Barron High School’s Esports team, the Golden Gamers, qualified for the Wisconsin High School Esports Association (WIHSEA) State Championships, which were held March 1 at Madison College. Barron’s Rocket League team placed third in the Division 3 state competition, while the Mario Kart squad came in fourth. Pictured at left is the Rocket League team of (from left) Bryce Kittelson, Chase Whiting, Isaac Mickelson, Abdirasheed Ahmed and Dominic Kolm. Pictured at right is the Mario Kart team of (from left) Chase Whiting, Xavier Jilek, Terrin Foust and Judah Brant.
The Barron High School Esports team, known as the Golden Gamers, recently wrapped up a successful winter season.
Throughout the school year, the club worked tirelessly to raise funds for new equipment, including PCs for competitions. Thanks to efforts like running concessions and crowdfunding donations, they’ve been able to create a dedicated and modest Esports lab with six gaming PCs, monitors and peripherals.
The Golden Gamers are led by coaches Jon Cerney and Trent Nelson, who are both incredibly proud of the hard work put in by the students to build the lab.
“It’s been so rewarding to create opportunities for students to compete, and now with the ability to have multiple teams play at once, we’ve really expanded what we can do,” Nelson said.
Since joining the Wisconsin High School Esports Association (WIHSEA) three years ago, the club has seen remarkable growth. Just two years ago, Barron had two competitive teams in Rocket League and Fortnite, respectively.
This year, the team expanded to eight competitive teams across four games: Rocket League, Fortnite, Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The club currently has around 55 members, with 30 actively competing.
“We started this organization because Trent and I are passionate about gaming, and we wanted to share that passion with the students,” said Cerney. “Our goal was to create a space where students could belong, take pride in their school and have fun. High school Esports is growing across the country, and it can even lead to college scholarships and other opportunities.”
The Golden Gamers have already achieved impressive results. Two years ago, the team qualified for the WIHSEA state competition in Rocket League at UW-River Falls, ultimately finishing in second place. Last year, they made it to state for a second consecutive year, earning a third place finish.
The WIHSEA regular season lasts seven weeks, with a preseason week and a one-week playoff, culminating in a state tournament during the 10th week. This year, Barron’s three varsity teams all qualified for their respective state tournaments.
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Barron’s Fortnite team of freshmen Bently Eckert, Mason Fick, Johnny Neuman and alternate Corbin Roske competed against the top 32 teams in the state.
Meanwhile, Barron’s Mario Kart team of junior captain Chase Whiting, senior Xavier Jilek, and juniors Judah Brant and Terrin Foust had a flawless regular season, finishing with a perfect 7-0 record. They defeated Horicon 2-1 and clinched a state spot after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Wisconsin Connections Academy.
Barron’s Rocket League team continued their success, with two returning players from last year’s third-place team – junior captain Chase Whiting and junior Bryce Kittelson – alongside newcomers junior Abdirasheed Ahmed, and freshmen Isaac Mickelson and Dominic Kolm.
They finished the regular season with an impressive 13-1 record, securing a third seed for the playoffs. The team swept both Gillett and Brookfield Academy 3-0 in the playoffs, earning a return trip to state for the third consecutive year.
At the WIHSEA Division 3 Championships at Madison College, Barron’s Rocket League team faced off against Deerfield, seeking revenge for their only regular-season loss. While they started off slow, the Golden Gamers fought hard but ultimately lost 2-1 in the final two sets.
However, they bounced back in the third place match, dominating William’s Bay 3-0 and securing third place for the second consecutive year.
Barron’s Mario Kart team also competed fiercely at state, but after two tough battles, they finished with a fourth place finish. Despite the losses, coach Nelson was proud of the team’s efforts in their inaugural Mario Kart season.
“The kids fought hard, but sometimes it’s just not meant to be. We learned a lot and we’ll come back stronger next year,” Nelson said.
“I am so proud of all of our teams this year,” Nelson continued. “Even though the state tournament didn’t go exactly as we had hoped, the growth we saw in the students was incredible. This year, we had players step up into leadership roles and Chase Whiting was a standout. He was the captain of both our Rocket League and Mario Kart teams. He’s a great player and an even better person. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Looking ahead, the Golden Gamers are determined to continue growing as a club.
“We only lose one player this year, but the rest of the team is hungry and ready to improve,” Cerney said. “We’re excited to reach out to more students and get even more participation next year. The future is bright for Barron’s Esports program!”
“The Golden Gamers’ journey is a testament to the power of teamwork, dedication and passion for gaming, and they’re excited to see where the next season will take them,” coach Nelson concluded.
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