Gilmer High wrapped up the spring Esports season with three of its teams in the postseason.
GHS had a pair of teams compete in “Rocket League,” and the Bobcats advanced to the Sweet 16 while its Lynx Rufus team earned one state tournament win. The BobKarts hit the track in “Mario Kart,” and they were defeated in the opening round of the Eastern USA Playoffs.
“I hate that we got beat in the Sweet 16. We were hoping to make the finals,” said head coach Rodney Thurman. “But sometimes you get upset and that just happens.”
One hundred forty six teams compete in “Rocket League,” and the Bobcats are one of the state’s best. They have a pair of Final Four appearances under their belts from previous years and finished the regular season with a 7-1 record. Team members included Canyon Adams, Holden Vines and Austin Long.
GHS downed both North Forsyth and the Academy of Classical Education by scores of 4-0 through the first two rounds of the event. The Bobcats were eliminated by North Paulding (4-2), and Thurman admits they may have been looking ahead to a possible match versus their oldest rival.
“Honestly, we should have won that match (against North Paulding), but we’ve been good for so long, we were anticipating that match in the next round versus Pickens,” Thurman said. “I think we got a little complacent against a team we normally should beat. We were already looking forward.
“We went into state seeded No. 6 or 7, but we knew we were one of the top-four teams.”
This was the first season schools were able to qualify more than one team for state, and Lynx Rufus posted a 5-2 record ahead of the event. GHS downed Fayette County (4-0) in round one before a second round loss (4-0) to eventual state champion South Forsyth.
Jackson Fountain, Jaycin Merrell and Jeremiah Roberts made up the Lynx Rufus team.
Making its debut on the GHSA Esports scene was “Mario Kart.” The BobKarts were ranked as high as No. 3 in the eastern U.S., and finished the regular season with a 5-1 mark.
The BobKarts dropped their opening round match at state to Peach County, 2-0, with both games decided by fewer than four points. Team members included Jackson Smith, Cooper Wingate, Ethan Payne and Dylan Richard.
“Those guys did awesome,” Thurman said. “We lost to a Georgia team (Northview) in the last regular season match. I know we lost in the first round of the playoffs, but it was a neck-and-neck game.”
Gilmer’s “League of Legends” team had a record of 3-2-2 with wins over Taylor County, Roswell and Forsyth Central. The GHS “League of Legends” team consisted of Jackson Smith, Bryer Disher, Ethan Payne, Logan Aaron and Tanner Perego.
GHS also competed in “Smash Brothers” and was 2-5 with victories over North Forsyth and East Laurens. The team was made up of Nick Dombrowski, Rowan Todd and Hayden Quiett.
Gilmer will continue the Esports season in the fall of next school year.