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Charlie Ball continues to live up to his longtime nickname: "Unstoppa-Ball."
The Readington teenager finished second in NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" Season 18 Eastern Regional Semifinals, which aired July 13, earning a spot in the national finals.
Nicknamed the season's "rookie sensation," Ball posted a blazing time of 30.65 seconds during the semifinal round, showcasing the speed, consistency and agility that have made him one of the breakout stars of the competition.
Ball advances to the finals alongside 19 other competitors, including 13 men and six women. Viewers will see him again during a hometown episode scheduled to air Aug. 24.
The competition was taped in Las Vegas in September 2025, when Ball was 15. He is now 16 but cannot discuss the outcome of future episodes.
Season 18 began with 240 competitors. Ball was one of only 10 athletes who earned a bye past the opening round of regional competition. In his first Season 18 appearance, which aired June 29, he placed fourth overall and advanced directly to the semifinals.
As Ball put it, he "went right to the racing."
He continued to impress in the semifinals, finishing just 0.52 seconds behind Jackson Erdos, who competed in a separate three-person race.
This season introduced a redesigned format, dividing competitors into Eastern, Central and Western regions. Forty ninjas competed in each regional qualifier for a chance to advance to regional finals and eventually the national finals.
A new three-part obstacle sequence called the Tripleheader played a major role in determining finalists. The supersized course featured the Island Hopper, the Cliffhanger and the Bounce House obstacles.
Ball raced against veteran competitor Flip Rodriguez and Kevin Rodriguez during his Tripleheader run.
He powered through the course, finishing ahead of Kevin Rodriguez, who crossed the line three seconds later. Flip Rodriguez fell short of advancing after failing to reach his 13th career buzzer.
"Watch out for Charlie Ball," announcer Matt Iseman said during the broadcast. "He may be dangerous in the finals."
Iseman and fellow announcer Akbar Gbajabiamila praised Ball's performance throughout the season. He joins a group of young standouts advancing to the finals, including Erdos, Kevin Rodriguez, Max Cibbra and Olivia Lopez.
Before the race, Flip Rodriguez joked about the age difference between himself and his younger competitors.
"I've been competing longer than Charlie's been alive," Rodriguez said.
Ball welcomed the challenge.
"No one has as much experience as Flip," said Ball, who trains at Next Level Ninja in Flemington. "He's one of the all-time legends, and it's an honor to compete against him. But I'm going to have to take him down."
And he did.
Until the final run of the night, Ball held the fastest time in the competition.
Ball began training as a ninja athlete at age 4 and quickly rose through the ranks of the National Ninja League and World Ninja League. He previously won a National Ninja League world championship title in the Mature Kids division and competed on Seasons 2 and 3 of "American Ninja Warrior Junior" at ages 9 and 11.
"American Ninja Warrior" airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on NBC and streams the following day on Peacock.
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Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Readington teen Charlie Ball makes 'American Ninja Warrior' finals
