Undefeated Esports Team Claims Championship
The Esports team faces off against Bayside, their final opponent of the tourney. Photo: Sarah Diouri
By JASON HUANG
The Esports Team showcased their impressive skills on February 25, emerging victorious in a Valorant tournament hosted by the student-led organization Ezesports at Long Island University. The team dominated Bayside High School with a 3-0 win in the finals, securing their place as the undefeated champions of the league.
In total, 22 high schools across NYC participated in the Valorant tournament, all vying for the top spot. The team swept through the qualifying games with ease, racking up a score of 8-0. During the tournament, the team faced increasing pressure but managed to maintain their momentum due to a strong mentality and exemplary skill.
“Our team was amazing on lan [a “local area network” where everyone in the tournament plays] but shaky sometimes when we were losing,” said team member Justin Cen ‘25, who had a kill to death ratio (k/d) of 41:44. “But all we needed was a breather and a timeout to turn the games around.”
Although the team generally dominated, their last game wasn’t a walk in the park. With tensions running high, the final round had everyone breaking a sweat.
"During the last round of game 3, I was put in a 1 vs. 4 clutch situation,” said team captain Benny Zhang ‘25, who had a k/d of 57:47. “I was nervous considering that the score was 16-15, but at the same time I knew that it was my job to just close the game out."
A major part of how the team achieved this victory was communication and leadership. The team developed a set of callouts and communication protocols to use during matches.
“Our team chemistry was one of the leading factors for our success throughout the whole season, not just the grand finals,” said Zhang. “We know each other’s playstyle and what our teammates want to do.”
“As a coach, I tried to ensure that players were working together and communications were on point,” said Anson Chu ‘25. “We practiced multiple times a week and made sure we were improving consistently.”
The team’s victory was truly a team effort, with each member playing a critical role in securing the win. However, one player stood out for his performance throughout the tournament – Simmon Vuong ‘25, who had a total k/d of 68:44 and was deemed the team’s most valuable player.
“It's been very fun playing on the team so far,” said Vuong, adding that it was satisfying to “work together to go undefeated.”
The team's rise to success did not have a smooth start. From humble beginnings, they proved that with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow, anything is possible in the world of esports.
“In the beginning of the club, the teams had minimal progression,” vice president Michael Wong ‘24 said. “However, as practice scrimmages have increased, we’ve become more accustomed to each other and have shown great improvement.”
The club was founded near the beginning of the 2020 pandemic. Few people joined until the following year when full teams were formed for two games: “Valorant,” a first-person shooter, and “League of Legends,” a massive online battle arena game. At the start of this year, the club's teams weren't expected to make significant progress.
“It was honestly a shock,” said advisor Sarah Diouri ‘24. “I’m super proud of them for winning after seeing them work so hard, and I hope it continues that way next year.”
Over the last decade, esports has become a huge field with college scholarships and highly paid players.
“I wanted to expose people to the competitive environment of sports and give them a possible opportunity or career choice for the future,” said club president Ryan Chan ‘24. “I plan to give the club members more experience and expose them to more tournaments and official matches.”
With the season ending, there are high expectations regarding what’s to come next year for the Esports club’s Valorant division.
“I hope Midwood’s esports teams will be formidable for generations to come,” said Chu.