Esports: Overwatch season starts cold

By Charlie W.

The Roland-Story esports Overwatch team has started the season off cold. After finishing 4th at state last year, they have started the season 1-2, losing to both Williamsburg and Centerville 0-3 in each loss. This shift in competitiveness is likely due to a loss of three of the five starters from the previous year. 

Overwatch is a 5v5 shooter where two teams fight for control of an objective, and the game relies heavily on team coordination to out position the other team, while picking characters that play well against the other team. 

That is why having over half the team being a new player can impact the success of a team, but there is still time for this new roster to gel and make it back to state since there are still four games left in the regular season. If the team were to win out, they would finish the season 5-2, and would make the play-ins for state. Play-ins are where you play a match against another team for the opportunity to go to state. 

Coach Jake Sandry (RS ‘22) said, “A lot of our new players don’t have too much experience in the game. As they become more familiar with the game, I expect us to improve.”

Varsity matches resume on Tuesday, Jan. 9, and continue through the month.

Location: Story City, IA 50248, USA

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