Ell-Saline eSports Sweeps Ellsworth in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Season Opener
The Ell-Saline eSports team kicked off its first official KSHSAA season in dominant fashion on December 3 at 4 p.m., defeating Ellsworth High School 3–0 in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The match followed the standard format, with each school sending three competitors to play best-of-three sets. The first team to secure three set victories claims the match.
The evening began with junior Payton Hayes making her competitive eSports debut. Hayes selected Yoshi against Ellsworth’s Mikhall, who played Steve. Calm under pressure, Hayes swept the set 2–0 to earn Ell-Saline’s first point of the night.
Next up was returning player Eli, now in his second year with the program. Eli opened with King K. Rool against Emma’s Incineroar on Pokémon Stadium and took the first round. For round two, he swapped to Donkey Kong, controlling the match once again on Pokémon Stadium to secure another 2–0 victory.
Senior Porter Bell anchored the final set. Bell, a three-year member of the program and a former state qualifier in Smash Bros. Solos, selected his main, Bowser, against Ellsworth’s Ryan, who played Pyra/Mythra. Bell took round one on Small Battlefield. In round two, Ryan switched to Mii Brawler, but Bell stayed with Bowser and closed out the set decisively on Battlefield, finishing with a clean 2–0.
With three straight 2–0 set wins, Ell-Saline claimed the match in a flawless 3–0 sweep. Following a strong 2–0 preseason, the team is off to an impressive start in its first official KSHSAA-sanctioned Super Smash Bros. Ultimate season.
In addition to tonight’s competitors, the Ell-Saline eSports roster includes junior Rebeka and seniors Niko Reidel and Braxton Denning. Ell-Saline eSports is coached by Cain Fouard and Logan Harner.