Sam Kavanaugh, a Minneapolis substitute teacher, has been crowned the winner of the "Jeopardy" Tournament of Champions.

The native of Carlton, Minn., bested second-place finisher Jennifer Quail by more than $16,000 in the two-day competition.

Kavanaugh, who graduated from Carleton College in 2013, earned $250,000. The show will give that same amount to the Hope of the Valley Trebek Center for the Homeless, an organization named after longtime host Alex Trebek, who died last November.

Kavanaugh missed the Final Jeopardy question about Poland on Friday, but he only bet $12, relying on the substantial lead he had build during Thursday's episode.

"It took a village, and I have so many people to thank," Kavanaugh said during Friday's show, citing friends, family members and fellow teachers. "I hope I can pay them back."

"Jeopardy!" airs locally at 4:30 p.m. weekdays on KARE, Ch. 11.