Three Second Chance contestants—Kaitlin Tarr, a ceramic artist from Denver; Colleen Matthews, a speech-language pathologist from Hillsboro, Oregon; and Will Yancey, a history lecturer from Banquete, Texas—returned for a second shot at Jeopardy! glory. Will entered Friday’s game with a hefty $20,000 carryover from Thursday, followed by Colleen with $8,400, and Kaitlin with a mere $1.
Will’s early gameplay was, frankly, underwhelming. While Colleen confidently racked up cash in categories like “Clothing Time” and “Named For A Place,” Will struggled to find his footing. Kaitlin, despite her minimal starting amount, managed to keep pace, showcasing surprising strength in “Historic Americans” and landing a crucial Daily Double in “10, 11 & 12-Letter Words.” By the first commercial break, Colleen led with $5,000, Kaitlin trailed with $2,800, and Will lagged with a meager $200.
The Double Jeopardy! round brought a shift in momentum. Will seemed to finally wake up, snagging a Daily Double in “Slang From Your Start-Up Job” (clearly his wheelhouse), but it was Colleen who truly dominated. She accurately wagered on a Daily Double about Mount Rainier, further solidifying her lead. Going into Final Jeopardy!, Kaitlin led with $16,000, Colleen held $12,600, and Will trailed with $7,600.
The Final Jeopardy! category, “19th Century Fiction,” seemed tailor-made for a history lecturer. The clue: “In Chapter 9 of an 1851 work, a preacher in a New England port city delivers a sermon about this Old Testament prophet.” Both Colleen and Will correctly identified Jonah, significantly boosting their scores. The book was Melville’s Moby Dick. Kaitlin, unfortunately, missed the mark, wagering enough to drop her total to $4,395. Will’s accurate response doubled his score to $15,200, while Colleen’s wager propelled her to $24,600 for the day.
With two-day totals of $35,200 for Will, $33,000 for Colleen, and $4,396 for Kaitlin, it was Will who emerged victorious, securing a spot in the Champions Wild Card round and taking home a well-deserved $35,000.
Jeopardy! airs weekdays in syndication. Check local listings.
