RECAP: American Ninja Warrior Season 16 Episode 9 (S16: E9)
Cayden Jones, Obstacle Warriors North Richland Hills | Updated August 27, 2024
The latest episode of American Ninja Warrior Season 16 aired Monday night, featuring another round of ninja warriors on Stage 1 of the Las Vegas finals course.
Kaden Wake | Season 16 | Image via American Ninja Warrior
Episode 9 kicked off with Ryan Stratis on the Finals course as part of a new legacy invite. This is where the show invites fan favorites back to take on the course. Matt and Akbar revealed that the other legacy invite was Jesse Labreck. Stratis fell on the Gambler.
Nacssa Garemore was next on the ninja course. Garemore made the entire course look like a breeze. He completed the course with about 30 seconds to spare.
Jonah Maningo from California took on the course next, but slipped on the jumping spider.
Matt Bradley from Pennsylvania was up next. The 22-year old ninja warrior looked like he was on his way to a buzzer, but fell on the Dipping Birds.
Julius Ferguson from Inglewood, California went next. After landing on the Jumping Spider, he fought on the obstacle for almost a minute. Despite reaggravating a shoulder injury, he kept going. Ferguson ran out of time after completing the Gambler.
Violet Kepo’o hopped on the course next. The young ninja from Utah surprised herself when she completed the Giant Rollercoaster. Unfortunately, she came up short on the Jumping Spider.
Enzo DeFerrari Wilson went next. Wilson flew through the obstacle course on the early challenges. Unfortunately, he slipped up on the Gambler by accidentally grabbing the support structure and falling into the water.
Megan Johnson took on the course next. Johnson's a doctor for the US Army. She marched across the first obstacle easily. Unfortunately she became the night’s first victim of the Barrel Roll.
Her fiance Kyle Soderman went next. The stuntman is known for going fast. The 5-time ninja veteran finished the course with 38 seconds left on the clock.
Next was Jody Avila from Sugar Land, TX. The 6’6” ninja made it to Thread the Needle with 45 seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately he had a mishap and fell on the transition from the cane to the ring.
Max Feinberg from Colorado runs to raise awareness for Breast Cancer. He cruised through the course and hit his 3rd buzzer of the season.
Elijah Browning was up next. With family and friends on the sidelines cheering him on, Browning completed the course with 21 seconds left.
Chris Behrends was up next. Behrends had no issue on the early obstacles. Unfortunately, he fell on the Gambler.
Levi Enright was up next. Enright sped through the course, but wasn’t able to reach the final hold on the Gambler.
Abby Clark | National Finals Season 16 | Image via American Ninja Warrior
Abby Clark was up next. Clark pushed through until she met the Warped Wall. After a couple attempts, she was able to make it up and over until time ran out.
Karen Potts made her second appearance at the National Finals. At 5’11” she was the tallest woman competing for the night, but slipped up on the Jumping Spider.
David Tomassoni from Colorado was up next. The 20 year old stuck his landing on the Jumping Spider, but couldn’t hold on.
Vinnie Castranova from Florida was up next. Castranova fell on the Jumping Spider.
Jesse Labreck | National Finals Stage 1 | Season 16 | Image via American Ninja Warrior
Jesse Labreck was next up for the course. Labreck missed the transfer on the Giant Rollercoaster.
Kaden Lebsack was up next. The young ninja from Castle Rock, Colorado sped through the finals course. Lebsack made the course look like a breeze, hitting the buzzer with 56 seconds left.
Josh Miller was up next. Miller slipped on the Jumping Spider.
Benjamin Drake from Tennessee was up next. The 20-year old almost completed the course, running out of time at Thread the Needle.
Caleb Bergstrom went up next. Last season, Caleb and Ashley became the first married couple to qualify for Vegas. This season, Caleb’s sister Caitlyn and her husband David became the second married couple to do it. Bergstrom was fast and efficient on the course, hitting the buzzer with 49 seconds left.
Barry Boyd from Pennsylvania was up next. Boyd spun out and fell on the Gambler.
Alex Nye was up next. Nye hustled through the course, but ran out of time on Thread the Needle.
Joe Meissner was up next. His first appearance in Vegas went smoothly, until he reached Thread the Needle. Meissner made it to the buzzer with less than 1 second left on the clock.
Sam Folsom was up next. Folsom cut it close, but was able to hit the buzzer with less than 3 seconds left on the clock.
Brandon Singletary was up next. Singletary slipped on the Jumping Spider.
Conor Galvin was up next. The physical therapist fell on the Gambler.
Cal Plohoros was up next. Plohoros hit his first buzzer in Vegas.
James McGrath was up next. The ninja veteran paced himself, and was able to hit the Stage 1 Buzzer with 5 seconds left.
Anna McArthur was up next. The young ninja fell on the first obstacle.
Austin Gray ran through the course with confidence, hitting the buzzer with 51 seconds left.
Josiah Pippel | National Finals Stage 1 | Season 16 | Image via American Ninja Warrior
Josiah Pippel was up next. The youngster from New Jersey made quick work of the course as well, hitting the buzzer with 54 seconds left.
Taylor Greene | Season 16 | Image via American Ninja Warrior
Taylor Greene from Colorado was up next. Only 3 women have ever hit the Stage 1 Buzzer. The 16-year old was locked-in on the course. She made it through the first few obstacles easily. Greene made it past the Warped Wall with 50 seconds left. After the Dipping Birds, she had about 30 seconds. Unfortunately, she peeled off on the transfer for Thread the Needle.
Next week, the national finals go into overdrive as ninjas go head to head in Stage 2.
Joe Moravsky hit a remarkable 33rd buzzer, moving on to Stage 2 next week.
STAGE 2
26 ninjas hit the buzzer in Stage 1.
Top finisher Noah Meunier is the top seed, racing against Joe Meissner next week.
Kaden Lebsack is the number 2 seed, racing Sam Folsom.
Josiah Pippel is the number 3 seed, racing Cam Baumgartner.
Austin Gray is the number 4 seed, racing James McGrath.
Caleb Bergstrom is the number 5 seed, racing Max Feinberg.
Jackson Twait is the number 6 seed, racing Cal Plohoros.
Kai Beckstrand is the number 7 seed, racing Sean Bryan.
Kyle Soderman is the number 8 seed, racing John Mack.
Vance Walker is the number 9 seed, racing Flip Rodriguez.
Joe Moravsky is the number 10 seed, racing Kevin Rodriguez.
Nacssa Garemore is the number 11 seed, racing Luke Bergstrom.
Isaiah Thomas is the number 12 seed, racing Elijah Browning.
Colton Skuster is the number 13 seed, racing Daniel Gil.
Tune in next week for Stage 2 Finals of American Ninja Warrior!
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