Colton, CA—The inaugural season for Colton’s eSports team ended with a swift playoff exit.

Yesterday, the no. 33 ranked Yellowjackets lost in round 1 of the PlayVS fall season tournament to Orange Vista. The Coyotes, a local team from Perris, came in ranked no. 32 in the tournament, and were awarded the home arena for a win-or-go-home “Super Smash Brothers” matchup.

In the first game, Samuel Duran started off with Toon Link from “Wind Waker” against the opponent’s Yoshi. The game ended quickly as Duran got 3-stocked by Yoshi, meaning that the Yoshi still had all of his 3 lives.

In the second game, Duran chose to fight as Mii Brawler against Yoshi. Duran’s character change made a difference, but not enough to land a victory. Duran lost the game 3-2, and the match 2-0.

With the team’s season on the line, reliable Benjamin Velarde took the controller as Little Mac against his opponent, who was playing as Sheik from “Ocarina of Time.”

In their first game, Velarde was immediately taken aback as his opponent took 2 stocks, but Velarde fought back, getting 2 off of his opponent before falling, 3-2.

For their second game, Velarde chose to stick with Little Mac, but in a twist, his opponent dittoed by opting to fight with the same character. Learning from a similar ditto matchup against Paraclete High, Velarde switched his character’s skin to minimize confusion.

Tensions increased when mid-match, Orange Vista’s server lagged out. When the game came back online, a reset of the arena was required, and the match was started over.

After the reset it was a close match with each player taking one stock after another but in the end Velarde lost the game 3-1, and the match 2-0.

Colton ends its first season with a record of 4-4 and its first dose of eSports experience. After Winter Break, the team will return to play in a spring season.

Notes:

Due to the playoff loss, the Gaming Club’s “Contest of Champions,” originally scheduled for November 29, December 1, and December 5, will now happen after school on November 30 in Room 503. The playoff loss means that the time no longer needed to be reserved for an additional playoff matchup, allowing for the “Contest of Champions” to take place on a single day.