Kenai League of Legends team captain Silas Thibodeau waits for the second game to start during a match on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai League of Legends team captain Silas Thibodeau waits for the second game to start during a match on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Esports Week 8: Kenai, SoHi, Nikiski qualify for state

Peninsula teams closed out the regular season for esports competition in Alaska this week, with three teams from Kenai, one from Soldotna, and one from Nikiski set to make runs for the state title. They’ll have a week off for Thanksgiving, then be back in action for the playoffs starting Nov. 28.

League of Legends

Kenai swept Mat-Su Central School Blue on Tuesday, rising to 6-2 and third in the league behind Mat-Su Central School Black — the only team in the state with a perfect record — and Lathrop High School. They have qualified for the playoffs.

League of Legends is a team-based fantasy game where two teams of five magical heroes and villains fight to control territory and destroy the enemy team’s base.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Kenai Smash 1 was handed their second loss of the season by Service High School on Wednesday. They fall to 6-2 and third in the league, their only losses being to both the first and second ranked teams in the state — Hutchison High School and Service.

Kenai 2 was swept by Hutchison, falling to 4-4 and eighth in the league.

Nikiski swept Delta Junction Senior High School, climbing to 5-3 and sixth in the league.

SoHi swept Davis-Ramoth School, rising to 3-5 and 19th in the league.

Kenai 1, Kenai 2 and Nikiski have qualified and will be making appearances in the playoffs.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game featuring a roster of licensed characters from other franchises including Mario, Street Fighter and Kingdom Hearts. Players win by knocking their opponents off of the arena.

Rocket League

Soldotna and Nome-Beltz Jr/Sr High School battled it out for the top spot in the state Thursday, and the Stars fell short, being swept and losing their comfy seat at the top of the league. They fall to 6-2 and fourth in the league after being dealt their first actual loss. The other blemish on their record is a forfeit from week one. Despite that turn of events, SoHi has qualified for state, and will remain in contention.

Rocket League is like soccer, if soccer were played with giant jet-propelled cars. The team that puts the ball in the goal the most times wins.

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