The esports team at Newport High School has been a wild ride, with one team outshining the others and making it to the postseason. This season was for the “Rocket League” game based around soccer but with cars. The team for this game consisted of seniors Benjamin Stewart, Nathanael Stuck, and junior Bradley Zettlemoyer. The substitute for the team was freshman Trenton Lilly, with junior Kaiden Barnes acting as a backup.

The team beat out the league with perseverance through some tough battles, securing their place into the playoffs with a 21-9 record. They ranked number 7 out of 51 teams in the state, securing a spot in the first round. 

The first round was played against Carven Career and Technical Institute on Dec. 2. Despite using all of their players and going into overtime several times, Newport was knocked out of the playoffs after losing with a score of 3-4. Zettlemoyer described the season as “a fun experience.” 

“I think we will be set for next season,” said Stuck. “We’ve got a good team, we just have to be consistent.”

Coach Logan Bower shared: “The Rocket League team has always been my most consistent team, even in recent years. While we may not have made it far into the playoffs this year they always manage to hit playoffs without fail, and I think they have what it takes to go further.”

The following season will kick off next week for all teams. If you are interested in esports and would like to become a member of a team, reach out to coach Bower or any of the team members within the next two weeks.