The ESports Team plays several different video games during the season, and the higher-level team plays Valorant, which is a “character-based tactical shooter” game, according to its website.
The high school Premier Valorant Team includes Carson Holland, Camden Holland, Gabe Thomas, Thai Gevedon and Aaron Beach.
“I am proud of the players and staff who have helped to make Springfield ESports what it is today,” said ESports coach and Springfield High math teacher Marc Sharpnack. “I am very proud of my Premier Valorant team for coming together and communicating well in order to win. It was a slow start to the season with the Valorant team, but they came back with more zeal, wanting that title.”
The games, which nearly 300 ESports teams in Ohio play, are chosen by ESports Ohio, a league that oversees regulation, play and membership, according to district spokeswoman Jenna Leinasars.
“It is the district’s understanding that these games are chosen responsibly with several considerations in mind, including what games are being played collegiately, feedback from high school players and specific features of the games,” she said.
The state championship game was played virtually at Wittenberg University’s new ESports arena. The teams plays other ESports Ohio member schools.
Carson Holland said it was thrilling to win their first state championship and “definitely satisfying to win after three years.”
“ESports has come a long way, compared to when it first started during my freshman year. The school went from playing one game which was Valorant, to five games,” Holland said. “I have played Valorant for all three of those years, and each year was a total blast. I met great people, found bigger challenges and am excited for the spring season to maintain our title.”
Holland said there were some challenges including equipment issues and scheduling conflicts, but they overcame those.
“The Valorant team was flawless in our tournament. It felt like we couldn’t lose to anybody ... The highlights from my perspective were seeing my team get along, but also seeing them thrive individually. I’m still happy and grateful for how my team committed to the goal and overall how they performed,” he said.
ESports was launched at the high school in 2022 as an extracurricular club that plays in the fall and spring seasons. Since the program started, every season has had at least one team that went on to regionals, fall state classic and state tournament. During the first year, the Valorant team went to the state tournament but came up short in the semi-finals.
The team has also played Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Mario Kart Deluxe this fall, and games played in spring next year will include Valorant, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Mario Kart Deluxe, Rocket League and APEX Legends.
Esports Ohio was started about seven years ago with just nine participating schools at first. The group focuses on video games that play on teams, to develop teamwork and sportsmanship. In a survey of 302 participating schools who had either competitive or club esports with the organization, more than 50% of the students had never participated in another sport before, the group said.
In 2023, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced a partnership with Esports Ohio to support and promote state tournaments.
About the Author
