Judged by KDVR-TV/Denver, CO (led by Joshua Maranhas)
1. "How to Be a Game Warden in Six Easy Months" Ron Kabele - TX Parks & Wildlife Dept.
2. "Project Lifesaver" Sheila Cascio-Simmons - WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC
3. "We're Gonna Go Play" Jeramy Rosenberg - TheDenverChannel.com
HM. "Tragedy in a Small Town" Michael Regina - WTLV-TV, Jacksonville, FL
Judged by WHTM-TV/Harrisburg, PA (led by Bryan Barr).
1. "Bingham's Sentence" Brandi Paulson - WKYC-TV, Cleveland, OH
2. "She is So Lucky" Ryan S. Borgman - KDVR-TV, Denver, CO
3. "It's On the Tape" Shawn Montano - KCNC-TV, Denver, CO
Judged by KARE-TV and KMSP-TV/Minneapolis, MN (Led by Brett Akagi)
1. "Church on Trial" Matthew Rafferty - WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH
2. "Hunting Tornadoes" Andrea Rodriguez - WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX
3. "Crack Pipe" Wade Smith - KTVI-TV, Saint Louis, MO
HM. "Murderers Out On Bond" Pete Dawood - WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA
Judged by WTLV-TV/Jacksonville, FL (led by Jonathan Cordell)
1. "Airsoft Wars" Ryan S. Borgman - KDVR-TV, Denver, CO
2. "Si Se Puede" Shawn Montano - KCNC-TV, Denver, CO
3. "Water Skipping" Jason Hanson - KSTP-TV, St. Paul, MN
HM. "Girl Power!" Andrea Rodriguez - WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX
Judged by KNTV-TV/San Jose, CA (led by John Chiala)
1. "The Ocean That Carries Meaning" Shawn Montano - KCNC-TV, Denver, CO
2. "Sounds Like Trouble" Mike Nunez - KCNC-TV, Denver, CO
3. "Bayou Boys" Kevin Strong - KCNC-TV, Denver, CO
HM. "Winchester Retrospective, Part 1" Shawn Sienkiewicz - WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT
HM. "Recycled Guns" Pete Dawood - WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA
