BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Earlier this month, five seniors from West High School travelled to San Antonio to compete in the EGF Overwatch 2 National Championship, bringing it home undefeated.
- West High seniors Hunter Burch, Eric Leyva, Ulysses Cervantes Carrillo, Erick Rodriguez, and Dismas Tapia said they've been playing together for a number of years and were thankful for the opportunity to take home the title together.
- All noted that through the process they've grown closer over time as they conclude their high school esports careers. Some team members said they plan to pursue collegiate E-Sports, while others consider different paths, including military service.
- More information on E-Sports in the Kern High School District can be found on the league's website.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For years, e-sports has been touted as this niche thing, but with professional and amateur leagues all across the world, it's clear to see that there's a lot more to it including chances to further academic careers. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter, and for five West High School students, they've made their way into the thick of it, bringing home a national championship.
"Going through that entire tournament, not dropping a single round the entire time, and then getting onto that big stage and being able to have a clean sweep, and then, you know, getting to celebrate right after is an amazing feeling," said Burch.
Earlier this month, members of the West High School Vikings esports program traveled to San Antonio to compete in the EGF National High School Championship for Overwatch 2, a team-based first-person shooter, and obliterated the competition finishing undefeated. Hunter Burch, Eric Leyva, Ulysses Cervantes Carrillo, Erick Rodriguez, and Dismas Tapia have played together for a handful of years, and many said as they close out their high school careers, they're happy to have done it together.
"It's like a brotherhood, almost like a family. It's like we first started. It's like friends and we really know each other, and it like, really started to grow," said Eric Leyva.
"It's just a huge accomplishment. We were able to reach just working together throughout the years. We've always wanted to reach something way, way beyond, like, just the district league. So national championship was, like, super fun to work for," said Cervantes Carrillo.
And like any other sports team, they'll miss the grind being right next to one another fighting to become the best.
"This, the environment, the team you know, playing together. Do you think you're gonna miss it?" asked 23ABC. "Yeah, honestly, like, I thought when we won, I thought I would cry or see my coach cry, because, like, that was the last experience we would have together. And that's kind of like, I don't know. It's just like, hurts me that we won't be together," said Erick Rodriguez.
All five are seniors and have plans for after high school. Some plan to try and play e-sports at the collegiate level, others plan to take a step back. For Tapia, he plans to take a step back and enlist in the Navy, but he's not discounting a comeback in the future.
"Maybe in the future. I was told that there's actually e-sports in the Navy, so I might do that. But after I probably would if I ever go to college," said Tapia.
And while they've been successful, West High isn't the only school in the KHSD that has E-Sports. To learn more about the programs across the district, be sure to check out this story online. In Bakersfield, SH, YNR.
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