Cabell Midland grad finishes third on 'Jeopardy!'

HUNTINGTON -- Cabell Midland High School graduate and California Institute of Technology sophomore Brandon Hensley finished third on Monday night's opening round of College Championship week on "Jeopardy 2008 College Championship."

Hensley faired well throughout the show and had a chance to climb toward the lead when he picked the Daily Double in the second round. He didn't know the answer, and after another wrong answer near the end of the second round, he entered Final Jeopardy in third place with $4,600. The program was taped last month.

Hensley wagered it all in Final Jeopardy and answered correctly. He jumped into the lead with $9,600, but only briefly as the other two competitors also had written down the right answer.

According to a Sony Pictures press release, in the first week of the competition, each player will appear in one of the five episodes. The winners of each of these shows, along with the next four highest money earners, will go on to the semi-finals. In the second week, the nine semi-finalists will compete in three episodes for a place in the two-game final match. The second place contestant is guaranteed a minimum of $50,000, and third place gets a minimum of $25,000. Semi-finalists receive $10,000, and players eliminated in the first week receive $5,000.

Hensley is majoring in physics at Caltech. He graduated from Cabell Midland in 2006, where he participated in many academic competitions such as academic quiz bowls.