2025 Esports Tournament

On Saturday, June 7th The Cortland eSports team traveled to the
ESSEF x PlayVs Championships at Syracuse University to participate in their first ever Smash Bros. Solos Tournament. We had 7 students invited to compete - more than any other school in the state - representing both the Jr HS and CHS (we were asked to bring George Partigianoni based on his performance this season and EVERYONE was shocked he was in 7th grade. He was the youngest by FAR. And he still finished in the top,15).

The tournament was double elimination and, while our students competed valiantly against some of the best in the state, only one of ours, Greyson Golden, succeeded in making it to the Quarter Finals. But, in the losers bracket, several students would mount a major upset led by Cylan Southwick. Cylan worked his way through 4 rounds of play in the losers bracket, beating students from the State Champion Washingtonville Wizards and Middle HS. He made it back up to the finals of the losers bracket to battle the player who beat him earlier - the same person who had just played and lost the Winner's Bracket Final match. Cylan defeated him 3-0, no problem against all odds. The room was electric! He then was moved to the large screen stream to participate in the Finals for the Arcadian Bracket. While he lost in 3, he was one of only three players to take stocks from the opponent. The winner (Gamertag: 049) won the tournament without taking a single loss - but Cylan did the most damage by far. No one expected it - even 049 was shocked to see who he was up against and how much of a challenge Cylan posed. 

Overall, a major success this weekend. Four of our 7 students finished in the top 15, defeating players from some of the highest regarded eSports schools in the state. The connections we made were amazing. But the real win was in announcing that WE are here, and we will continue to play, and win. Middle and Washingtonville are regarded as the best in the state, by far. Have been since the inception. With Saturday's showing, we announced to the state that Cortland deserves to be viewed in the same light. And during the tournament it was clear that we were a successful program full of passionate players. I cannot wait to see what we can do next year!