Kenosha – Carthage Valorant exceeded expectations on a Club and Varsity level. Clutch plays were made, and many spikes were defused. We will now analyze both the Carthage Club and Varsity Valorant teams.

Varsity Valorant [Division VII]

Carthage's Varsity Valorant team illustrated insurmountable grit this past spring. While competing in NECC's Division VII Midwest A stage, the Firebirds accomplished an undefeated 7-0 regular season. Additionally, Varsity Valorant won 88% of their maps (+12 map differential), and a round differential of +103, 49 more than Kettering Gold (+54), whom they defeated in Week Four on Feb 24 by a 2-1 map score. 

Upon the regular season's conclusion, Carthage became the number-one seed in the Midwest Playoffs. First, number-eight Maryland Terps fell victim to a 2-0 quarterfinal shutout against Carthage on March 24. During the Semifinals, the Firebirds took down the MVNU Cougars, 2-1, on March 31. Finally, on April 7, Carthage entered a heavyweight fight against Robert Morris University. After four and a half hours, the Firebirds were crowned NECC Division VII Midwest Champions. A 3-2 win defines the importance of team collaboration and morale.


Here are the closing moments of Carthage Varsity Valorant's Division VII Championship Match. Broadcasters in the clip are Timothy Fendrick [hvstl] and Tommy Van Treeck [Toom].



Freshman James Eggert [Jawa], sophomore Aiden Hecht [Hecht], sophomore Sergio Musaitef [Gio], freshman Ryan Rivera [Righ], and junior Mady Savage [Bunny] put on an incredible show for the Carthage faithful. When reflecting on Carthage's Valorant championship, Coach Wesley Kutzke said, "It's a show of character for this team…we were able to come back after that really terrible loss on Map Four, and we were still able to not let that bring us down. We were able to bring in the win." 

When Map Four concluded, the series between Carthage and RMU was tied 2-2. RMU had momentum entering Map Five following a 13-4 victory in Map Four. However, the Firebirds fought valiantly to close out the series with a 13-10 win in Map Five, solidifying themselves as Division VII champions.

Following their championship victory, Carthage Valorant secured their first-class ticket to NECC Division VII Nationals. On April 14, number-three Carthage defeated number-14 Graceland, 2-0, in the first round.

After a calm Easter break, the Firebirds clashed with number-six Hendrix College on April 28. An impressive showcase rewarded Carthage with a 2-0 victory in quarterfinal action. The next day, Carthage faced number-two Wilkes University in the semifinals, hoping to advance to the grand finals. However, Wikes won 2-1, sending Carthage to the third-place game against Kettering Gold. Although a sour taste filled the air, Carthage placed third in Nationals after a forfeit win against Kettering on May 5. 

Carthage Valorant finished their Spring 2025 NECC campaign with a 7-0 regular season, a Division VII Midwest title, and third place in Nationals. Varsity Valorant achieved a combined 13-1 record, netting a 92.9 winning percentage, which was second best of all Varsity teams.

Club Valorant [Division IX]

The Firebirds Valorant Club had a tremendous season, going 6-0 in NECC Division IX's Central B regular season. Valorant Club posted a 12-3 map record with a +51 round differential. They earned a number-two seed in Division IX's central playoffs. 

In Division IX central playoffs, the Carthage Valorant Club defeated number-seven SCU White by forfeit on March 24 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Carthage faced the number-three seed, Buena Vista, but fell short, losing 2-1. Although the Valorant Club missed the grand finals, their loss only fueled their determination. On April 7, the Carthage Valorant Club won against number-four Arkansas State University with a 2-1 score and claimed third place in Division IX's central playoffs. The Carthage Valorant Club included a roster that enjoyed playing Valorant casually and sought to challenge themselves. 

Sophomore player Penn Gilchrist said, "The club Valorant team was a great experience. We didn't practice at all as a team since we still had our Rocket League season to focus on." Penn cites new knowledge about Valorant, saying the "communication and amount of time is way different from Rocket League. I had a lot of fun even though I was not a full starter. Penn recommends other players in Carthage's Esports programs to "try new games and play them semi competitively. It gives you a new thing to focus on, and helps with certain aspects in your main game." A couple of examples are collaboration with teammates and identifying your role on a team.

Carthage Esports will return for the 2025-26 academic year to kick off its fourth competitive season, starting in Fall 2025. Follow us on all social media platforms (@carthageesports) to stay updated. Follow our Twitch channel to get notifications when broadcasts go live.