American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs Ninja –Â Season 1: Episode 12 Recap
(If you just want to see who won what round, the points, and obstacle list, check out our Stats & Database about the episode)
Live from Los Angeles, California…
Here’s the format for the playoff rounds (which are the same format we saw for the qualifying weeks!):
-For each matchup, everyone runs head to head.
-The first team to win 3 races will be victorious
-If neither team can get to three races after everybody’s run, relays races will decide the winner.
-The two winners will play one more matchup with the winner advancing to the finals.
Tonight’s Course: Sonic Swing, Tic Toc, Parallel Pipes, Floating Tiles, Hanging Staircase, Warped Wall
Matchup 1: Golden Hearts (Grant McCartney, Natalie Duran, Neil Craver) vs NorCal Ninjas (David Campbell, Anna Shumaker, Brian Kretsch)
Race One: Neil Craver (Golden Hearts) vs Brian Kretsch (NorCal Ninjas)
Craver took a slight lead into the parallel pipes.
He maintained that lead despite heavy opposition from Kretsch.
Craver built an even larger advantage before hitting the buzzer and giving his team an early lead.
Golden Hearts 1 NorCal Ninjas 0
Race Two:Â Natalie Duran (Golden Hearts) vs Anna Shumaker (NorCal Ninjas)
The two ladies were neck and neck going into the Parellel Pipes.
But Shumaker came out with the lead on the third obstacle.
Shumaker took that lead all the way to the Warped Wall, but she could not hold onto the top of it.
Duran passed her, hit the buzzer and gave the Golden Hearts a 2-0 lead.
Golden Hearts 2 NorCal Ninjas 0
Race Three: Grant McCartney (Golden Hearts) vs David Campbell (NorCal Ninjas)
Campbell raced out to the early lead.
But Campbell slipped on the dismount at Parallel Pipes.
That slip allowed McCartney to pass Campbell and hold onto the lead for good, completing the sweep.
Golden Hearts win 3-0!!!
Matchup 2: Iron Grip (Daniel Gil, Tiana Webberley, Mathis Owhadi) vs Beasts from the East (James McGrath, Erica Cook, Dave Cavanagh)
Race One: Mathis Owhadi (Iron Grip) vs Dave Cavanagh (Beasts from the East)
Owhadi raced out to the early lead.
But Cavanagh jumped in front of him at the Parallel Pipes.
Owhadi took a risk on Hanging Staircase, but he missed and fell in the water.
Cavanagh finished the course and put the Beasts up early.
Beasts from the East 1 Iron Grip 0
Race Two: Â Tiana Webberley (Iron Grip) vs Erica Cook (Beasts from the East)
Cook is sporting a heavy knee brace.
Webberley took the early lead, but it was small.
Cook pulled ahead on Parallel Pipes and held on at the end of Floating Tiles.
Cook maintained the lead all the way to the Warped Wall, but she could not make it to the top (likely because of her injured knee).
Webberley did, and she tied things up with a come-from-behind win.
Beasts from the East 1 Iron Grip 1
Race Three: Daniel Gil (Iron Grip) vs James McGrath (Beasts from the East)
McGrath got out to a great start.
But Gil left him in the dust at Parallel Pipes.
Gil ended up with one of the most dominant performances of the night, giving his team a lead going into the relays.
Iron Grip 2 Beasts from the East 1
Relay Race:
Webberley gave her team an early edge.
Owhadi increased the lead as he tagged Gill.
And Daniel Gil is never going to blow a lead like that. He hit the buzzer, sending Iron Grip onto the next round.
Iron Grip wins 3-1
Next Round Matchup: Golden Hearts (Grant McCartney, Natalie Duran, Neil Craver) vs Iron Grip (Daniel Gil, Tiana Webberley, Mathis Owhadi)
Next Round Course: Sonic Swing, Tic Toc, Parallel Pipes, Floating Tiles, Hanging Staircase , Warped Wall, Salmon Ladder, Rumbling Dice, ZigZag Climb
Race 1: Grant McCartney (Golden Hearts) vs Mathis Owhadi (Iron Grip)
Owhadi, as expected, raced out fast.
But despite holding his own on Parallel Pipes, Owhadi was still passed by McCartney.
The Island Ninja kept the lead through the Warped Wall, but Owhadi raced past him into the second part of the course.
It looked like McCartney ran out of gas heading into the Salmon Ladder, and Owhadi looked to have a commanding lead.
But Owhadi fell on ZigZag Climb, opening the door for McCartney.
The Island Ninja looked absolutely spent as he made his way up ZigZag Climb. And as it turns out, he didn’t have enough gas in the tank.
Owhadi got to ZigZag Climb first, earning him the upset.
Iron Grip 1 Golden Hearts 0
Race 2: Natalie Duran (Golden Hearts) vs Tiana Webberly (Iron Grip)
Webberley raced out to an early lead.
Duran missed a ring on Parallel Pipes, but Webberley fell on Floating Tiles.
That opened the door for Duran to tie the score for her team.
Iron Grip 1 Golden Hearts 1
Race 3: Neil Craver (Golden Hearts) vs Daniel Gil (Iron Grip)
Both men start out fast.
Craver had a slight lead after Parallel Pipes.
But Gil flew past Craver on Floating Tiles.
Craver seemed to slow down on the 2nd part of the course, but he kept the pressure on and closed the gap on ZigZag Climb.
But it wasn’t enough as Gil hit the buzzer and put his team one win away from the finals.
Iron Grip 2 Golden Hearts 1
Relay Race:
Can the Golden Hearts take two relays against a strong Iron Grip team and advance to the finals?
The matchups stayed the same for the relay.
Webberley raced out fast and gave her team a big lead early.
Owhadi’s speed maintained that lead as he tagged Gil.
Is there anyway Daniel Gil could blow a lead this big?
It nearly happened. Craver closed fast. In fact, he had a lead going into the ZigZag Climb.
But that seemed to awaken Gil as he flew up past Craver on the final obstacle and hit the buzzer.
Iron Grip moves on to the finals 3-1!!!
Next week’s Playoffs Week 2 includes Flex LeBreck, Ian Dory, and Najee Richardson!!! See you then.
Photo Credit: USA Network
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