Stay Plugged In's Carry2College initial weekend featured Overwatch 2, the Activision/Blizzard owned team-based combat game. Twenty-four teams of potential future collegiate Overwatch 2 student athletes also left a lasting positive impression with colleges, providing recruiters an abundance of players to select from for their programs.
It's time to reflect on the battle at hand, and highlight some standout players and results in this special C2C edition of the BearLight breakdown.
STORYLINES
Six teams go undefeated through the 3-match group stage.
With such a deep talent pool existing in the Stay Plugged In network of esports student athletes, going undefeated in the Group Stage during the biggest online esports recruiting event of the year is incredibly difficult to do. It requires all players of your team to be prepared for the event in advance, and to be focused once into the action.
For this reason, we would like to highlight the players on all six teams who were able to kick off the event with this impressive feat:
lil Cupcakes - Knight / Prefire / Tapp / Kana / Poplots
Prestine Guardians - Snottyfinga / Asoulius / MonkeyHappy / Kaori / Awaken
debit island - Infekted / KQA / zeruhh / pink / Jinjo
Glue Eaters - Chan / hypno / Jakk / dew / Izynzli
Grimace Gyatters - magoo / IJV / SpawnedIn / Shoonem / Steel
Squirtle Squad - SoloZen / Cooper / Squatl3 / xeytex / Ame
West High Varsity performs well in Open Play, JV becomes Divisional Play Champions.
Stay Plugged In's college recruiting events do not require school lock, which means players can register a team together from anywhere in the nation. West High School (WHS), however, registered their school's official teams. The strategy was likely implemented to see how their team matches up against teams consisting of other top recruits from around the nation, and their program brought the heat in both Carry2College formats.
In the format that featured a few borderline to actual professional level players seeking opportunities in college Overwatch, the West High Varsity team only dropped a total of two series over the course of the weekend, one to each of the teams who made it to the Finals. With losses only against the top 2 teams in all of Overwatch 2 collegiate recruiting, and a top 8 finish overall in the Open Play bracket, West High Varsity have solidified themselves as a top high school esports team in Overwatch.
Meanwhile, their West High JV team has highlighted the massive depth their program is working with. They won all 6 matches played by sweep, and were crowned Carry2College Overwatch 2 Divisional Play Champions!
With a performance like this weekend's, the West High School Esports program deserves recognition for the outstanding work they have been doing out in Bakersfield, CA.
Debit Island was able to stop the immovable object that was lil Cupcakes, wins the Finals 3-1.
Over on the Rocket League side of C2C, Skrrrt had just finished making history, becoming the first ever Rocket League team to go undefeated in matches AND games played in Carry2College history. Now, lil Cupcakes had their chance to do the same, as they rolled into the finals with no maps dropped over the course of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Debit Island stood in their way. This squad earned the Team to Watch title from Stay Plugged In Overwatch analyst, Chef Billy, coming into the event. Debit Island had won all matches played as well, but they were showing tiny pieces of vulnerability along the way, after dropping a map in the Quarterfinals and having to fight off a pesky Prestine Guardians team in the Semifinals. That little bit of apparent weakness, however, was nowhere to be found in the Finals.
Debit Island took an early 1 map lead in the best-of-five, and although lil Cupcakes were able to fight back to equalize at the end of map 2, their confidence had been shaken from losing the perfect run. Debit Island went on to take two maps straight, and became your 2024 Carry2College Champions. Congratulations!
WINNERS & AWARDS
Overwatch 2 Open Play Champions
DEBIT ISLAND - Infekted / KQA / zeruhh / pink / Jinjo
Overwatch 2 Divisional Play Champions
WEST HIGH JV - IzkingzI / key / jacob / sonderjg / shinsu
Top DPS
Name: Knight | Team: lil Cupcakes | Grad Class: 2024
Orbital's Senior Standout for a reason. Orbital said, "You have to set yourself apart. As a DPS, that's one of the highest roles to watch for. How do you set yourself apart? Your job is to make plays happen, and is also to start the fights and not just end them, and that is exactly what [Knight] did."
Top Tank
Name: zeruhh | Team: Debit Island | Grad Class: 2025
Some tanks get lost in the constant absorbing or blocking of damage, so much so that valuable opportune moments of opponent disruption are lost. Not with zeruhh. Top Tank zeruhh was proactive with utility on some of the game's most relevant tank heroes in Ramattra and Sigma. No surprise zeruhh also traded out for DPS, given the healthy balance of damage and security zeruhh brought. A large reason for Debit Island's title run.
Top Support
Name: KQA | Team: Debit Island | Grad Class: 2024
KQA's movement and positioning was critical in staying alive and keeping Debit Island in fights. It helps when the speedy and elusive Lucio was the hero of choice for a majority of the weekend. On a team that apparently enjoys fighting in tight corridors, crevices, and enclosures, the Lucio proximity heals/speed mixed with a timely sound barrier shield drove Debit Island out of some sticky situations, and helped drive the team to a C2C victory.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As always, we would like to thank all of the college representatives, players, parents, and staff for attending and making this event truly outstanding.
2024 Carry2College continues with VALORANT, League of Legends and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate™, taking place Saturday, February 10th through Sunday February 11th. Registration is still open. Get registered today!
Registration Links:
VALORANT/League of Legends Open Play
VALORANT/League of Legends Divisional Play
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate™ ALL
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Find out what our esports recruiting specialists say are the 5 things to prepare before C2C, and make your esports recruiting event experience the best it can be.
Improve your approach with college esports recruiters during esports recruiting events, and learn how to construct and execute your elevator pitch.
To learn more about our upcoming esports recruiting events, check out our article with all the information you need to compete in front of college esports teams.