as a high schooler, and it is his fourth time competing on the show. During his debut, he made it to the National Finals, but this time, his foot spins a log on the Log Runner, leading to his fall. It is now the turn of the Graphic Designer, Philip Scott, who has returned to the course after four years.
Philip hit the Qualifying Buzzer this year, but unfortunately, the 3-time veteran’s feet hit the water on Log Runner. His friend, Ethan Gardulski from Riverview, Michigan, had also hit the Buzzer in the Qualifiers. However, his run is cut short on the Salmon Ladder, which makes it unlikely for him to move to the top 20 for the Finals. Then comes 24-year-old Gym Owner Matt D’amico from Billerica, Massachusetts. In his confessional, the player opens up that he is teaching the next generation, and some of them start at just four years old. He adds that if he could achieve so much after he started at just 14 years old, he only imagines what they are going to be able to accomplish when they reach his age. With several of his students on the sidelines, he aims to hit a Buzzer tonight. Matt successfully conquers the course and presses the Buzzer at 04:47.25.
Some of the Veterans Face Emotional Setbacks and Early Exits
The 18th athlete to run the course is a 21-year-old St. John’s University student, Travis Nguyen, from Milford, Connecticut. To his dismay, just like the Qualifiers, history repeats itself as he falls into the V Formation. Right after is 28-year-old Barry Boyd from Powhatan, Virginia. Unlike this year’s Qualifiers, he succeeds in overcoming V Formation and then two more obstacles before falling into the water on Corkscrew. The focus then shifts to Jamie Rahn, AKA Captain NBC, from Troy, Missouri. The 36-year-old is a 15-time ninja veteran who has faced every obstacle on the course for the night, including the Dungeon that cut his run short five years prior. Sadly, once again, he falls into the water on the very same obstacle. 41-year-old Ryan Stratis from Greenville, South Carolina, takes his position in the starting line.
Ryan is a 14-time ninja veteran who has 23 career Buzzers till now and competed in the very first season. He begins his run with a traditional Japanese backslap, and in the course, he tries to make it to the third ledge of the Lunatic Ledges without any extra swing. However, this decision costs him as he falls into the water. The hosts then announce the third in the list of best celebrity moments on the course. It is from the actor of ‘Arrow,’ Steven Amell, who played the superhero for eight seasons. He trained on the Salmon Ladder to ensure he could do it in real life and even made it to the eighth obstacle. The game resumes with Zuri introducing the next contestant, 29-year-old Content Creator, Bob Reese from Anderson, South Carolina. His videos usually go viral, and it once again happened when he flipped in between Crank It Up during this year’s Qualifiers.
Tonight, Bob sticks to his stunts once again and overcomes the Quad Steps by stepping on only one side, then swiftly gets by Crank It Up. However, when he tries to flip and land on one of the logs in the Log Runner, it ends up spinning, leading to his fall. Despite his run being cut short, the athlete admits that he often does these stunts to the hosts’ reaction. It is now the turn for the 5th-grade Teacher Allyssa Beird from Massachusetts. She missed the last two seasons because of her injury. Although her run begins with great hope, she falls on the Log Runner. Her fiancé, James McGrath, AKA the Beast, from New Bedford, Massachusetts, is the next athlete. The 13-time veteran overcomes all obstacles despite looking tired and presses the Buzzer at 05:17.70.
Several Ninjas Face Crushing Falls on the V Formation and Salmon Ladder
The High School Chemistry Teacher, Caleb Vaughn, next takes to the stage. At 6’6”, he is the tallest athlete of the night, but the 25-year-old falls on the V Formation like the Qualifiers. Right after is the turn for 28-year-old Content Creator Johnny Brown from Evans, Georgia. He is famous for his flying squirrel content, and in his confessional, he discloses that he has also been making content with his girlfriend, Gemini, beside him. The athlete fell on the V Formation in the Qualifiers and has never passed the fifth obstacle in his career. Sadly enough, although he almost overcomes the V Formation, he falls into the water. The hosts then turn everyone’s attention to the second most memorable celebrity moment from Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who is the 2023 Daytona 500 Winner. Without any kind of ninja training, the players successfully reached the fourth obstacle.
The next contestant to take the stage is 19-year-old Josiah Pippel from Moorestown, New Jersey. He furnishes cars professionally and impresses everyone as he flies through all the obstacles and presses the Buzzer at 04:31.01. Coast Guard Officer Deren Perez from Santa Rita, Guam, follows suit, but he falls on the eighth obstacle. Following him is 19-year-old Electrician Noah Meunier from Lakeville, Massachusetts. In his confessional, the player notes that when he is on his job, he has to be quick and efficient, and due to his ninja training, he doesn’t want a job where he has to sit down all day. He needs to balance his body while holding large objects during work. He adds that he has a good grip since he has to work with hand tools. Although this is his third year competing, this is his first attempt at the extended 10 obstacle course. Noah has never fallen on any obstacle, and he keeps up the streak as he presses the Buzzer at 04:23.09.
It raises the total number of obstacles he has crossed until now to 90. The next person to run the course is 27-year-old Car Salesman Brandon Singletary from New Jersey. In the last year, he made it to the National Finals, but this time, he fails to do so as he falls on the Salmon Ladder. Right after is the turn for the teenager Christian Hart from Meriden, Connecticut. On the Qualifiers, he fell on the V Formation, but this time, he overcomes eight obstacles. To his disappointment, the athlete falls on the Dungeon, but thankfully, it is far enough to get him to the Finals. 26-year-old Lucas Reale from Kingston, Massachusetts, is the next player. He hit his last Buzzer in season 12 and took three attempts to climb the Warped Wall in the Qualifiers. However, this time he climbs on it on the first try and overcomes nine obstacles. However, the tiredness catches up to him, and he falls on the Invisible Ladder.
The Final Night of the Semifinals Concludes With the Fastest Finisher
Zuri introduces the 33rd athlete of the night: 19-year-old High School Graduate Addy Herman from Pembroke, Massachusetts. Following her graduation, she took a year’s gap to travel across the country and participated in a fundraiser campaign with Massachusetts General Hospital, raising money for Cancer Research. Addy divulges that the initiative raised almost $11,000, and they raised the money through a ninja competition. She elaborates that she took a trip to Sierra Leone, Africa, where she built a ninja course at an orphanage and taught them. She concludes by expressing her hope to hit the Buzzer tonight. Although Addy went to the National Finals thrice, she has only one Buzzer in her ninja career. As she begins her run and attempts the Corkscrew, the hosts note that she needs to get past this obstacle to move on to the Finals.
Unfortunately, Addy falls into the water on the eighth obstacle, snatching the hopes of competing at the Finals. It is finally time to announce the top memorable celebrity moment on the course. It is from the Gymnast, Jonathan Horton, who won silver and bronze in the 2008 Olympics. He competed for seven seasons, moving to the Semifinals five times, and got two Buzzers. The game resumes with 24-year-old Baker Amir Malike taking to the course. He missed three seasons, but manages to grab his second straight Buzzer tonight on his return at 04:57.91. Following him is Jackson Erdos from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The former ‘ANW’ Junior Champion swiftly takes on all the obstacles and presses the Buzzer at 04:01.20, becoming the fastest finisher of the night. The final athlete of the Semifinals is a 20-year-old college student, Jay Lewis. He had been injured and was in rehab for a while before returning.
Jay reveals that his fellow ninja and his girlfriend, Maggie Owen, made the first move on him, and he loves being in her presence. Since she lives in Chicago, Illinois, they mostly meet during competitions and spend time doing activities like Rock Climbing. He is a University of Central Florida student and is excited to see what will happen when he begins his run on the course. With incredible speed, Jay overcomes all obstacles and presses the Buzzer at 03:54.99, becoming the fastest finisher of the night. In the end, the 20 contestants moving on to the Finals are: Jay, Jackson, Ben, Noah, Josiah, Matt, Amir, Jason, James, Joe, Lucas, Christian, Jamie, Spencer, Luke, Tate, Deren, Abby, Kenzie, and Rachel. It is now time for the audience to look forward to the Finals and see what the course has in store.
Read More: American Ninja Warrior Season 17 Episode 8 Recap: Who Won Semifinals 2?
