SEASON 2 (Fall '22) MATCH WRITEUPS

12/5

KO Mario Kart Black Team vs. Cypress Creek High School (W, 2-0)

On Monday, December 5, KO's Mario Kart Black Team sat down to race against Orlando's Cypress Creek High School in Round 3 of the Eastern Region Playoffs. Christina Mullen '23 led an all Form-3 trio of Aarav Mathur '26, Lia Prahl '26, and call-up Riley Mapp '26 in their toughest match to date. Despite the anxiety heading into the match against a higher-ranked team, the Wyverns showed poise and determination throughout. They showed up competitively, as well, grabbing the lead in the first race and never letting go, sweeping the #8 overall team 2-0 to send themselves on to the Round of 8 on Wednesday. Senior Mullen put in characteristically dominating performances all afternoon, but so did the other racers. They made some clutch decisions late in their matches – like item placement and usage, as well as coordinated movement – to hold off an aggressive CCHS squad. 

12/7

KO Mario Kart Black Team vs. Forest Park High School (L, 0-2)

Wednesday, December 7, marked the end of a fantastic run for the Fall 2022 Black Team of KO Mario Kart. Christina Mullen '23, Aarav Mathur '26, Lia Prahl '26, and Riley Mapp '26 queued up with the undefeated varsity team from Virginia's Forest Park High School in the semifinals of the Eastern Region playoffs. For a team that had found so much success, this was a challenging match. Used to not only being in the lead but also holding down the top spots in each race, the Wyverns found themselves against stiff competition and on the other side of the equation. Forest Park took the lead in race 1 and never looked back, securing strong wins in Series 1 and Series 2, ending the Wyverns' hopes of a championship season. Despite the disappointing loss in a grueling postseason, the overall success of Mario Kart's Black Team - this was their second loss all season - was a huge boost for KO Esports, overall.

11/28

KO Smash Black Team vs. Community Academy of Philadelphia (L, 1-2)

On their first day back from Thanksgiving break, the all-senior Smash Brothers players for KO's Black Team – Johnny Kung '23, Will Jacobs '23, and Garret Kelly '23 – settled in for Round 1 of the Eastern Region Playoffs against the Community Academy of Philadelphia. The match turned out to be a tight one, with both teams playing close through each of three series. Strong individual play from the Wyverns couldn't quite bring the win home, as they lost 1-2 and exited the playoffs in the first round. Despite the disappointing result, the team put together an incredible first season for KO SSBU and set a high bar for the school moving forward.

11/29

KO Splatoon Black Team vs. Kempsville High School (L, 0-3)

On Tuesday, with three matches on the schedule, KO Black Team Splatoon found themselves in the late afternoon slot with a rescheduled match against Kempsville High School at 5:30. Three of the four Wyvern Inklings – Aarav Mathur '26, Christina Mullen '23, and Alexa Prahl '24 – got set up after grueling Round 1 matches for their respective Mario Kart teams, joined by senior Cole Ellis '23. The Wyverns had their work cut out for them against KHS, who came in as one of the top seeds in the league, having only lost 1 match out of their 8 and a total of 4 single games out of 25 played. Despite their best efforts, KO couldn't make up the difference and quickly lost the match, 0-3. Despite their first round exit, KO Splatoon's playoff appearance marked strong progress in the program, with promise ahead in a strong core for next year.

KO Mario Kart Black Team vs. Buena Regional High School (W, 2-0)

The drivers of Mario Kart Black Team lined up against Buena Regional High School in Tuesday's Round 1 of the Eastern Region Playoffs. Entering at #10 overall, the highly-ranked Wyverns – Christina Mullen '23, Aarav Mathur '26, Cloud Que '24, and Lia Prahl '23 – knew that in a game of Kart, anything could happen, and so set out to grab the lead early and never let it go. Grab it they did, and the talented Wyvern drivers never looked back, running roughshod over BRHS on the back of strong driving from the entire team, who traded places regularly in the top places. With a Round 1 shutout under their belts the drivers of Black Team hope to continue their success against the Ludington High School Orioles in Thursday's Round 2 match. 

KO Mario Kart Red Team vs. Baker High School (L, 1-2)

Thrilled with the news of their unexpected playoff berth, the Wyverns of KO's Mario Kart Red Team raced against top-ranked Baker High School in Round 1 of the Eastern Region Playoffs. Hannah Bateson '26, Ryan Zheng '24, Ray Chen '25, Alexa Prahl '24, and alternate Kodi Ezegbo '23 knew they had their work cut out for them on Tuesday afternoon. Their results in Series 1 were encouraging, with the Wyverns remaining within striking distance but never quite taking the lead. As they headed into Series 2 with the match on the line, KO pushed themselves to communicate and coordinate their approach to their races, eventually snatching the lead - and the second series - away from BHS to force a Series 3. The make-or-break six races of Series 3 seemed to be heading the Wyverns' way as they held on to the lead until the very end, dropping the series and the match by just a handful of points in the very last race. It was an incredibly showing from a talented KO team that made a lot of progress this year and looks poised for continued success next fall.

11/30

KO Rocket League Black Team vs. Liberty College and Career Academy (L, 0-4)

The all-senior Rocket League Black Team trio of Will Jacobs '23, Cole Ellis '23, and Garret Kelly '23 hit the pitch on Thursday for their Round 1 playoff match against Liberty College and Career Academy. As the match got underway, the team quickly realized they had their work cut out for them in trying to shut down a particularly talented LCCA driver with exceptional car control and accuracy. Try though they might, the KO team couldn't quite hang onto their leads and found themselves exiting the first round once again after a 0-4 loss to the sharpshooting LCCA team. While disappointing, the KO squad set a very high bar for the Rocket League team moving forward as the seniors leave behind a legacy of talent to the program.

12/1

KO Mario Kart Black Team vs. Ludington High School (W, 2-0)

Thrilled with their success in Round 1 of the Eastern Region Mario Kart playoffs, the Wyverns of Black Team readied themselves to face Ludington High School in Round 2 on Friday afternoon. The team's Form-spanning core of Christina Mullen '23, Cloud Que '24, Aarav Mathur '26, and Lia Prahl '26, got some reps in to warm themselves up and then settled in for the match. The first series went off smoothly, with the Wyverns taking the lead in the first race and never letting go. The team demonstrated strong communication and coordination on some challenging maps and made a point to work in tandem to anticipate and neutralize counter-offensive maneuvers by the LHS Orioles. Despite some connection issues in the middle of Series 2 that delayed the final three races by almost 20 minutes, at the end of the day, the Wyverns hauled home a convincing win by a margin of more than 50 points to advance to Monday's Round 3 matches, the Round of 16. 

11/8

KO Splatoon Red Team (2-4) v Bloomfield HS (L, 1-4)

KO's Splatoon Red Team hit the turf against New Jersey's Bloomfield High School for their final match of the regular season. Hannah Bateson '26, Kodi Ezegbo '23, and Esther Arimoro '24 were joined by sub Lia Prahl '26. The team played a fantastic Game 1 Turf War to open up with a win, but had trouble containing Bloomfield in the more objective-based games. Although BHS went on to win the next four games and hand the Wyverns a 1-4 loss, the team had some strong moments. Their play in Splat Zones was just moments away from a come-from-behind win until a team wipe in the final moments, and Red Team's work on Tower Control also showed good growth on moving up as a group through the map. The team ends the season at 2-5.

KO Splatoon Black Team (3-3) @ Florida Virtual School (W, 5-0)

The Wyverns of Splatoon Black Team - Aarav Mathur '26, Christina Mullen '23, and Alexa Prahl '24 - were joined by Red Team call-up Ray Chen '25 in their final regular season match against Florida Virtual School. KO came on strong and didn't let up for the entire match, knocking out their opponent well before time expired on some of their most challenging modes, like Clam Blitz and Rainmaker. The team exhibited exceptional communication and awareness, and Chen's strong contributions in support set a good pace for the team's momentum. Splatoon Black Team ends the regular season at 4-3 and is currently sitting on the bubble for Eastern Region Playoffs, where they need to rank at 64 to make the cut. Their playoff chances will be determined as the rest of the league wraps up during KO's bye week (for the start of the winter athletic season) next week.

11/9

KO Smash Black Team (3-3) vs. York County Technical School (W, 2-0)

KO's Black Team for Super Smash Brothers - Will Jacobs '23, Garret Kelly '23, and Johnny Kung '23 - closed out their regular season with a quick 2-0 victory against the Spartans of York County Technical School. Jacobs and Kelly both won their matches quickly, 2-0, for each of the first two series, and the Wyverns went home with their quickest match of the season yet. Hoping for the playoffs, the Wyverns of Smash Black Team will be watching the standings during their bye week prior to Thanksgiving and will hope to be queuing up for round one of the playoffs on November 28.

11/11

KO Rocket League (4-1) @ Bloomfield High School (L, 1-3)

On their last practice day of the regular season, the Wyverns of KO's Rocket League Black Team settled into their match against the Bengals of New Jersey's Bloomfield High School. Coming in at 4-2, the Wyverns - Will Jacobs '23, Cole Ellis '23, and Garret Kelly '23 - hope to close out with a win to improve their chances of staying in the top 32 and make the Eastern Regional Playoffs. While their playoff hopes remain strong, KO couldn't close out with a win. Black Team was outscored throughout the series and couldn't keep up with the deep Bengals squad, though KO got on the board with a win in Game 3, avoiding a shutout. All eyes will be on the standings this week as the Wyverns take their Bye week to get prepped for winter sports and the rest of the Eastern Region closes their season, all fingers crossed for the playoffs.

11/14

KO Mario Kart Black Team (5-1) @ Florida Virtual School (W, 2-0)

The drivers for KO's Mario Kart Black Team - Christina Mullen '23, Aarav Mathur '26, Lia Prahl '26, and Cloud Que '25 - took on the Fury of Florida Virtual School for their final regular season match. Looking to end their season on a high note, the Wyverns hit the gas and never looked back. They walked away from the race with a clean, 2-0 sweep of the Fury on the back of strong driving from the whole team. Prahl, on stream, navigated some frustrating turns of bad luck and item targeting to continually push into the top tier and widen the gap between the two teams throughout the race. Finishing the season at 6-1, Mario Kart Black Team is heading to the playoffs of the Eastern Regional League after Thanksgiving and now awaits their seeding and schedule.

KO Mario Kart Red Team (3-3) @ Immaculate High School (W, 2-1)

With Black Team running roughshod over their opponents across the room, KO's Mario Kart Red Team - Hannah Bateson '26, Ray Chen '24, Alexa Prahl '24, and Ryan Zheng '24 - found themselves in another nailbiter of a match against the Mustangs of Danbury, CT's Immaculate High School. The entire match was a master class in trading and tenacity, with the Wyverns and Mustangs jockeying for a lead throughout. KO took Series 1 in a tiebreaker after initially ending in a draw, but then dropped Series 2 in what looked to be a case of the team losing their focus as they went into the match-deciding Series 3. Undeterred, however, the Wyvern foursome hung tough and clung to a narrow lead throughout and eked out a victory in a close match, wrapping up the win at 2-1. Red Team finishes the season at 4-3, and some its drivers will move onto the Black Team bench to support them in the playoffs.

11/1

KO Splatoon Red (1-4) @ Lee County HS (W, 5-0) 

KO Splatoon Red Team had their best game of the season against Kentucky's Lee County High School. Coming off a strong performance last week, the Wyvern team of Hannah Bateson '26, Kodi Ezegbo '23, Esther Arimoro '24, and Ray Chen '25 took their lessons to heart hit the ink with a plan. From the jump, the match broke their way, opening with a dominating Turf War win in Game 1 and continuing on for four more games to end in a 5-0 sweep in favor of KO. Typically challenging modes like Tower Control and Clam Blitz both ended in Wyvern shutouts before time ran out, keeping Lee County from even mounting a comeback. Heading into the final week of the regular season,  KO Splatoon's Red Team sits at 2-4 and #145 out of 207 teams in the Eastern Regional League.

KO Splatoon Black (2-3) @ Natick HS (W, 5-0)

On the other side of the esports room, KO Splatoon Black Team made sure to get in on the positive energy from Red Team, pushing aside Massachusetts' Natick High School in their own 5-0 sweep for week six. After letting week five's winnable match get away from them, the team took a new, single-brush comp and movement strategy into Tuesday's game. Cole Ellis '23, Alexa Prahl '24, Christina Mullen '23, and Aarav Mathur '26 used a near-constant stream of communication to seal a Game 1 Turf War win. They then took that momentum and pushed through the set to wipe out the Natick side, 5-0, for a flawless victory. Heading into the final week of the regular season, KO Splatoon's Black Team sits at 3-3 and #80 out of 207 teams in the Eastern Regional League.

11/2

KO Smash Black Team (3-2) vs. Alliance Acad. for Innovation (L, 1-2)

Wednesday's Super Smash Brothers Black Team match had a last-minute twist when the team's opponent forfeited right before the start of the match, leading to our team entereing the queue. After ten minutes, the trio of Garret Kelly '23, Will Jacobs '23, and Johnny Kung '23 were matched against the top (and undefeated) team in the Eastern Regional League - Avengers 2 from the ever-present Alliance Academy for Innovation in Georgia. Resolute heading into their toughest match of the year, the Wyverns battled hard and made  a near-impossible matchup look winnable. Esports newcomer Garret Kelly stood out in the match coming back from an 0-1 deficit after game 1 in series 2 to win the series 2-1. The team heads into their final week of the regular season at 3-3.

11/3

KO Mario Kart Black Team (4-1) vs. Naugatuck HS (W, 2-0)

Thursday's matchup between KO'S Black Team for Mario Kart and local opponent Naugatuck High School was a good one, with the Wyverns coming out on top. Christina Mullen '23, Lia Prahl '26, Cloud Que '24, Aarav Mathur '26 took an early lead in the match and, despite some back and forth, came out solidly on top in the penultimate week of the season. Beyond the solid gameplay from the Wyverns, the highlight of the match was the Mario Kart equivalent of running onto the field, when an unknown 9th player - unaffiliated with either KO or NHS - dropped into the match to drive with the two teams. Whoever they were, they quickly realized they were part of an actual competition (due to the use of KOEsport and NHS Esport gamertags) and willingly took last place before dropping out. The team hopes to finish strong in week 7 to end the regular season at 5-1 and - hopefully - make the regional playoffs.

KO Mario Kart Red Team (2-3) @ Alliance Acad. for Innovation (W, 2-0)

KO's Mario Kart Red Team lined up on Thursday afternoon against the school that has become our season rival - Georgia's Alliance Academy for innovation. Hannah Bateson '23, Ray Chen '25, Alexa Prahl '24 and Ryan Zheng '24 played through an incredibly close race, going back and forth throughout the twelve races that made up the two series. All four Wyverns put in some of their best racing all season, holding off an Avengers team that just wouldn't take their foot off the petal. The team moved to 3-3 on the season heading into the final week of regular season play.

KO Rocket League (4-1) vs. Ashley Ridge HS (L, 1-3)

KO seniors Will Jacobs '23, Cole Ellis '23, and Garret Kelly '23 faced off against the Rocket Foxes of Ashley Ridge on Thursday afternoon, hoping to keep their strong season play going. Despite a good win in Game 1, the Wyverns had a tough time hanging onto their leads in each of the next three games, dropping the match to a very strong ARHS trio. Despite the loss, the team play exceedingly well, most notably seen in Game 2, when they took a 1-1 tie into almost 8 minutes of overtime - the Rocket League equivalent of taking an extra-innings baseball game into the 22nd inning. The team looks ahead to the final week of the regular season at 4-2.

10/25

KO Splatoon Red (1-3) @ Watervliet Jr/Sr HS (L, 2-3) 

On Tuesday, KO Splatoon's Red Team of Hannah Bateson '26, Esther Arimoro '24, Kodi Ezegbo '23, and Ray Chen '25 squared off against New York's Watervliet Junior-Senior High School. The day's competition was a tug of war, with the Wyverns and Cannoneers trading wins to force a game 5. Although they put together strong match play, game 5's Clam Blitz mode proved to be too tough to overcome, with Red Team having trouble getting points on the board. Despite the loss, the team came away pleased with the strength of the overall match, and ready for week six. 

KO Splatoon Black (2-2) @ Auburn HS (L, 1-3) 

KO Splatoon's Black Team faced stiff competition from the Crows of New Jersey's Auburn High School in Tuesday's match. Cole Ellis '23, Christina Mullen '23, Alexa Prahl '24, and Aarav Mathur '26 had a strong come-from-behind win in game 2's Rainmaker game mode, but were challenged by an aggressive, well-positioned, and coordinated Auburn team. Looking ahead to week six, the team is planning on major shifts in their gear comps to try and shake things up and get back in the win column. 

10/26

KO Smash Black Team (3-1) vs. Central Dauphin HS (L, 0-3) 

The brawlers of KO's Smash Bros. Black Team took on Pennsylvania's Central Dauphin High School in Wednesday's week five matchup. The all-senior trio of Will Jacobs '23, Garret Kelly '23, and Johnny Kung '23 entered the match confident but also aware of the increased likelihood of a challenging match as the Swiss-style schedule settles into its strength in the middle and closing weeks. They definitely found the challenge in yesterday's match, with games filled with fast-paced action and combo streaks. Central Dauphin proved themselves incredibly skilled and shut out the Wyverns for each of the three series and the match. After the tough loss, the Wyverns are ready to find some space, hit their other titles, and then recover into Smash in their upcoming week six competition.

10/27 

KO Mario Kart Black Team (3-1) @ Heritage High School (W, 2-0)

KO's Mario Kart Black Team lined up against Heritage High School (Newport News, VA) on Thursday afternoon, hoping to move to 4-1 on the season. Christina Mullen '23, Lia Prahl '26, Cloud Que '24, Aarav Mathur '26, and call-up Riley Mapp '26 hit the track after a week spent practicing the new DLC maps for the game. That preparation paid off, with multiple DLC tracks selected for the matchup. The Wyverns got off to an early lead in the first series and managed to hold it despite a charging comeback effort from the HHS Hurricanes. The team sits at #23 in the Eastern Regional League and 4-1 overall heading into week six.

KO Mario Kart Red Team (2-2) @ Madison High School (L, 1-2)

The Karters of KO's Red Team hit the match queue today after their regularly scheduled opponent dropped out, pairing with Madison High School (Madison Heights, MI) for a later Thursday start. Heading into the match level at 2-2 for the season, Red Team had to make a last-minute lineup change and call up junior Esther Arimoro '24 to join Hannah Bateson '23, Ray Chen '25, and Ryan Zheng '24. The match was a scrappy one, with the Wyverns dropping series 1 but managing to claw their way back to force series 3 after gutsy and tenacious racing to win series 2. The series 3 races were neck and neck, with the Wyverns going trading the 1, 2, and 3 spots regularly with the Eagles until the very last race, where an unlucky item draw sent KO into the L column by a mere 4 points. 

KO Rocket League (3-1) vs. Mount Saint Joseph Academy (W, 3-1)

KO's all-senior Rocket League trio of Will Jacobs '23, Garret Kelly '23, and Cole Ellis '23 squared off against the Green Wave of Mount Saint Joseph Academy (Rutland, VT). As the Swiss scheduled settles into the strength of the final three weeks, the Wyverns expected an increased degree of difficulty this week. While they had a more challenging opponent, the KO trio had no trouble maintaining their form, as the rode a full-team effort to a 3-1 victory against the Green Wave. The team, now ranked at #11 in the Eastern Regional League, heads into week six at 4-1.

10/18

KO Splatoon Red (0-3) vs. Ludington HS (W, 4-1)

Coming off a loss in week 3, the Wyverns of Splatoon's Red Team hit the maps with several solid VOD review sessions under their belt and a handful of new goals and strategies. The hard work of Kodi Ezegbo '23, Esther Arimoro '24, Ray Chen '25 and Hannah Bateson '26 paid off, and the Red Team cruised to their first win of the season against Ludington High School, 4-1. A new weapon comp for Ray Chen '24 helped provide the team with much-needed visibility and back-line coverage, and better communication around transitioning between defense and offense helped the Wyverns stay on their game and get into the win column.

KO Splatoon Black (1-1) @ Silver Creek HS (L, 1-4)

After a great win in Week 3 the Wyverns of Splatoon's Black Team lost an absolute nailbiter of a match against Silver Creek High School, 1-4, to go 2-2 on the season. The Wyverns - Cole Ellis '23, Christina Mullen '23, Alexa Prahl '24, and Aarav Mathur '26 - found every one of their losses incredibly close. They also noticed a troubling pattern of sprinting out to an early lead in most game mode and then finding it hard to close out the match or hold off an aggressive enemy push before time expired. A much more competitive series than the line indicates, the team heads back to practice with a good amount of footage to review and some things to work on for Week 5.

10/19

KO Smash Black Team (1-1) vs. Alliance Academy for Innovation (W, 3-0)

On Wednesday, the players of Black Team for Super Smash Bros. faced off against this season's largest and most oft-seem opponent, Georgia's Alliance Academy for Innovation. The Wyverns - senior Johnny Kung '23 and captains Garret Kelly '23 and Will Jacobs '23 - found themselves in line for an easy victory, racking up a clean sweep to win 3-0. Kung closed out the victory with a strong set as Bowser, showing off visible improvements that helped him control the play against an aggressive Pyra/Mythra main. 

10/20

KO Mario Kart Black Team (1-1) vs. Hamilton-Wenham Regional HS (W, 2-0)

KO's Black Team players squared off in Mario Kart against Massachusetts' Hamilton-Wenham Regional HS on Thursday afternoon. The Wyverns put in a dominating performance, doubling- and almost tripling-up the score against the Generals of Hamilton-Wenham. Team mainstays Aarav Mathur '26, Lia Prahl '26, and Christina Mullen '23 were joined by call-up Hannah Bateson '26, who contributed to a convincing Wyvern win. The victory sends the Black Team into Week 5 at 3-1 on the season.

KO Mario Kart Red Team (1-1) @ Salem County Career and Technical HS (L, 0-2)

On the other side of the esports room from the easy win of Black Team, the drivers of Red Team found themselves in a race that went down to the wire against New Jersey's Salem County Career and Technical HS. Team anchor Alexa Prahl '24, Ryan Zheng '24, and Ray Chen '25 welcomed first-year player Riley Mapp '26 off the reserve roster for Thursday's matchup. The race was exceedingly close, with only a low single-digit point spread giving Salem the win in Series 1. In series 2, the Wyverns kept within striking distance but couldn't quite close the gap, dropping the series and the match to go 2-2 on the season.

KO Rocket League (2-0) vs. Cristo Rey HS (W, 3-0)

The experience of KO's senior-stocked Rocket League team was on full display in Thursday's matchup against Columbus, Ohio's Cristo Rey High School. After restlessly waiting for the rescheduled late start at 4:30, the team of Garret Kelly '23, Will Jacobs '23, and Cole Ellis '23 took home an easy Week 4 win. The team played 3v2 to start while Cristo Rey dealt with technical issues but had no trouble adjusting to their opponent's return to full strength in game 2, as KO went on to sweep the match, 3-0. They currently sit at 3-1 on the season and #12 of 84 teams in the Eastern Regional League.

10/11

KO Splatoon Red (0-2) @ Patriot High School (L, 0-3)

The Inkling's of KO's Splatoon Red Team toed up against the Octolings of Virginia's Patriot High School. The foursome of Kodi Ezegbo '23, Esther Arimoro '24, Ray Chen '25 and Hannah Bateson '26 had some strong points in their match but found themselves outplayed in the end, dropping the match 0-3. Not reflected in the score was the good progress the team showed in more challenging modes like Tower Control and Clam Blitz, a shift from their traditional strengths of Turf War and Splat Zones. 

KO Splatoon Black (1-1) @ Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical HS (W, 3-1)

The strong team play of KO's Splatoon Black Team in last week's trying loss gave the players a good foundation heading into Week 3 play at 1-1 against Easton, Massachusetts' Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. The Wyverns and opposing Hawks were very closely matched and in the opening two matches, it showed. The Wyverns of Black Team - Cole Ellis '23, Christina Mullen '23, Alexa Prahl '24, and Aarav Mathur '26 - took a 1-0 lead in the match but soon found it leveled up after a come-from-behind Hawk win in the final seconds game 2's Rainmaker. Undeterred, Black Team was dominant in game 3's Splat Zones, knocking out the Hawks before the map's time had fully elapsed due to great communication and coordination around the central zone. The Hawks tried to claw their way back in game 4's Tower Control, but KO held the line on their early lead and ran out the clock to secure themselves the game and the match, going 2-1 on the season. 

10/12

KO Smash Black Team (1-1) vs. Pocono Mountain West HS (W, 2-0)

The brawlers of KO Smash Bros. Black Team picked up a quick and easy win on Wednesday against the Silver Panthers of Pocono Mountain West High School. With Johnny Kung '23 supporting and providing feedback on the side, a lightning-quick first series win by Garret Kelly '23, and a Silver Panther forfeit in series 2 in favor of Will Jacobs '23,  the Wyverns were handed an unorthodox but welcome victory in Week 3. Smash Black Team sits at 2-1 heading into Week 4.

10/13

KO Mario Kart Black Team (1-1) @ Carver Middle/High School (W, 2-0)

KO's Mario Kart Black Team pulled up to the starting line against the Crusaders of MA's Carver Middle/High School on Thursday afternoon. The Wyverns - Christina Mullen '23, Cloud Que '24, Lia Prahl '26, and Aarav Mathur '26 - came out strong and never pulled their foot off the gas, winning handily with a clean, two-series sweep. With Mullen '23 and Mathur '26 rotating through the top two spots in the rankings and Prahl '26 and Que '24 holding down the middle, KO showed off a combination of skill, communication, and deep map knowledge to deflect some aggressive item pickups from the Crusader racers. The team heads into Week 4 at 2-1.

KO Mario Kart Red Team (1-1) @ Eastern Senior High School (W, 2-0)

Fresh off a heartbreaking tiebreaker loss in Week 2, the racers of Mario Kart Red Team showed up ready to win against Washington, D.C.'s Eastern Senior High School Rams. Wyverns Alexa Prahl '24, Ryan Zheng '24, and Hannah Bateson '26 were joined by Ray Chen '25 in the day's race. The team came out strong and never had any serious competition from the Eastern Rams. Strong improvement by Zheng '24 showcased the progress made by Red Team over the past few weeks and, as a result, the team now stands at 2-1 going into Week 4.

KO Rocket League (2-0) vs. Alliance Academy for Innovation (L, 1-3)

After two weeks without much competition from their opponents, the drivers of Rocket League Black Team faced off against the Avengers of a very strong Alliance Academy for Innovation. Team veterans Will Jacobs '23 and Cole Ellis '23 were joined by new arrival Garret Kelly '23 for what ended up being the tensest match of the day for KO Esports. With a delayed start due to issues on the opponent's end - something that has become a worrying trend in the past two weeks against multiple teams - the Wyverns got the ball rolling around 4:30 and quickly found themselves in a hole, down 0-2 out of the first two games and heading into a  match-deciding game 3. The team quickly went up 1-0, hung tough, and was able to eke out an overtime win to take the match to game 4. The fourth game went much the same way, with the Wyverns trading leads with the Avengers for the full five minutes before giving up a heartbreaking overtime goal to end the match in favor of Alliance Academy. Although disheartened by the result, the team takes both a 2-1 record and good data into Week 4 as they look to find firmer footing and get themselves back in the win column. 

10/4

KO Splatoon Red (0-1) @ York County School of Tech (L, 2-3)

On Tuesday, October 3, KO Splatoon's Red Team squared off against the York County School of Technology's Trojans. With last-minute callup Lia Prahl '26 filling in for an absent player, Red Team veterans Hannah Bateson '26, Esther Arimoro '24 and Kodi Ezegbo '23 put in a great effort. The Wyverns traded wins with the Trojans the entire match, taking an early victory in Turf War, dropping an overwhelming Rainmaker, winning with good communication and control in Splat Zones, and losing after a valiant effort in Tower Control. For the deciding Game 5 Clam Blitz, the Wyverns took the game into overtime and had multiple chances to win the game, but they couldn't quite get close enough in the tight confines of the map - the contentious Mahi Mahi Resort that has proven challenging for so many Splatoon 3 players. Despite losing in overtime, the team took away a lot of great lessons and is looking ahead to Week 2.

KO Splatoon Black (1-0) @ Hudsonville HS (L, 1-4)

A confident Splatoon Black Team took the stage on October 3 against Hudsonville High School, hoping to set up their first winning streak of the season after a strong week 1. Unfortunately, the Wyvenrs ran headfirst into a very veteran set of Eagles. Although the overall score was not in their favor, the Black Team put in a heckuva match. Teammates Christina Mullen '23, Cole Ellis '23, Alexa Prahl '24, and Aarav Mathur '26 struggled to find their groove in the first three games, finding themselves out-painted and out-maneuvered by their opponent. The final two games, however, were incredibly close. In Game 4, the Wyverns game back from a deep deficit to ride the map tower just one point closer than their opponent in the final second of the game, securing a win on the back of senior Inklings Ellis and Mullen, some stellar tower presence, and good map support. And, in Game 5, the Wyverns were neck and neck in Clam Blitz, showing tenacity against an aggressive 4-stack and losing by only a handful of points in the final moments of the match. Despite the loss, the team received multiple kudos from the opposing players and coaches, who were vocal about the fact that the Wyverns were far and away the best team they had played this year. 

10/6 (rescheduled from 10/5)

KO Smash Black Team (1-0) vs. Clifton HS (L, 1-2)

On a jam-packed Thursday, the KO's Black Team for Smash Brother headed into a match against New Jersey's Clifton High School, rescheduled to accommodate Wednesday's holiday. With two of the team's three starters - captains Will Jacobs '23 and Garret Kelly '23 - slated for Rocket League, junior Max Bedard '24 led a trio that included up-and-coming Bowser main Johnny Kung '23 and team newcomer Riley Mapp '26. The match went into the third set, with Bedard putting together wins in games 2 and 3 to notch Series 1 for the Wyverns. In Series 2 and Series 3, however, the Wyverns found themselves outplayed, going 0-3 in each of those sets and losing the match. Despite the loss, the team gained a lot of valuable experience and a healthy amount of VOD to review in the coming days as they hope to get back in the win column in Week 3.

KO Mario Kart Black Team (1-0) @ Cohoes HS (L, 0-2)

The scoreboard does no justice whatsoever to the match the KO racers of Mario Kart Black Team put together on Thursday, October 6. Team aces Aarav Mathur '26 and Lia Prahl '26 were joined by Red Team transfer Cloud Que '24 and sub Esther Arimoro '23. The Series 1 races went back and forth as the Wyverns and Rams traded leads, with the Rams eking out a win by literal points at the end of race 6 to take Series 1. For Series 2, the trading continued and the teams found themselves at a literal draw at the end of the Series, requiring a one-race tiebreaker. With one race to determine the Series 2 winner - and the match, for the Rams - the Wyverns found themselves in a strong position up until the closing moments of the race, when some incredibly lucky item pulls for the Rams allowed them to knock the Wyverns' 1st and 2nd place racers into middle placements. The Rams won the race by less than 3 points, and with it, Series 2 and the match. 

KO Mario Kart Red Team (0-1) @ John C Birdlebough HS (W, 2-0)

While the Black Team found themselves on the razer's edge, on the other side of the room, the Mario Kart Red Team's 4-stack put in a dominating show against John C Birdlebough High School's Firebirds. Red Team leader Hannah Bateson '26 was joined by rookie Ryan Zheng '24, Black Team transfer Alexa Prahl '24, and sub Kodi Ezegbo '23. The team found themselves doing some trading early on, but quickly found their groove and put in a dominating performance despite some challenging reps on Rainbow Road from a punishing map randomizer. A bright spot on a tough afternoon for KO Esports, the Red Team picked up a convincing 2-0 win and some well-deserved confidence as they head off into Week 3.

KO Rocket League (1-0) vs. Bard High School, (BYE WIN, 3-0)

Ready to drive the pitch as a trio, senior squad Will Jacobs '23 (C), Cole Ellis '23, and Garret Kelly (C) got themselves warmed up and prepped, only to have their opponent forfeit minutes before match time. Frustrated, the Wyverns entered the match queue but didn't find an opponent, earning themselves a bye week win instead. In the scrimmage queue, however, the Wyverns found an opponent to drive against, and they quickly went 3-0 against an outmatched Blue Knights Team from Sandwich High School in MA. Confident in their skills and sporting a new 2-0 record, the Wyverns are looking to do some heavy lifting in Week 3.

9/27

KO Splatoon Red @ Champlain Valley Union High School (L, 0-3)

On Tuesday, September 27, KO Splatoon Red faced off against Vermont's CVUHS in five matches of competitive Splatoon 3. Teammates Hannah Bateson '26, Ray Chen '25, Esther Arimoro '24, and Kodi Ezegbo '23 took the stage in their first regular-season matchup. The Wyverns ran headfirst into a strong E-Hawks 5 stack and very quickly found themselves trying to keep pace with an aggressive play style that challenged the more deliberate Kingswood approach. The team showed growth in the later games of the match, particularly in Tower Control, where sophomore Ray Chen found a higher gear to control the midground and disrupt the opponent's offensive approach. While the end result was a loss, the team came away with valuable experience and have begun brainstorming ways to change their approach for next week.

KO Splatoon Black picked up their first win of the season, with their opponent forfeiting despite repeated attempts to reschedule.

9/28

KO Smash Black vs. Champlain Valley Union High School (W, 3-0)

Wednesday's season-opening Super Smash Brothers Ultimate match resulted in excellent play and Week 1 win for the Wyverns against the E-Hawks Smash trio. Captain Will Jacobs '23, Johnny Kung '23, and Max Bedard '24 put in excellent stage play and held strong through some close matches, buoyed by in-house support from Riley Mapp '26 and in-chat energy and feedback from an absent Captain Garret Kelly '23. Veteran Bedard dominated King Dede in a quick 3-0 series win, and an experienced Jacobs battled back after a game 1 loss to win his series 2-1. Smash newcomer Johnny Kung, in his second competitive matchup, showed off his growth by demonstrating once and for all who was the better Bowser in a 3-0 sweep of his opponent in series 3. After the opening victory, the fighters are getting ready for the big stage in Saturday's first-ever KET in the field house.

9/29

KO Kart Red Team @ Mercy Career & Technical High School (L, 1-2)

The racers of KO's Kart Red Team put together some excellent driving in their opening week of the season for PlayVS against Mercy Tech Esports. Racers Ryan Zheng '24, Hannah Bateson '26, Cloud Que '24, and Johnny Kung '24 found great success and made some personal strides. Despite dropping Series 1 and Series 3 to lose the match, the Wyverns drove their best throughout Series 2, coming away with a convincing victory and seeing the value of solid communication and teamwork. The team is hoping for a win in Week 2 of the regular season.

KO Kart Black Team vs Appomattox Regional Governor's School (W, 2-0)

KO Kart's Black team drove confidently to victory in a short and sweet 2-0 rout of the Dragons from Appomattox Regional Governor's School. Led by senior Christina Mullen '23, racers Alexa Prahl '24, Lia Prahl ' 26, and Aarav Mathur '26 found themselves with little challenge put forth from the Dragons. Having fun with their comms and confident enough to try out new shortcuts and formations, the Black Team cruised to victory in short order late in the afternoon, closing out KO Esports' first week of regular season play. They're hopeful to continue their winning streak into Week 2. 

10/3 (rescheduled from 9/29)

KO Rocket League Black vs. Seneca Highlands Career and Tech Center (W, 3-0)

Getting a late start on their season start, the KO Rocket League Black Team hit the pitch against the Screaming Eagles of Seneca Highlands. Despite rescheduling and a late start, seniors Will Jacobs '23 (C), Cole Ellis '23, and Garret Kelly (C) came out strong and came out early. The match very quickly turned into a rout, and the team made short work of their opponents by going 3-0. Every Wyvern racked up multiple goals, and the team turned instead to field movement and passing to keep the game interesting. The Wyvern Drivers are hoping to continue their winning streak in Week 2.