KENOSHA — As the Fall 2025 NECC regular season concluded, seven Carthage Esports teams clinched the postseason – League of Legends, Overwatch 2 (Red and Black), Rocket League (Red, Black, and Whtie), and Rainbow Six Siege. As a result of dropping two straight matches in Week Seven, Smash Bros missed the postseason.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage RL Black (6-0) vs. Indiana Hoosiers Crimson (0-6) [Division IV – Midwest A] – Monday, Nov 3, at 8:00 p.m. CST
Score: Carthage Black 4, IU Hoosiers Cream 1
To begin, Carthage RL Black achieved one of its goals, remaining undefeated by not losing a single match. The second goal was not dropping a single game within a best-of-seven series. However, Indiana broke the undefeated streak. Despite this, the Firebirds remained firm and wrapped the series up in five games. Carthage RL Black's roster includes junior captain Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), junior Lucas Menzer (Joyystik), and senior Tanner Lee (Flare).
In Game One, Carthage RL Black controlled the pace from the opening kickoff and never surrendered momentum, jumping out to a commanding 3-0 lead. Gilchrist struck first just one minute and 20 seconds into the match, and Lee followed with back-to-back goals–one 40 seconds later and another shortly after–to stun Hoosiers Cream early. Indiana finally responded nearly three minutes in when IU's Devo cut the deficit to two, and IU's Alew added a late goal to make it 3-2. Despite Indiana's late push, Carthage's defense held firm to secure a series opening 3-2 victory.
Carthage extended its dominance in Game Two, earning a 3-1 win even as Indiana made visible adjustments. Menzer opened the scoring within 37 seconds with help from Lee, and although Devo tied the match 1-1, Carthage's defense shut Indiana down the rest of the way. Menzer restored the lead at the four-minute mark, and Lee sealed the win with a goal assisted by Gilchrist, encapsulating a 13-4 shot advantage. Game Three followed a similar pattern, beginning with a quick Gilchrist goal and a long defensive stand as Indiana pushed for the equalizer. Alew finally broke through at the four-minute and 25-second mark. In response, Lee launched a pair of rapid-fire goals–one assisted by Menzer–to propel the Firebirds to a 3-1 victory.
Indiana showed resilience in Game Four, responding to every strike and winning 5-3–handing Carthage its first game loss within a best-of-seven series. Menzer opened the scoring early, but Indiana matched instantly before IU's Bone and Alew combined to push the Hoosiers ahead for good despite late pressure from Carthage. Game Five delivered the most drama as both teams traded goals in a back-and-forth battle. Menzer put Carthage ahead early, but Indiana continued to answer until Alew gave the Hoosiers a 3-2 lead late. With the series on the line, Lee buried a clutch equalizer to force overtime, where Menzer delivered the golden goal after a one-minute and 26-second overtime, securing a gritty 4-3 Game Five win for the Firebirds.
Carthage Black led in these major statistical categories: Goals (16-12), Assists (14-7), Shots (60-27), and Demos (18-15). Lee finished with six goals, five assists, no saves, 18 shots, and eight demos. Menzer followed with six goals, five assists, five saves, 20 shots, and two demos. Lastly, Gilchrist contributed four goals, four assists, four saves, 22 shots, and eight demos.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – Carthage RL Black
- Lucas Menzer (Joyystik): 40 Goals, 14 Assists, 14 Saves, 92 Shots, 29 Demos, 43.5% Shooting
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 25 Goals, 31 Assists, 18 Saves, 79 Shots, 40 Demos, 31.6% Shooting
- Tanner Lee (Flare): 21 Goals, 25 Assists, 20 Saves, 70 Shots, 28 Demos, 30% Shooting
Carthage RL Black (6-0, 24-1) claimed the top spot in Division IV – Midwest A upon the regular season's conclusion. In the Midwest Playoffs, Carthage RL Black was awarded the first seed. As of this writing, Black defeated No. 8 Carthage RL White, 4-2, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Nov. 12. However, they lost 4-3 in the semifinals vs. No. 4 Minnesota State Mavericks on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Both matches will be discussed in a future recap article. Black will face No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan in an off-stream third-place game on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage RL Red (6-1) vs. Grand Canyon University (5-2) [Division II – West Central A] – Monday, Nov 3, at 9:00 p.m. CST
Score: Carthage Red 4, GCU Purple 2
Carthage RL Red, including senior captain Alex Vaile (Vaile), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and freshman Kyle Branski (xray), were ready for a regular season finale against Grand Canyon University (GCU) Purple (5-2). Before this, the Firebirds were beneficiaries of a Week Six forfeit win from the University of Texas El Paso (0-6). After a hard-fought six-game series, the Firebirds defeated GCU Purple 4-2.
In Game One, GCU Purple shut down Carthage Red's offense, not allowing them to score a single goal. GCU player Nando scored on a kickoff 12 seconds into the game. Nearly two minutes later, Nando added a second goal to increase his team's lead. GCU Purple's defense limited the Firebirds to only five shots on net. In contrast, GCU Purple forced seven total shots. Game Two was a close 2-1 victory for Carthage Red. Branski scored within the first minute and 14 seconds to give his team an early advantage. Roughly two minutes later, Nando burst through the Firebird defense to force a 1-1 tie. Right before the four-minute mark, Vaile found the net to regain a lead. Carthage Red remained calm and persistent on defense, saving the ball seven times.
After a slow burn, GCU Purple exploded and took Game Three by a 5-1 score. Perry scored at the one-minute and 36-second mark. In response, GCU Purple scored five unanswered goals – three from Nando, one from Beanboy, and one from NightmareRally. Assists came from Beanboy (two) and NightmareRally (two). Despite each team forcing nine shots on net, GCU Purple found more quality than Carthage Red. In Game Four, Carthage Red took a 5-3 win after giving GCU Purple a taste of their own medicine – scoring five unanswered goals at one point. Those goals came from Branski (three) and Vaile (two). Perry assisted twice, while Branski and Vaile each added one.
Game Five was a 4-1 victory for Carthage Red. The Firebirds started with a Branski goal at the one-minute and 28-second mark. After a quick response from Beanboy, Carthage Red then scored three unanswered goals – one from each member. Vaile added two assists, while Branski had one. The Firebirds forced 12 shots on net, five more than GCU Purple (seven). In Game Six, Carthage Red dominated and won 7-1. It started with five unanswered goals – three from Perry, one from Branski, and one from Vaile. To prevent a shoutout, NightmareRally scored. Before concluding the series, Branski and Vaile scored one more goal each.
Carthage RL Red led in these major statistical categories: Goals (19-13), Assists (15-11), and Shots (56-43). The team also suffered 35 demolitions after forcing only 15 themselves. Branski topped out with eight goals, five assists, six saves, 23 shots, and six demos. Vaile followed with six goals, six assists, 13 saves, 16 shots, and two demos. Lastly, Perry finished with five goals, four assists, six saves, 17 shots, and seven demos.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – Carthage RL Red
- Kyle Branski (xray): 40 Goals, 29 Assists, 33 Saves, 119 Shots, 34 Demos, 33.6% Shooting
- Owen Perry (Kor): 33 Goals, 29 Assists, 35 Saves, 106 Shots, 54 Demos, 31.1% Shooting
- Alex Vaile (Vaile): 33 Goals, 27 Assists, 48 Saves, 113 Shots, 28 Demos, 29.2% Shooting
Carthage RL Red (6-1, 27-9) finished first place in Division II – West-Central A upon the regular season's conclusion. In the West-Central Playoffs, Carthage RL Red entered as the No. 1 seed. On Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Firebirds defeated No. 8 Huntington College, 4-1, in the quarterfinals. Next, Carthage RL Red reverse-swept No. 5 GCU Purple in the upper bracket semifinal, 4-3, on Thursday, Nov. 13. In upper bracket finals, Carthage RL Red was stunned, 4-1, by No. 2 Davenport University Red, on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Tonight, Carthage RL Red will compete in lower bracket finals against No. 3 SE Oklahoma for a chance to play Davenport in the Division II – West Central championship.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage Smash (3-3) vs. Illinois State University Red (5-2) [Division III – Midwest B] – Tuesday, Nov 4, at 7:00 p.m. CST
Score: ISU Red 2, Carthage 0
Carthage Smash, consisting of senior captain Connor Grubisic (Spacefood), junior Alex Chuluunbat (ParaMedx), sophomore Shannon Pasters (MintMelee), and sophomore Rylee Preston (Ender14), competed in a doubleheader thanks to a reschedule. As a result, the Firebirds played their Week Seven match against ISU Red before their rescheduled Week Six match against Illinois College. Entering this match, Carthage was 3-2 and held fifth in Division III – Midwest B. Their best chance to clinch a playoff berth was to win out and have a better record than Indiana State University, which held a 3-3 record before Week Seven.
To begin the doubleheader, Carthage welcomed Illinois State University Red into the virtual fighting arena. Both sets were close at the start; however, ISU Red player BK Brawl proved to be a valuable asset for his team. Across both sets, he claimed eight Carthage stocks, leading to ISU Red's stock advantage throughout the series.
Smash Bros Crew Battle Explanation: Crew Battles are a team-based competition where two teams of players face off in a series of one-on-one matches. The losing player swaps with another teammate, and the winning player remains in the game, potentially facing a new opponent from the opposing team. The battle continues until one entire team runs out of stocks. Each team has four players, each carrying three stocks, for a total of 12. For a best-of-three series, the process repeats for each set played.
Set One [5-0 ISU Red Win]: Pasters (Banjo) opened against BK Brawl (Banjo) on Pokemon Stadium, taking a stock with a thunderous wonderwing side-b before falling and putting ISU ahead 11-9. Preston (ZSS) entered and, after losing his first stock, composed himself to eliminate BK Brawl with a critical right-side back-air at 172% and an up-b edge guard, narrowing the deficit 9-8. However, ISU's Frosty (Inkling) reversed the momentum by wiping out Preston's final two stocks off roller confirms, stretching the lead 8-6.
Grubisic (Ness) followed, claiming one stock before Frosty caught him airborne at 163% and closed out the remaining stocks through roller-to-blaster pressure, extending ISU's advantage 7-3. Last in for Carthage, Chuluunbat (Bowser) traded stocks with Frosty via a side-b scoop and slam, but entered a tough matchup against ISU's Wolf. Wolf opened with a precise down-tilt through Small Battlefield's left ledge to claim a stock. Although Chuluunbat answered with his signature up-tilt to regain momentum, Wolf ultimately closed out Bowser's final stock – securing an authoritative 5-0 Set One win for ISU Red.
Set Two [5-0 ISU Red Win]: Pasters (Banjo) started against ISU's Mii Brawler and managed one stock before being eliminated by a series of sharp conversions, including a kick up-smash, a forward-throw into back-air, and a finishing back-air, giving ISU an 11-9 lead. Chuluunbat (Bowser) entered and dropped an early stock to another kick up-smash from Mii Brawler, but answered with a forward-tilt jab at 144% and later a perfectly timed parry into a side-b that forced the Mii Brawler into a losing recovery, trimming the deficit to 9-8. Trickster (Kazuya Mishima) stepped in next and immediately traded blows with Chuluunbat, who took the first stock with an up-b.
Trickster answered with a punishing down-b, and after Chuluunbat tied it with a down-air, Trickster secured the final stock with a stun into up-smash, pushing ISU ahead 7-6. Grubisic (Ness) tied the set 6-6 with a back-throw on Trickster, then took a stock off BK Brawl (Banjo) before falling to an up-tilt and two aerial wonderwings, giving ISU a 5-3 advantage. Preston (ZSS) eliminated BK Brawl with a clean down-air off the Town & City right ledge, bringing the score to 3-2, but ISU Red's Wolf closed the door by taking Preston's last two stocks via an up-smash and back-air, sealing ISU's 3-0 Set Two victory.
NECC Week Six Recap – Carthage Smash (3-4) vs. Illinois College (6-1) [Division III – Midwest B]*
Score: Illinois College 2, Carthage 0 – Tuesday, Nov 4, at 9:15 p.m. CST
*Rescheduled match from Week Six that was played after Carthage Smash's Week Seven match vs. ISU Red
Carthage then welcomed Illinois College into the virtual fighting arena. By virtue of their loss against ISU Red, the Firebirds were eliminated from playoff contention. The goal now was to finish the regular season on a high note. Against a feisty Illinois College team that previously beat ISU Red, it proved to be a tough challenge.
Set One [5-0 Illinois College Win]: Pasters (Banjo) opened Set One against Kitsune (Pyra/Mythra) in a chaotic match featuring two self-destructs and a surprise wonderwing, giving Carthage a 10-9 lead. Nave (Joker) answered for Illinois College, quickly eliminating Pasters with sharp ledgeguarding pressure on Hollow Bastion to tie the set 9-9. Grubisic (Samus) stepped in but fell to Nave's continued dominance, eating three forward-airs while taking one stock back – IC up 8-6.
Chuluunbat (Bowser) stopped Nave's streak with two clutch up-tilts, though he dropped two stocks to a back-throw and jab-reset – IC ahead 6-4. JP (Marth) then cleaned up Chuluunbat on Small Battlefield, using a side-b, ledge poke, and perfectly timed counter under the left ledge, causing Chuluunbat to ricochet toward his death – IC up 6-3. To finish Set One, JP outdueled Preston (ZSS), losing just one stock; despite Preston landing an up-b KO, JP controlled neutral with consistent down-tilts and forward-tilts. As a result, Illinois College secured Set One 5-0.
Set Two [5-0 Illinois College Win]: Pasters (Banjo) opened against Nave (Joker) but suffered an early self-destruct from a ledge glitch; she did land a wonderwing KO before Nave used Arsen-boosted forward-airs to finish the round, giving IC an 11-9 lead. Chuluunbat (Bowser) followed and closed out Nave with a high-percent down-b slam despite losing two stocks to Joker's timely up-smashes, narrowing the score 9-7. Acolyte (Dark Pit) then eliminated Chuluunbat with back-to-back Electroshock side-b's to extend IC's advantage 8-6.
Grubisic (Ness) battled next, winning by one stock after an Acolyte self-destruct, highlighted by his yo-yo ledge guard and Acolyte's forward-smash read, but IC still led 6-4. On Town & City, Lorekeeper (Mewtwo) quickly dispatched Grubisic with a clean forward-air, pushing the lead 6-3. Preston (ZSS) attempted to rally, taking a stock with a stun into up-b combo. Still, Lorekeeper punished Preston with back-airs and Shadow Balls until a late self-destruct from Preston sealed Illinois College's 5-0 Set Two win.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – Super Smash Bros.
Carthage Smash (3-4, 6-9) finished fifth in Division III – Midwest B. Despite missing the postseason, the team has seen significant improvement behind the scenes. Unfortunately, a few mechanically gifted players on opposing teams stopped them clinching. Senior Connor Grubisic finished his Fall NECC season after four years with Carthage Esports. We thank Connor for all of his contributions to our program. Carthage Smash's next stop is the Spring 2026 WEC season – an off-stream competition.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage RL White (3-3) vs. Minnesota State Mavericks (5-1) [Division IV – Midwest B] – Wednesday, Nov 5, at 6:00 p.m. CST
Score: Minnesota State 4, Carthage White 1
Carthage RL White, including senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blase), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), and freshman Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17 aka ThePrimReaper), seeked a win column return after a tough 4-0 loss vs. Indiana Wesleyan University in Week Six. However, Week Seven's opponent, Minnesota State, handed the Firebirds their second consecutive loss. The result was a 4-1 series win for the Mavericks.
Game One was a 3-1 victory for Minnesota State. The Mavericks formed an early 2-0 lead after Float scored within 22 seconds off an assist from teammate Wubik. Roughly 40 seconds later, Float drained a shot in Carthage White's net to give Minnesota State a quick advantage. About one minute later, Buchmann cut the deficit to one. At the two-minute and 47-second mark, though, Wubik iced the game with a crucial goal off an assist from Drewstar06. Despite Buchmann forcing eight demos, it wasn't enough to stop Minnesota State's decisive offense.
Game Two began with a Wubik score off an assist from Float. Afterwards, Carthage White adapted offensively. At the three-minute mark, Buchmann pierced through the Mavericks' net, tying the game 1-1. About 26 seconds later, Prims recorded his first goal of the series, putting the Firebirds in front 2-1. Carthage White did their best to defend before Wubik forced a 2-2 tie off an assist from Float. Then, both teams engaged in a three-minute and six-second overtime period. Carthage White logged one shot and six saves during this period, while Minnesota State forced seven shots and scored three times against the Firebirds. At the eight-minute and 56-second mark, Float scored the winning goal. With 15 total shots on net, the Mavericks proved their endurance.
Game Three was a domination by Minnesota State, capping the Firebirds at only four shots on net. Wubik proved to be a true magician, recording a hat trick in this game. His teammates Drewstar06 and Float logged three assists combined, showcasing their strong chemistry with Wubik to facilitate the offense. In total, Minnesota State forced 14 shots on net, ten more than Carthage White. In Game Four, the script was flipped as Carthage White won 6-1. Buchmann proved to be the ultimate facilitator, securing three pivotal assists. In the end, each member scored two goals, making this Carthage White's most complete game in the series. Prims and Wade scored within the first minute. Wubik scored after them, but Carthage White put up four unanswered goals – two from Buchmann, one from Prims, and one from Wade.
Ending the series, Minnesota State pulled away with a 4-2 Game Five win. Similar to Game One, the Mavericks found openings in Carthage White's net early. This time, they scored three goals within the first minute and a half – two from Float and one from Wubik. The Firebirds' offense became dormant early, thanks to Minnesota State's ability to swat shot opportunities away. However, at the four-minute and 16-second mark, Wade cut Carthage White's deficit to two (3-1), off an assist from Prims. Then, a minute later, Buchmann passed the ball off to Prims for a goal. Down 3-2, Carthage White searched for a game-tying goal. However, 20 seconds later, Wubik called game as he scored a second goal, forcing a 4-2 Minnesota State win.
Carthage White was outgained in these major statistical categories: Goals (14-11), Assists (13-8), and Shots (53-39). Buchmann finished with four goals, four assists, three saves, 13 shots, and 14 demos. Prims recorded four goals, three assists, 11 saves, 17 shots, and 12 demos. Lastly, Wade accumulated three goals, one assist, 14 saves, nine shots, and nine demos.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – Carthage RL White
- Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 22 Goals, 15 Assists, 43 Saves, 81 Shots, 36 Demos, 27.2% Shooting
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): 21 Goals, 18 Assists, 51 Saves, 73 Shots, 59 Demos, 28.8% Shooting
- TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid): 21 Goals, 15 Assists, 19 Saves, 86 Shots, 60 Demos, 24.4% Shooting
Carthage RL Black (3-3, 13-15) finished fourth in Division IV – Midwest B upon the regular season's conclusion. In the Midwest Playoffs, Carthage RL White was an eight seed. As of this writing, White was defeated, 4-2, by No. 1 Carthage RL Black in the Quarterfinals on Wednesday, Nov. 12, ending their season. This match will be mentioned in a future recap article.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage R6 (4-3) vs. Arkansas Tech University Green (1-6) [Division IV – West-Central B] – Wednesday, Nov 5, at 8:00 p.m.
Score: Carthage 2, ATU Green 0
One week removed from being beaten by conference leader Buena Vista (7-0), Carthage R6 aimed to guarantee a playoff spot. In Spring 2025, the team went 3-4, 7-9, and placed sixth in Division IV – Group B. As a result, Carthage R6 missed the playoffs. With a retooled roster, Fall 2025 gave Carthage R6 a chance to make a playoff appearance. Before this contest against Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Green, the Firebirds (3-3, 6-6) held fourth place in Division IV – West Central B.
With added motivation, Carthage R6 secured the win against ATU Green, winning 2-0, and finished their season above .500. Most importantly, they clinched the postseason. The team's roster includes sophomore captain Samuel Bergamo (Scorp), sophomore Chris Vallee (Typhoon), sophomore Major Andrews (AirMajor), junior Rey Trejo (Paltry), and junior Jalyn Green (Astro).
Rainbow Six Siege Explanation: Rainbow Six Siege is a five-versus-five tactical shooter where teams alternate between attacking and defending bomb sites. Rounds can be won either by planting/defusing the bomb or eliminating the opposing team. Success relies heavily on precise gunplay, environmental destruction, and coordinated teamwork.
Map One (Clubhouse / 7-2 Win): For the third time this season, Carthage R6 competed on the Clubhouse map. Clubhouse emphasizes rotation and mobility, offering a variety of pathways and access points, including stairs, hatches, and the central staircase. Key areas include the basement objective sites (Arsenal/Church) and two main sites on the second floor (CCTV/Cash, Master Bedroom/Gym).
Carthage opened Map One with a dominant 5-1 defensive half, demonstrating strong bomb-site discipline and effective roam clearing. Trejo set the tone in Round One with a basement Church hold, using an open Church wall to watch Central Stairs. In the process, Trejo secured four kills with Valkyrie–eliminating Chingy in Memorial and Caesar in Church before clutching a one-versus-two with 10 seconds left. Trejo flick-shotted Skillz through the soft wall and caught Owin sprinting from Church into Memorial. From there, the Firebirds continued to respect ATU despite the record gap, locking down both basement and second-floor sites to close the half 5-1.
On attack, Carthage finished 2-1, starting with a high-pressure post-plant on the second-floor Gym site where Green secured the plant but died to a Nitro Cell from below with a full minute remaining. Andrews then removed Owin in a four-versus-two before Skillz traded with Vallee, but Bergamo secured the round from an outside rappel, catching Skillz as he sprinted down the bedroom hallway. ATU answered in Round Eight with aggressive plays–Caesar swinging Bergamo in Garage and executing a run-out to remove Green–allowing them to hold CCTV/Cash. The map's defining moment came in Round Nine when Bergamo clutched a basement Arsenal one-versus-two post-plant. Bergamo bobbed and wove behind a crate before flick-shotting Sentinel and then went prone to headshot Owin, sealing a hard-earned Map One win.
Map Two (Border / 7-0 Win): After a thrilling end to Clubhouse, Carthage took their talents to Border, a map they previously competed on four times. Border is characterized by its numerous soft, destructible walls and floors. It encourages vertical gameplay, requiring defenders to be on high alert for flanks and attacks from above or below.
Carthage opened Map Two on attack and stormed to a 5-0 half, though ATU pushed them hard in Round One on the second-floor Armory/Archives hold. ATU struck first by eliminating Vallee, then removed Green after he swung at Caesar in the Office. Andrews traded by taking out Owin, while Skillz–holding a deep angle from Armory Lockers–dropped Trejo, leaving Carthage in a two-versus-three with about one minute remaining. Before grabbing the diffuser, Bergamo spotted and eliminated Sentinel in the second-floor Office, allowing Carthage to regain momentum. With 20 seconds left, Andrews began planting in Archives, baiting Skillz into throwing a Nitro Cell. Still, Bergamo was ready, holding an angle in Fountain and eliminating Skillz before he could trigger the explosive. From there, the Firebirds repeatedly gained man advantage and closed out post-plants cleanly across multiple sites, securing a 5-0 attack half.
On defense, Carthage went 2-0 and secured its first 7-0 map victory this season. An outrageous Round Seven highlighted it. Bergamo smashed through a wall in first-floor Detention, sprinted outside, and killed Sentinel from across the map; Trejo, perched on a server tower under the open Armory hatch, eliminated Owin from a vertical angle, then picked off Chingy in Armory Lockers; Vallee added another kill by peeking outside on Caesar; and Andrews closed the map by hitting Skillz with two clean DMR shots from the first-floor Bathroom–securing both the 7-0 map and the 2-0 series win.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – Rainbow Six Siege
- Samuel Bergamo (Scorp): 117 Kills / 74 Deaths (1.58 K/D), 33 Assists
- Rey Trejo (Paltry): 106 Kills / 69 Deaths (1.54 K/D), 31 Assists
- Chris Vallee (Typhoon): 84 Kills / 80 Deaths (1.05 K/D), 34 Assists
- Major Andrews (AirMajor): 52 Kills / 79 Deaths (0.66 K/D), 18 Assists
- Jalyn Green (Astro): 48 Kills / 80 Deaths (0.60 K/D), 29 Assists
Across both maps for Kills-Deaths-Assists, Carthage R6's players finished with the following statistics:
Trejo (22-5-8), Bergamo (21-7-4), Vallee (15-9-5), Andrews (9-9-7), and Green (5-11-7). As a result of this win, Carthage R6 remained in fourth place for Division IV – West Central B with a 4-3 overall and an 8-6 map record – clinching a Division IV West Central Playoff berth. This gave Carthage the No. 8 seed. On Wednesday, November 12, the Firebirds faced No. 1 University of Houston Red in the Quarterfinals. Unfortunately, Carthage lost 2-0, bringing their season to an end. Despite an early playoff exit, this team improved exceptionally well every week and did something they had not done in Spring 2025: clinched a playoff berth.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage League of Legends (6-0) vs. Bradley University (0-6) [Division VII – West B] – Thursday, Nov 6, at 7:30 p.m. CST
Score: Carthage 2, Bradley University 0
For the first time since Week Five, Carthage League of Legends (LoL) competed in Division VII – West B action. Following a 2-0 Week Five win vs. Kansas State University JV, the Firebirds welcomed Bradley University and claimed another 2-0 victory, cementing their second-consecutive undefeated Fall regular season, dating back to last year, when the team captured the Fall 2024 Division VIII Championship.
Carthage LoL's roster includes senior captain Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike), senior Gavin Johnson (Cahara), junior Christian Delgado (Bravo), sophomore Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato), sophomore Katherine Rieckmann (Firerose22), sophomore Michael Pankratz (Fuhzzee), and freshman Ian Saner (Toothless).
League of Legends Game Explanation: League of Legends (LoL) is a popular 5v5 MOBA game where two teams of players control champions to destroy the enemy nexus (base), by earning gold and experience to gain power. Players choose unique champions with different abilities to accomplish these goals. Unique champions help defeat minions, enemy champions, and destroy towers to control the map and secure victory.
Game One: The Firebirds deployed Bravo, Cahara, Firerose22, OwenThePotato, and Toothless into its starting lineup. After a hard-fought battle, Carthage reigned victorious. As a team, they combined for 25 eliminations, 14 deaths, and 53 assists. Leading the charge was
Owen Johnson, securing a 245 Creep Score and finishing with a KDA of 6/2/8.
Gavin Johnson recorded a 6/3/9 KDA and a 200 Creep Score. Delgado and Saner combined for 10 eliminations and 24 assists (KDA's of 3/2/12 and 7/2/12, respectively). Lastly, Rieckmann went 3/5/12, proving her vital role in assisting the team.
Game Two: Next, Carthage featured a starting lineup of Bravo, Cahara, Fuhzzee, OwenThePotato, and Wolfstrike. After a lengthy 42-minute and 36-second battle, the Firebirds secured the win to ring in a 2-0 sweep against Bradley University.
Owen Johnson put on a masterful performance, going 20/6/8 and securing a 314 Creep Score. Delgado and
Gavin Johnson combined for a whopping 48 assists, showcasing their value to the team. Zeller had a nice performance as well, finishing 8/6/15 and recording a 248 Creep Score.
Final Fall 2025 NECC Regular Season Player Stats – League of Legends
- Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato): 159 Kills / 57 Deaths (2.79 K/D), 106 Assists
- Gavin Johnson (Cahara): 74 Kills / 44 Deaths (1.68 K/D), 110 Assists
- Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike): 58 Kills / 44 Deaths (1.32 K/D), 118 Assists
- Michael Pankratz (Fuhzzee): 44 Kills / 38 Deaths (1.16 K/D), 169 Assists
- Christian Delgado (Bravo): 20 Kills / 14 Deaths (1.43 K/D), 37 Assists
- Ian Saner (Toothless): 12 Kills / 13 Deaths (0.92 K/D), 24 Assists
- Katherine Rieckmann (Firerose22): 19 Kills / 54 Deaths (0.35 K/D), 213 Assists
Carthage League of Legends (6-0, 12-3) finished first place in Division VII – West B upon the regular season's conclusion. In the West B playoffs, the Firebirds entered as the No. 2 seed. On Thursday, Nov. 13, Carthage faced the University of Tulsa Hurricanes JV and lost 2-0, bringing their season to an abrupt ending. This match will be discussed in a future recap article. For Spring 2026, Carthage League of Legends will compete in both streamed NECC competition and off-stream WEC competition.
NECC Week Six Recap – Carthage Overwatch 2 Red (6-0) vs. Washtenaw Wolfpack Green (4-2) [Division IV – Central A] – Thursday, Nov 6, 8:00 p.m. CST
Score: Carthage 3, Washtenaw 0
*Rescheduled match from Week Six timeslot. Carthage OW2 Red had a Week Seven Bye
After a 3-0, Week Five victory against Saginaw Valley State, Carthage OW2 Red returned to compete in a rescheduled, off-stream Week Six match against the Washtenaw Wolfpack. The result was another 3-0 win for Carthage OW2 Red. The team's roster consists of junior captain Mason Stenger (zXc), junior Joy Schultz (JumpyWizard), sophomore Billy Flanagan (ChickenFries), sophomore Deacon Kirvan (FerociousPig), and sophomore Adam Hollis (Hollister).
Overwatch 2 Game Explanation: Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play, 5v5, team-based hero shooter where players pick a unique hero with distinct abilities and roles (Tank, Damage, or Support) to complete specific objectives-based game modes (Control, Escort, Hybrid, Push, Flashpoint). The core gameplay involves a team-focused brawl, where cooperation and strategy are essential to win.
To preface, the Firebirds ran through the Control, Hybrid, and Push game modes against Washtenaw. The control game mode involves two teams competing to capture and hold one main objective, progressing from 0% to 100% in a best-of-three format. Hybrid is a game mode that combines elements of Control and Escort, where the attacking team must fully capture a point to unlock the payload. Then, they must escort the payload. Lastly, Push involves both teams fighting for control over a robot. The team with the furthest distance recorded wins.
Map One was a 2-0 Control victory on the Illinois map. Next, the Firebirds gutted out a 2-1 Map Two victory on King's Row for the Hybrid game mode. Lastly, to wrap up the series, Carthage OW2 Red secured a Push victory on New Queen Street within 10 and a half minutes.
Carthage OW2 Red (6-0, 18-0) finished first in Division IV – Central A upon the regular season's conclusion. In the Central Playoffs, Carthage OW2 Black was awarded the first seed. As of this writing, OW2 Red has defeated both No. 8 Stevenson University (3-0 in Quarterfinals on 11/13) and No. 5 Saginaw Valley State (3-1 in Semifinals on 11/21) in playoff action. This Tuesday, Dec 2, they will face No. 2 MTSU Lightning in a streamed best-of-seven championship series.
NECC Week Seven Recap – Carthage Overwatch 2 Black (3-3) vs. Northern Illinois University Black (1-5) [Division IX – Central A] – Friday, Nov 7, at 7:00 p.m. CST
Score: Carthage 3, NIU Black 0
For the first time since a 3-1 loss vs. Illinois State University, Carthage OW2 Black competed in a scheduled Division IX – Central A match. In Weeks Five and Six, the Firebirds were awarded forfeit wins from UW-Stevens Point Gold and Western Illinois University. In Week Seven, with their season on the line, Carthage OW2 Black competed against Northern Illinois University (NIU) Black. It was a hard-fought 3-0 sweep while welcoming Carthage RL White's Kaliek Wade (Akko) to the team amid roster changes.
Carthage OW2 Black's newly configured roster consists of junior captain Ethan Anderson (Snowstorm), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), freshman Alek Miech (Stewie), freshman Chris Duffey (Lithecash), freshman Jessee Ryburn (Krypic), and freshman Jena Pillman (Jenny).
Map One (Lijang Tower / 2-0 Control Win): To begin the series, Carthage OW2 Black played on the Lijang Tower map.
In Round One, NIU grabbed an early advantage in Control Center – capping the point to 26% before being flushed out. The Firebirds then held it from 0% to 99%. During this time, Carthage fended off NIU to the best of its ability. Players such as Pillman (Juno), Miech (Reinhardt), and Wade (Kirko) contributed greatly, picking off the enemy DPS and Support players. However, Carthage's reign of terror ended after NIU's Reinhardt player trapped Miech in a corner and eliminated him. To reclaim the point, Miech and Wade combined for three crucial eliminations – two from Miech after he executed Reinhardt's shatter ability and pinned a Mercy player into a wall. Anderson (Bastion) kept the NIU Reinhardt away from the point long enough for overtime to expire, leading to a Round One victory for Carthage.
For Round Two, both teams competed in the Garden sub-map of Lijang Tower. Carthage jumped out to a 50% lead after Anderson, Miech, Ryburn (Symmetra), and Wade combined for crucial eliminations, creating space for the Firebirds to work with. Before briefing, losing the point, Carthage recorded 97%. While contesting the point, Miech was pinned off the Garden by NIU's Reinhardt. However, Anderson, out of nowhere, recorded four consecutive eliminations against NIU, opening the door for Carthage to recapture the Garden control point and win 2-0.
Map Two (Rialto / 3-2 Escort Win): Next, Carthage OW2 Black competed on Rialto in the Escort game mode. Escort involves teams pushing a payload across a map through choke points and an endline.
On attack, Carthage earned all three possible points, two for each checkpoint and one for moving the payload toward the end. Miech (DVA) secured two crucial eliminations while in DVA's mech to help the Firebirds get past the first choke point. After a deadly combination of Anderson (Echo) and Miech, Carthage blew past the second choke point. In particular, Miech used DVA's ultimate ability – DVA bomb, which removes the character from her robot as it self-destructs, and blew up two NIU players within its range. To complete their attack, Anderson (Echo), Miech, Ryburn (Reaper), and Wade (Kiriko) picked off NIU's backline one by one and, with enough space, pushed the payload to the end.
On defense, Carthage allowed NIU to capture both choke points. However, the Firebirds prevented the Huskies from tying the score 3-3 after showing excellent perseverance on defense for a little over two minutes. Everyone contributed toward Carthage's 3-2 Escort win, including Ryburn (Junkrat) and Anderson (Soldier 76). As their surroundings were crumbling, Ryburn made great use of Junkrat's grenade launcher and ultimate – riptire. Anderson utilized Soldier 76's tactical visor to perfection as well.
Map Three (King's Row / 4-3 Hybrid OT Win): Ending the series, Carthage OW2 Black and NIU engaged in a battle for the ages on King's Row.
On the attack, the Firebirds unlocked the payload within a minute and escorted it for more than five minutes. NIU defended well until there was a little less than a minute left for Carthage. Miech perfectly executed a Reinhardt shatter, opening the door for his team to reach the payload's endline. Before this, Anderson recorded five consecutive eliminations as Bastion. The Huskies answered on attack with three points of their own, tying the game 3-3 after a complete team effort. Carthage was given one minute and 42 seconds, and NIU was given one minute of extra time. In overtime, NIU only captured one-third of the objective and was unable to unlock the payload. As a result, Carthage decimated NIU on attack and won the series by capturing two-thirds of the objective.
Carthage OW2 Black (3-3, 11-9) finished fourth in Division IX – Central A upon the regular season's conclusion. In the Central Playoffs, Carthage OW2 Black was a seventh seed. As of this writing, OW2 Black was defeated by No. 2 Evansville University Aces, 3-1, in the Quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 14, ending their season. This match will be mentioned in a future recap article.
Carthage Esports continues its Fall 2025 NECC Playoff stretch starting tonight as RL Red competes in an off-stream, lower-bracket, best-of-seven final against SE Oklahoma. On Tuesday, Dec. 2, OW2 Red competes in a streamed best-of-seven Division IV – Central Championship series against MSTU Lightning at 8:30 pm. Lastly, Carthage RL Black faces Indiana Wesleyan in an off-stream third-place game on Wednesday, Dec 3.
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