Waubonsee Community College's Esports team closed out the regular season with a Rocket League win over Nassau (NY) Community College. The Chiefs downed the Lions four games to one in the best-of-seven match up, with each game being decided by just one goal. The victory improved Waubonsee's overall record to 6-2 and officially qualified the Chiefs for the NJCAA playoffs, while also knocking Nassau out of post-season contention. Coach Jarod Ericksen's crew now waits to see who they will play in the first round of the playoffs beginning next Tuesday, December 8. Second round matches will be held on Dec. 10 with the finals to be played on Dec. 13. Rocket League is one of the games that the NJCAA officially sanctioned last fall when they announced the beginning of Esports competition.
Rocket League is a fast paced, soccer-like video game in which three players on each team, utilizing rocket-powered cars, work together to knock the ball into the opposing team's goal and prevent it from entering their own. Each 5-minute game is conducted on a field without boundaries, and the clock only stops when a goal is scored. Over 60 community college's nationwide are currently fielding Esports programs.
In the opening game the two teams were deadlocked at 3-all as the five minute period of play came to a close. On the ensuing kick-off to start the sudden death overtime the Chiefs' Zachary Stephenson immediately got control of the ball and quickly proceeded to get a shot at the Lions' goal. Stephenson's initial shot was high, but he followed up the miss and tapped in the rebound just :05 into the extra period to give Waubonsee a 4-3 win.
The Chiefs led game two 3-1 early on and maintained that advantage by keeping the offensive pressure, making the Lions play defensively throughout much of the game. Nassua was able to pull within a goal with under a minute left in regulation, and nearly tied the score in the waning seconds. However, Chiefs' newcomer Cameron Davis made a game-saving deflection right in front of Waubonsee's goal mouth to preserve the 3-2 win. Davis, who joined the Chiefs' Esports squad midway through the season, has begun to emerge as a triple-threat of sorts. The sophomore from Somonauk High School is also a member of Waubonsee's men's soccer and basketball teams, making him the first student-athlete from another Chiefs' program to also earn a spot on the Esports team. Timothy Schramek had all three of Waubonsee's goals in the game to go along with registering a save, and Stephenson was credited with an assist and two saves in the contest.
In game three the Chiefs held on for a 2-1 victory to claim a three games to none lead in the best four-out-of-seven series. Davis had both goals for Waubonsee, while Stephenson had an assist and three saves. Looking for a four game sweep, the Chiefs appeared to be on their way to that outcome, holding a 3-1 lead with a minute and a half remaining. However, the Lions rallied to score twice in the final minute to win game four 4-3 and stay alive. Davis tallied a goal, two assists and a save, while Stephenson had a pair of goals and a save in the loss.
Game five was a defensive battle throughout as neither team scored during the initial four minutes of play. Waubonsee finally broke through with 0:53 left as Stephenson bounced a pass off the end wall near the Lions' goal and Davis knocked it in for the lone goal of the game. For the match Davis led the way with six goals overall to go along with three assists and three saves. Schramek tallied four goals and was credited with five saves and two assists, while stephenson finished with three goals, six saves and four assists.