AHS alum wins on “Jeopardy!”

Matt Larson, seen here at a Minnesota Twins game, won Monday on his first appearance on “Jeopardy!” He will appear on the show again tonight. -- Herald file photo

An Austin High School grad is basking in the winner’s circle today after becoming a “Jeopardy!” Champion.

Matt Larson, who graduated from AHS in 2002, won Jeopardy! Monday by a dollar after all three contestants missed the Final Jeopardy! question.

“I wish I would’ve got the final answer right to be the champion,” Larson said in a video on Jeopardy.com.

Larson, who graduated from Wheaton College in 2006 with a degree in International Studies, works as a technical support specialist for Medtronic near Boulder, Colo.

He applied for the game show online in February 2009, answering 50 questions and doing well enough to place him in a prospects pool. Jeopardy! producers called him in May for an audition in California, where Larson took a written test and went through a trial game, answering questions from a podium so the producers could see whether he was TV-ready.

They told him he was eligible to be on the show for the next 18 months, but Larson didn’t get called. Not until last December — more than 18 months later — that is.

“I sort of figured I was out of the running,” he said.

Larson flew out with his wife Ali, his sister-in-law and his parents to throw down against two other contestants for a shot at Jeopardy! fame. The TV taping took place last February.

“It’s kind of surreal in a way,” he said. “It’s like your stepping into this TV world.”

Matt wouldn’t reveal how far he would go when reached last week, but he said it was a memorable experience.

“I’ll make you watch it to find out,” he said.

To see Larson’s Winner’s Circle video, go to: www.jeopardy.com/beacontestant/winnerscircle.

SportsPlus

Brownsdale

Cedar River project makes use of local company’s hardware

Education

‘How can I make a difference?’

Education

Photos: Austin HS holds mock election

Mower County

In Your Community: International Paper awards $2K to fire department

Mower County

In Your Community: Brownsdale Study Club enjoys Winona outing

Mower County

In Your Community: Horticulture Society invites public to next meeting

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Convictions: Oct. 14-21

News

US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls

Mower County

Rochester man charged with criminal sexual conduct

News

Musk tests the role of money in U.S. politics with multimillion-dollar effort to back Trump

News

Should Minnesota continue to put lottery dollars toward the environment?

Mower County

Photos: Tricks, treats and smiles at Comforcare

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Woman in pull-tab scheme to serve jail time

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

APD searching for armed robbery suspect

Mower County

Active Transportation Planning Assistance grants now available

Blooming Prairie

Local FFA Member Awarded National American FFA Degree

Mower County

Austin Noon Lions kick up a party with 80th anniversary Hootenanny

Mower County

Austin Page Turners make selection for 23rd annual city wide reading event

Business

Kilpatrick selected as CRC’s newest regional business manager

Education

10 tutors needed in Austin to help students with reading, math

Business

KSMQ selected for Public Media Digital Transformation Program

News

A decade of racial justice activism transformed politics, but landmark reforms remain elusive