Esports’ competitive season came to an end after the team took part in the Texas Scholastic Esports state championships May 1-3 at Baylor University. The Hawks took home state titles in “Valorant” and “IRacing”.
“We had a crowd at every game, even if multiple teams were playing, there were at least some students at each station cheering for their teammates,” head coach Kristopher Phillips said. “To see how our program impacted the overall competition [was special.]”
At state championships, junior Abby Pham and junior Jack Bodwell cast the finals — commentating and calling the match. Bodwell is the captain of the “Overwatch” team. They lost one game in the grand finals — finishing second.
“I’ve never heard so many people inspired to win at once; it was amazing,” Bodwell said. “We lost, but we had brought a game that we were not supposed to win close, and I’m proud of the guys. Overall, it was an amazing experience, getting to lead a team to second place in nationals, and second place at state.”
This year, the program underwent change, dealing with the departure of former head coach Jaden Gorham, with Phillips taking his role.
“I went into this season [viewing it] as a [learning experience,]” Phillips said. “Moving forward, we have opportunities to make changes to make this program stronger, more manageable and sustainable. I’m looking forward to what this [program] will look like moving forward.”
The team was supportive of each other throughout the season, helping each other grow in practice and use their time to build each other up. Phillips, Bowdell and Esports president Hansu Kim said the team’s atmosphere impacted their community positively.
“Winning is a good feeling—nothing really beats it,” Kim said. “You can’t look at a state championship as a disappointment. Together as a team, we grew [and bonded] well. Being able to have that connective energy while we’re playing is what makes this so much fun.”
Following the state championships, the team was supposed to compete in the High School Esports League (HSEL) in-person national championships, but they were canceled. Phillips said it was a huge disappointment to the program, despite them still viewing the season positively.
“The kids faced a bunch of adversity [this season] with things that were not within their control,” Phillips said. “I’m super proud of how the kids represented the school, represented themselves and their teammates. We competed at the highest level across all titles that we represent, and we walk away from the season showing that this program is as dominant as ever.”
