MCHS’s esports team placed first in their undefeated season, leading to the championship. They are now seeing if they qualify for the next invitational, but hopes are high considering the team has never taken a loss. 

The championship was held on Dec. 15 at 4:00 p.m. and the team won this match as well, which put them as the Illinois Region Champions. 

This is not the first success esports has had; they have had big accomplishments in previous years. In 2021, they secured a spot for state at the Illinois High School Esports Association competition. During that same season, they placed 8th out of 140 schools for another organization. 

“[I] didn’t think too much would come out of esports,” senior Caeleb Stecks, who joined when the pandemic hit, said. “When the in-person club started to flourish, I was able to meet new people and have new experiences”

The team has grown together significantly throughout the semester, and all the matches have brought them closer together. 

“I have seen the team grow together as brothers,” said Luis Aguilar, multilingual assistant and esports coach advisor. “The team is three boys, one freshman and two seniors. It’s really blending the gap and ignoring the age difference. Now they have gone all the way to the top.”

Esports has put in considerable work together to achieve this success as a team.

“Having success in esports may seem like a trivial thing to others,” said Stecks, “but to me it shows the hard work I can show when I’m determined. Even if the success doesn’t last for long, I’ll know I can go further if I continue to strive for the top.”