Adviser: Sonya Joyce

Top Returning Players: Roland James Andrada (10), Alex Dang (11), Noah Jung (11), Austin Kim (11), Sanghyeok Lee (12), Joseph Loyola (12), Travis Mccovery (11), Nathaniel Mitri (11), Enrique Morales (12)

Last Season: The program gained momentum across multiple titles, with the Rocket League (5-4), League of Legends (6-3) and Super Smash Bros. (7-2) teams advancing to CIF playoffs.

Joyce said last year’s biggest challenge was scheduling. Like other sports where practices and game times are set, eSports matches can clash with students’ busy schedules.

“The thing about eSports is that, just like any football team, the days are set,” Joyce said. “If a student can’t make the game, then we’d have to figure out who is going to be the substitute or if the team could even play.”

Outlook: With strong returning players and the addition of new games, the eSports team hopes to push further in competitions, Joyce said. A new Marvel Rivals team will debut in the fall, expanding the lineup of games beyond the traditional ones, with their first league game scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25.

“We have really strong players, and we have a lot of players that can be counted on,” she said. “So, it’s good to see that the other players look up to the captains.”

Likewise, Super Smash Bros. captain Loyola said he feels optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I feel great about this season,” Loyola said. “Our incoming players are looking strong, and our veterans are polishing their skills even more, so we’re confident about our chances.”

The senior said the team is ready to build on its semifinal run from last spring.

“We made it to the semifinals with a 4-1 record, but we got eliminated by West High, who went on to win the CIF championships,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll meet them again in the finals for a rematch.”

Until the school’s new eSports lab is completed, players will continue practicing virtually from home, though Joyce said she hopes to organize at least one in-person practice per week once the lab is open, which is expected to be finished in about 8-12 weeks.

“eSports will benefit from the classroom remodel through the upgraded equipment,” the adviser said.

The facility, currently under construction, involved breaking down the wall between the original eSports room, Room 44, and math teacher Dorothy Cheng’s room, Room 45, to create a larger space for the program.

“The new lab is meant to have better computers, monitors and desks with more space, which was a big issue with the old lab,” Mitri said. “The little desk space actually made playing the game and aiming more uncomfortable and difficult.”

With all rosters finalized, the eSports team is ready to compete, including the Valorant group, which finished second in both the fall and spring seasons last year, Joyce said.

The Valorant roster enters the season with a mix of returning players and newcomers, each filling specific roles.

Initiator Andrada said the team’s experience last year will help guide it this season.

“We made it really far last year, even though we had just met each other,” Andrada said. “That gives us confidence going into this season.”

Looking ahead, Andrada said their biggest rival is the same team that knocked them out last year.

“Our biggest competition is usually [Murrieta Mesa High School], the team we lost to last year,” he said.

Like last year, matches will be run through the PlayVS league, with different games assigned to different days of the week. The schedule will be as follows:

• Pokemon Unite on Mondays
• League of Legends on Tuesdays
• Valorant on Wednesdays
• Marvel Rivals and Super Smash Bros. on Thursdays

The team’s first league game will be on Monday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m.