The NWA Esports team formed last year and has gone on to take second place in a statewide tournament and now this year the full championship. Naturally, if you’re watching from the outside in, you have to ask, what happened?! To find answers for both of us I dived into the information available, and I talked to the primary esports team comprised of Isaac Schwartz, Jack Schneider, and Landen Priest.
The final match to get the trophy was very close. Jack Schneider was unexpectedly pushed back by someone else playing Kazuya, his Piranha Plant couldn’t keep up, but it was a close match. Jack had several other major victories in the playoffs, notably one as Yoshi where he easily 2-stocked his opponent. But the Kazuya match was his most memorable moment of the final. Isaac’s masterpiece was a series of close in which he played Ridley, his main. Although, he was slain a couple of times given the gravity of the matches. Landen Priest demolished a Joker player in the final match. Landen Priest being the undeniable frontman of the team makes this victory among others unsurprising. Isaac Schwartz, the man most likely slated to replace Landen Priest after he graduates as the impromptu 1# player/pseudo-coach, says “I’d like to thank Landen for inspiring me to start playing competitively.”
Although how the players felt during the match will always be an unknown, Isaac said in regard to his thoughts as he played, “All I can think about is what I should be doing and what I shouldn’t do.” He also commented on the terror of the moments, fearing to let his team down. According to Isaac, the best strategy in Esports begins with being hypervigilant, “Whenever I’m losing all I can think about is how to readjust and whenever I’m losing all I can think about is what to do to keep the lead until my opponent gets back on their feet.”
Given the legendary players who will be graduating this year, Jack Schneider and Landen Priest. Heroes who took the team to previously unimaginable heights. About this meteoric rise, Mr. Schwartz says, “We didn’t expect to do very well in the competition first year. Then we did and it was surprising, yeah…”
They will be missed, but the Courier actually has some exclusive knowledge in regard to their successors. Isaac, the only player on this team who will be present next year, said explicitly: “There are three players I have in mind: Liam Kelly, Skye Buckey, and Brodie Hood.” Although he did say “it all depends on how they do.” It’s clear it will be someone among this pack, although many have said Luke Conti is a strong contender alongside them for those two coveted spots.
Hopefully, this was an enlightening view of what happened with the esports team in the finals and what will happen next. Thank you, Isaac, for your perspective, and thank you, New Way for reading, this is Editor-In-Chief Simon McAvity, signing off.
