The Hesston Larks Esports program made a statement at their inaugural entry in the Wildcat Tournament, held on Friday, November 15th. As newcomers to the competitive Esports scene, the Larks faced off against some of the top colleges throughout Kansas in a fierce day-long battle. The tournament featured five Larks teams: Valorant, Overwatch, Rocket League, Smash Bros., and Fortnite, each competing for a chance to make their mark.
Smash Bros: Silver Medalists!
The day began with Smash Bros., where the Larks kicked things off with Crew Battles. In these 4v4 matches, Josh Fleming, Drew Harrison, Gabe Clark, Bryce Rydman, and Yoshi Goto fought hard through the bracket, making it all the way to the Championship match against Highland College. Though the Larks showed incredible skill and determination, they fell just short in the final round, taking home silver medals after a thrilling day of competition.
Fortnite: Dominant Duo Performance
Next up, Jack Louis and Angelo Jenkins competed in Duo Zone Wars in Fortnite. The duo's performance was nothing short of dominant as they only needed 16 rounds to get the 8 round victories needed to secure the win. Jack and Angelo combined for an impressive 58 kills, with Jack leading the charge with 30 kills and Angelo right behind with 28 kills. Their incredible teamwork and skill earned them the title and left them with another gold medal for the Larks!
Rocket League: Undefeated Champions!
The Rocket League team entered the day with high expectations, and they delivered in spectacular fashion. Robert Deibert, Gary Hunley, and Josh Fleming were absolutely unstoppable, taking down every opponent in their path. In the championship match against Highland Community College, the Larks swept them 3-0 with a series of dominant scores: 9-1, 3-1, and 3-1. The team outscored their opponents 15-3, with Robert scoring 7 goals, Gary netting 5, and Josh adding 3. Their incredible performance earned them the first-place trophy and established the Larks as one of the top teams in the region.
Overwatch: Heart and Determination
The Overwatch team, consisting of Anja Martinez, Zack Kauffman, Drew Harrison, Bryce Rydman, and Robert Deibert, fought hard throughout the day, but despite their best efforts, they couldn't quite close out their matches. They battled valiantly in every round, but fell short in a third-place match against Pratt, finishing just off the podium. Their effort was commendable, and though they didn't medal, they showed a lot of heart and left it all in the game.
Valorant: A Dominant Championship Win
The Valorant team ended the day on a high note, delivering the most dominant championship performance of the tournament. Against Pratt Community College in the Championship match, the Larks came out swinging, and Pratt simply couldn't keep up. The final score was 13-3, with Bryce Rydman leading the way with a 16-7 performance, Dan Guillaume adding 15-9, and Joseph Twibell absolutely dominating at the top of the leaderboard with 26-7. Alongside Ethan Connelly and Nick Win, the Larks were unstoppable, taking home gold medals and cementing themselves as champions.
A Statement Made
The Hesston College esports team announced their presence on the Kansas esports scene with authority, claiming three first-place trophies and one second-place. Coach Mitch Margaris was thrilled with the team's performance, saying, "Our players have been grinding all season long. Many of them are brand new to college and new to competitive esports. They've taken every challenge I've given them and stepped up to it. They showed out in Wildcat, but the job ain't done. We have three more teams alive in their conference playoffs, and we're looking for more hardware."
With Valorant, Rocket League, and Overwatch all advancing to the semifinals this week, the Larks are hungry for even more success. Stay tuned—this team is just getting started!
