It was a tough night of competition for the Blinn College esports team Tuesday, as the Buccaneers went 4-5 across matches in Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Super Smash Bros.
Blinn’s Call of Duty team of Logan Rivera, Michael Allen, Isaias Nieto, and Raylon Jenkins earned a 3-0 victory over Harrisburg Area Community College in a best-of-five NJCAA Esports (NJCAAe) tilt. The Bucs are now 2-0 in NJCAAe East Group 2 play this season.
“We knew we were favorites going in and played very confidently,” Bucs assistant coach and Call of Duty manager Ryan Lucich said. “Harrisburg made us work for the win a bit in hardpoint, but we were able to dominate maps two and three in search and destroy, and control. I think we learned a lot about our team dynamics the past few days of matches and hopefully we can carry that into next week as well.”
Up next, Blinn Call of Duty takes on Trinity Valley Community College in NJCAAe action at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Also Tuesday, the Buccaneer Overwatch squad of Haluk Tanriseven, Donnivan Straight, Dhruv Pandrangi, Jaden Cornett, and Matthew Hutchings faced third-ranked Maryville University in a National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Super Conference bout. The Bucs pushed the best-of-five series to four games, but ultimately fell 3-1. Blinn gave Maryville a tough test, with the four matches decided by scores of 2-1, 5-4, 3-1, and 1-0.
“In a thrilling faceoff against the formidable Maryville University, our team showcased remarkable determination and skill,” said assistant coach Kyle Murto, who coaches both the Blinn Overwatch and Super Smash Bros teams. “Despite the final score, our performance was nothing short of incredible. Securing a map win against one of the nation’s top teams underscores our ability to compete at the highest levels of collegiate esports. The match was a back-and-forth affair, with each map fiercely contested. While the victory eluded us, the tenacity and talent exhibited by our team shows that we are continuing to improve at a breakneck speed.”
Next up for Blinn Overwatch is an NJCAAe tilt against the University of Arkansas-Rich Mountain at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The Bucs will also continue their run in the University of Kentucky Overwatch Invitational Qualifier when they compete against Bellevue University at 7 p.m., also Wednesday. Blinn’s NACE season resumes with a clash against the University of Texas-Dallas at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 27.
Blinn’s night ended with seven one-versus-one NJCAAe Super Smash Bros matches, in which the Bucs posted a 3-4 record.
In two matches, Gabe Pipes fell to Hutchinson Community College 3-0 before rebounding for a 3-0 victory over Barton Community College. Tanner Hicks battled Gogebic Community College in his lone tilt of the night and earned a 3-0 victory. In a pair of matches, Brady Landry was victorious with a 3-0 win over Dallas College-Brookhaven but dropped a 3-1 decision to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Cody Bentlage rounded out the action with a 3-0 loss to Northeastern Oklahoma and a 3-0 setback at the hands of Laredo College.
“Our Super Smash Bros team put up a valiant effort, and despite the mixed results, there were standout performances, notably from Tanner Hicks,” Murto said. “Tanner showcased his resilience and determination, which is particularly noteworthy considering his recent challenges facing tough opponents. Despite this, he remained committed and focused, culminating in a dominating performance against his opponent from Gogebic. It’s clear that Tanner’s hard work and dedication are paying off, and his contribution to the team’s success cannot be understated.
“We still are not where we want to be, but we will continue to work and continue to fix our mechanical issues.”
Super Smash Bros play continues for the Bucs on Feb. 27 with eight NJCAAe matches. The Bucs will battle State Technical College of Missouri, Southwestern Illinois College, Laredo, and Coastal Bend College at 7 p.m., and take on Mineral Area College, Iowa Central Community College, Coastal Bend, and Dallas College-Richland at 8 p.m.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
