Four of Central’s esports teams made it to championship rounds in the State Esports Tournament Feb. 14-15 at Central High School.
The state’s first sanctioned esports tournament at Central High School brought participants from 34 schools including Central and Warner. Central had teams in each event with both its Mario Kart Special Olympics teams advancing to the championship round. This particular event featured four teams this year, each of which featured a special olympics athlete.
Central’s two teams included first-place finishers Joseph Pierce and Connor Austin and, in second place, Wyatt Sieverson and Zachary Bau. Pierce, who didn’t advance as far as he would have liked with his team in regular play was happy with the win and to see both of Aberdeen’s teams make it to the final round.
Special olympics athletes Bau and Austin said they both enjoyed the experience.
“I loved it, it was fun,” Austin said.
A Mario Kart player since he was about 10, Bau also said it was fun.
“I love racing games,” he said.
Central Rocket League was undefeated until championship round
For Central’s Rocket League team, the championship round proved to be the match that broke the team’s undefeated streak. The team, which includes Johnathan Littlehead, Dan Huber and Josiah Grandpre, faced Dakota Valley in the championship round. Rocket League is a timed soccer game where the players are cars. Teams compete in a best of five, with each match lasting five minutes.
Dakota Valley ultimately won three consecutive matches (3-1, 3-1 and 4-2). Following the match, Grandpre said he felt the match went OK.
“The team communication was there, we were just hesitating a little,” he said.
Though undefeated until that match, Grandpre said this was their first match with this team from Dakota Valley, which played a good game.
Sioux Falls Roosevelt took third place in Rocket League with Woonsocket placing fourth.
The State Esports Tournament was in full swing on Friday, Feb. 14 at Central High School. Those watching could follow along with League of Legends action on the jumbotron. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
The State Esports Tournament was in full swing on Friday, Feb. 14 at Central High School. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
The State Esports Tournament was in full swing on Friday, Feb. 14 at Central High School. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Rapid City’s Noah Lay makes his move in a practice chess game during the State Esports Tournament at Central High School on Friday, Feb. 14. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Rapid City’s Daneka Boyer makes her move in a practice chess game during the State Esports Tournament at Central High School on Friday, Feb. 14. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Rapid City team members, left, Daneka Boyer and Noah Lay play a practice chess game during the State Esports Tournament at Central High School on Friday, Feb. 14. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central teammates Cody Edwards, left, and Grey Hauge face off in round three of the chess competition at the State Esports Tournament at Central High School on Friday, Feb. 14. Hauge won 2-0, advancing to the top eight. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s two Mario Kart Special Olympics teams competed in the championship match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament in Aberdeen. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Pierce, Connor Austin, Wyatt Severon and Zachary Bau. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s two Mario Kart Special Olympics teams competed in the championship match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament in Aberdeen. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Pierce, Connor Austin, Wyatt Severon and Zachary Bau. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s Rocket League team, from left, Johnathan Littlehead, Josiah Grandpre and Dane Huber were undefeated going into the championship match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament at Central High School. Dakota Valley’s team took the win in the best of five contest. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central’s Rocket League team, front Johnathan Littlehead, Josiah Grandpre and Dane Huber took on Dakota Valley in the championship match on Sunday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament at Central High School. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s Rocket League team, from front, Johnathan Littlehead, Josiah Grandpre and Dane Huber wrap up a round at the State Esports Tournament at Central High School. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s two Mario Kart Special Olympics teams competed in the championship match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament in Aberdeen. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Pierce, Connor Austin, Wyatt Severon, Zachary Bau and Aberdeen Esports Coach Aaron Galeana. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Central High School’s two Mario Kart Special Olympics teams competed in the championship match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the State Esports Tournament in Aberdeen. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Pierce, Connor Austin, Wyatt Severon, Zachary Bau and Aberdeen Esports Coach Aaron Galeana. Aberdeen Insider photo by Elisa Sand.
Dakota Valley took wins in Mario Kart, Bed Wars
In addition to the Rocket League win, Dakota Valley teams also took first-place wins in Mario Kart and Minecraft Bed Wars, placed second in League of Legends and had a player finish third in Super Smash Brothers.
In Mario Kart Dakota Valley placed first, with Wolsey Wessington in second, Baltic in third and Bridgewater Emery in fourth.
Aberdeen’s Minecraft Bed Wars team came away with a second-place win in the game where teams each defend their beds. Aberdeen’s team included Eli Bruns, Cody Edwards (substituting for Merik Chipman), Johnathan Bullock and Aristotle Lin. Dakota Valley placed first with Sioux Falls O’Gorman in third and Waverly South Shore in fourth.
Dakota Valley also finished in second-place in League of Legends play, where teams compete to see which team can take down their opponent’s tower. Sioux Falls Lincoln took first with Tea Area High School in third followed by Deuel High School in fourth.
In Super Smash Brothers action, Dakota Valley’s Isaak K finished in third. Rapid City Central Smasher1 took first followed by Tea’s Jerycikle in second and Ben from Flandreau in fourth.
Warner player takes fourth in chess
Warner and Aberdeen each had three chess competitors. Cody Edwards, Zachary Coon and Grey Hauge competed for Aberdeen with Aiden Scarborough, Rylan Evenson and Paxton Johnson competing for Warner. Each notched a series of wins and losses with Scarborough earning fourth-place behind Roosevelt High School’s Chess 1 who placed first followed by Gatilogo from St. Francis High School in second and BHS Waylon from Brookings in third.
Coon finished with two wins and two losses. His first loss was to Chess 1 his second came from a Mobridge competitor. Hauge, who had claimed the chess championship in 2024, notched four wins and two losses. Both his came from top four finishers, BHS Waylon and Scarborough. Edwards finished with three wins and two losses, his first came from Hauge in the second round of play followed by a Rapid City Central player.
Evenson finished with one win and two losses. Johnson split with two wins and two losses and Scarborough won four and lost two with his final loss coming from second-place finisher Gatilogo.
