KENOSHA – Carthage Esports competed in Spring 2026 NECC Week Two action between Feb. 9 and Feb. 13. League of Legends and Valorant [Varsity] rebounded. Overwatch, RL Black, RL White, and Valorant [Club] remain undefeated. RL Red continues to search for its first Division I victory.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage Valorant [Varsity] (1-1) vs. the University of North Dakota [UND] Black (0-2) [Division VI – Midwest A]
Score: Carthage 2, UND Black 0
In Week One, Carthage suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss vs. the Minot State Beavers. Map One was a lopsided affair, as the Beavers claimed a 13-2 Bind victory. With their backs to the wall, the Firebirds fought hard in Map Two to win 13-10 on Abyss. On the decider map, Corrode, both teams traded blows and went into a third overtime, with Minot State ultimately winning 16-14.
On Monday, Feb. 9, Carthage Valorant swung for the fences and never looked back. Their manifestation turned into a 2-0 series win vs. UND Black. Sophomore Ryan Rivera (Righreanden) proved to be an astonishing piece to the Firebirds' puzzle in avenging their Week One heartbreak. He finished with a combined 2.20 K/D after accumulating 44 kills and 20 deaths, along with 11 assists.
Carthage Valorant's roster includes junior captain Sergio Musaitef (Gio), junior Aiden Hecht (Hecht), senior Mady Savage (Bunny), the aforementioned Ryan Rivera, freshman Charlie Post (Opt1mal), and freshman Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish).
Similar to Week One, the Firebirds played on the Bind and Corrode maps. Bind is characterized by the absence of a traditional mid-lane, relying instead on two one-way, noise-making teleporters to connect A and B sites. Corrode is known for encouraging "old school" FPS mechanics, prioritizing precise aiming and optimal positioning over excessive reliance on abilities. It also does not contain mechanical hooks or rotating doors.
Map One [Bind / 13-6 Win]
Half One: Carthage began with a 5-0 start in their defensive half. All members worked efficiently to lock down Bind's bomb sites. One highlight came in Round Five, where Savage cleaned the clocks of three UND attackers attempting to enter A site through lamps. Another was in Round Seven when Post and Rivera tag-teamed UND with Phantom assault rifles. Post held B long to secure three kills, while Rivera was situated near B elbow and gained two kills of his own. After Round Seven, UND won four consecutive rounds, readjusting their offensive strategy to confuse Carthage. Before the role swap, the Firebirds persevered through a five-versus-four post-plant situation. Musaitef became the glue as he recorded an elimination before UND planted the spike and defused it amidst chaos at A site. To assist, Bunny, Hecht, and Rivera each secured one kill.
Half Two: On attack, Carthage won the next six out of seven rounds to secure a Map One victory. Along the journey, there were a few standout performances. In Round 13, Post, wielding the Ghost pistol, secured three kills, including a one-tap on UND's last remaining defender. For Round 14, Rivera wielded the Spectre SMG and found two UND defenders in B site, Musaitef sniped two, and eliminated one with a Stinger SMG. Rivera decimated UND's B site defense in Round 18 – quick-peeking three with a Phantom assault rifle. To end Map One, Carthage won Round 19 after Savage wasted enough time on an attack by hovering around UND player Lock, who attempted to defuse the spike.
Map Two [Corrode / 12-5 Win]
Half One: For Map Two as a whole, Savage was subbed out for
Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish). The Firebirds started their attack half on Corrode, 4-0. A highlight in the opening run came in Round Three, when Post and Musaitef were in a two-versus-one situation while guarding their B-site plant. Post playing as Fade, threw a projectile that cut off UND player Rube's line of sight. Then, Musaitef, playing as Chamber, rotated around a corner and sniped him to secure the round win. Later on, Carthage secured a 9-3 attack half. A couple of highlights included a Rivera three-kill performance in Round Nine after pushing through mid. Lastly, a Round 12 barrage that included Musaitef, Rivera, and Sullivan working cohesively to pick apart UND's defense.
Half Two: To secure a Map Two victory, the Firebirds won four of six defending rounds. Their defensive half started well, with Sullivan and Co. picking up a Round 13 victory. However, UND won two consecutive rounds, cutting their deficit to five. Despite this miniature slump, Carthage never batted an eye and won three consecutive rounds to earn a 2-0 sweep. Highlights included Hecht's three-kill performance and defusal in Round 17 to force a match point, and an explosive Round 18 from Post and Rivera, who combined for five kills within the opening 11 seconds.
Post Game – Timothy Fendrick (Hvstl) [Play-by-Play] interviewing Ryan Rivera (Righreanden)
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage Valorant [Varsity]
- Ryan Rivera (Righreanden): 98 Kills / 71 Deaths [1.38 K/D], 21 Assists, Four Spike Plants
- Mady Savage (Bunny): 12 Kills / 11 Deaths [1.09 K/D], Five Assists, Five Spike Plants
- Charlie Post (Opt1mal): 75 Kills / 74 Deaths [1.01 K/D], 26 Assists, Nine Spike Plants
- Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish): 59 Kills / 59 Deaths [1.00 K/D], 35 Assists, Eight Spike Plants
- Sergio Musaitef (Gio): 74 Kills / 75 Deaths [0.99 K/D], 23 Assists, Four Spike Plants
- Aiden Hecht (Hecht): 70 Kills / 77 Deaths [0.91 K/D], 52 Assists, Six Spike Plants
Carthage Valorant [Varsity] (2-1, 5-2) will return on Monday, Feb. 23, for an on-stream Week Four, best-of-three series vs. Lakeland University. The team's 2-0 sweep vs. Cornell College last night will be documented in next week's Week Three recap.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage Valorant [Club] (2-0) vs. Concordia University, Nebraska (0-2) [Division IX – Group A]
Score: Carthage Club 2, CU Nebraska 0
On Monday, Feb. 9, Carthage Valorant [Club] competed in the Spring 2026 NECC Week Two alongside its Varsity counterpart. Carthage's Club team achieved a 2-0 sweep over Concordia University, Nebraska. This victory propelled the Firebirds to a 2-0 overall and 4-0 map record.
The Carthage Valorant [Club] roster includes senior Tanner Lee (Flare), junior Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and freshman Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17 aka TheScrimReaper).
In their best-of-three series against Concordia Nebraska, Carthage Valorant [Club] competed on Pearl, a map with no interactive mechanics such as teleporters or doors. It emphasizes long, tactical-range engagements, with crucial mid-control and long rotation times. Lastly, Bind was also in the rotation, which was previously discussed in the Carthage Valorant [Varsity] section.
Map One [Pearl / 13-8 Win]
Half One: Carthage started their evening down 2-0 on the attacking side after two dominant rounds from Concordia Nebraska. However, in Round Three, Gilchrist secured four kills, including a one-versus-two clutch by clearing out two Bulldog defenders with a Vandal assault rifle in B ramp. The Bulldogs then fine-tuned their defenses and increased their round advantage from 2-1 to 5-1. However, Carthage came back and took a 6-5 lead. Within this time frame, Perry recorded multiple three-kill performances, and Lee etched his name in Round 10 with a killing spree. To end the first half, Prims engaged in a one-versus-one situation with Concordia Nebraska's Spiral and was eliminated, prompting a 6-6 score.
Half Two: On defense, it took the Firebirds a couple of rounds to adjust as Concordia Nebraska's attack threw them for a loop. With the Bulldogs leading 8-6, Lee and Perry found themselves in a two-versus-two post-plant. Gilchrist and Co. gave stellar callouts to their teammates, Lee cleaned house, and Perry defused the spike before time expired. Down 8-7, Carthage won six consecutive rounds to ensure a 13-8 Map One win – an example of the team's perseverance under pressure. A couple of highlights included a four-snipe performance from Lee in Round 18, and the combination of Gilchrist and Wade securing the final kills at B ramp in Round 21.
Map Two [Bind / 13-10 Win]
Half One: To begin Map Two, Carthage started on the attack side and found themselves down 7-3 within the opening 10 rounds. Despite the disparity, Gilchrist secured a crafty three-kill in Round Three while playing as Omen. He eliminated one Bulldog defender in A bath, teleported into A site to pick another off, planted the spike, and secured his final elimination. With two rounds left before swapping to defense, the Firebirds found a way to cut their deficit to 7-5. In Round 11, Gilchrist, Prims, and Wade collectively secured crucial eliminations to set up a four-versus-one advantage. Lee planted in the B site and collected the final elimination. In Round 12, Carthage overwhelmed Concordia Nebraska's defenses as Lee recorded three kills, while Perry and Prims logged one kill each.
Half Two: Within the second half, Carthage and Concordia Nebraska traded blow for blow. Carthage found themselves up 11-9 following Round 20. To get here, Wade helped the team secure a Round 14 win after eliminating two players with a Guardian DMR. Additionally, Perry and Wade became synergized and clutched a Round 16 two-versus-four post-plant. Lee went on another four-kill spree in Round 17 to put the Firebirds up 9-8. In Round 18, Gilchrist and Lee wiped out Concordia Nebraska's B site attack cleanly to break a 9-9 tie. Lastly, Gilchrist logged three kills in Round 20 while in A tower. To close out the series, Carthage won the next two out of three rounds.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage Valorant [Club]
- Owen Perry (Kor): 76 Kills / 49 Deaths [1.55 K/D], 19 Assists, 17 Spike Plants
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 74 Kills / 51 Deaths [1.45 K/D], 27 Assists, Five Spike Plants
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): 73 Kills / 51 Deaths [1.43 K/D], 21 Assists, Three Spike Plants
- Tanner Lee (Flare): 81 Kills / 51 Deaths [1.38 K/D], 11 Assists, Two Spike Plants
- Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 25 Kills / 56 Deaths [0.45 K/D], 19 Assists, Three Spike Plants
Carthage Valorant [Club] (2-1, 4-2) will return on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CST for an off-stream Week Four best-of-three series vs. Missouri State White. Carthage Club's 2-0 Week Three loss vs. New Mexico State University will be discussed in the next NECC Recap.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage RL Red (0-2) vs Brewton-Parker Christian [BPC] University (2-0) [Division I – Group B]
Score: BPC University 4, Carthage Red 1
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Carthage RL Red entered Week Two with motivation to keep pushing despite their early growing pains in NECC Division I. Although they fell to BPC 4-1 in a best-of-seven series, the Firebirds took one game off them – an improvement from being swept 4-0 vs. St. Clair Saints Green in Week One. Carthage Red's roster includes senior captain Alex Vaile (Vaile), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and Kyle Branski (xray).
In Game One, BPC claimed a 3-1 victory with the assistance of two own goals from Carthage. BPC's Cass led the way with two goals on four shots, while teammates Antix and Mylk complemented with one save and one assist. The Firebirds struggled to gain the upper hand as Vaile was the lone scorer with three saves on net. Carthage rebounded with a 1-0 Game Two win after Perry scored the only goal with 12 seconds left in regulation. Vaile found Kor at midfield and set him up to air dribble the ball into BPC's net.
Game Three was a 2-1 BPC victory. At the 4:38 mark, Antix approached the right side of Carthage's net and juked out Vaile while simultaneously demolishing him. Then, Antix's pass banged off the right post, and Cass drove down the middle to put in a chip-shot goal. Roughly a minute later, the Firebirds started to make their way toward BPC's net. However, they triple committed, and Mylk hit paydirt with a little over three minutes to play. Down 2-0, Carthage finally broke through and scored with less than two minutes left. Branski stopped the ball's forward momentum at midfield. Vaile then air dribbled from midfield to BPC's net to cut his team's deficit to one. Meanwhile, Perry ran interference underneath to give his teammate clearance. Although the Firebirds captured lightning in a bottle, it shattered as BPC drained the clock out to win.
Game Four ended in a 1-0 BPC victory, decided by a three-minute, 51-second overtime. For nearly nine minutes, each team traded clears and offensive possessions. The difference was BPC's ability to cut off Carthage's airspace and force them to save the ball constantly. At the 3:49 mark, Vaile corralled the ball near the Firebirds' net. Before he could scheme his next move, Antix challenged Vaile and pinched the ball directly to Mylk, who then pierced a shot between Branski and Perry. To wrap up the series, BPC claimed a 3-0 shutout win in Game Five. Mylk scored all three goals on six shots.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage RL Red
- Owen Perry (Kor): Four Goals, Three Assists, 16 Saves, 24 Shots, 15 Demos, 17% Shooting
- Alex Vaile (Vaile): Three Goals, Three Assists, 17 Saves, 22 Shots, Two Demos, 14% Shooting
- Kyle Branski (xray): Three Goals, No Assists, 16 Saves, 25 Shots, Nine Demos, 12% Shooting
Carthage RL Red (0-2, 1-8) will return Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Three, best-of-seven series vs. Northwood University Blue (2-0, 8-1).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage RL Black (3-0) vs Minnesota State University [MSU] Mankato (1-2) [Division III – Midwest B]
Score: Carthage Black 4, MSU Makato 2
Carthage RL Black, consisting of junior captain Penn Gilchrist, junior Lucas Menzer, and senior Tanner Lee, continued their winning ways in Division III – Midwest B on Wednesday, Feb. 11. This week, the Firebirds competed against MSU Mankato. This series ranged from a 2-2 contest to Carthage Black pulling away for a 4-2 victory.
In Game One, MSU Mankato found early momentum and rode its tidal wave for a 3-1 victory. MSU's Wubik provided two crucial passes to help Mankato secure a 2-0 lead. Within the first two minutes, MSU players Flow and KingConn each scored one goal. Then, Gilchrist scored to cut Carthage Black's deficit to one. However, Flow immediately scored his second goal to ensure an MSU victory. To retaliate, Carthage Black captured a 4-2 Game Two victory after starting 2-0, thanks to goals from Menzer and Lee. Although Wubik kept Mankato in it, the Firebirds protected their lead with urgency.
Once again, Carthage managed to get an early goal advantage. This time, it helped them obtain a 2-1 Game Three victory. Lee scored the opening goal within two minutes and 15 seconds. About 30 seconds later, Gilchrist scored off an assist from Menzer. Before Game Three ended, Wubik prevented MSU from being shut out. In Game Four, MSU Mankato won 2-1 to tie the series. Although Lee scored another quick goal, Flow scored an equalizer to keep pace. Thus, overtime occurred after neither team broke the 1-1 tie in regulation. Wubik once again became a hero for Mankato as he scored the game-winning goal off a pass from Flow after a minute and 22 seconds.
With a 2-2 series score in their face, Carthage Black remained confident and stuck to fundamentals – score early and adapt as time winds down. In Game Five, the Firebirds won 4-1 after dominating Mankato's defense. Lee scored two unanswered goals with the help of Gilchrist and Menzer. Although Wubik made the score 2-1, Carthage Black still exposed MSU's defensive weaknesses as Gilchrist and Menzer each scored near the tail end.
To end the series, Carthage Black took a 3-2 Game Six victory. Gilchrist peaked, scoring three goals on six shots. To complement him, Lee and Menzer each recorded an assist. Although MSU Mankato fell short, Wubik remained consistent as he scored the team's two goals.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage RL Black
- Tanner Lee (Flare): 13 Goals, 10 Assists, 21 Saves, 45 Shots, 16 Demos, 29% Shooting
- Lucas Menzer (Joystik): 11 Goals, Seven Assists, 19 Saves, 30 Shots, 20 Demos, 37% Shooting
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 10 Goals, Six Assists, 18 Saves, 30 Shots, 10 Demos, 33% Shooting.
Carthage RL Black (3-0, 12-4) will return Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Three best-of-seven series vs. Missouri State University (1-2, 6-8). As a side note, the team will have a Week Four bye as Northern Illinois University has forfeited its entire season.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage RL White (2-0) vs Grand Valley State University [GVSU] Club B (1-1) [Division IV – Central A]
Score: Carthage White 4, GVSU 1
Carthage RL White, featuring senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), and freshman Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17 aka ThePrimReaper), comes off a 4-0 Week One sweep over UW-Eau Claire. As Fall 2025's NECC season closed, Buchmann said: "It will be exciting for us to make a play to be competitive again next semester [Spring 2026] and find a way to a conference championship and win nationals." Since Spring 2026 began, Carthage White is off to a terrific start.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Firebirds defeated NECC rival GVSU Club B, 4-1, in an off-stream best-of-seven series.
To open this series, GVSU Club B scratched and clawed for a 2-1 Game One victory. Within the opening minute-and-a-half, Wade served a pass to Prims, who scored by finding a seam in GVSU's defense. However, GVSU adjusted its strategy and held Carthage scoreless for the next three-and-a-half minutes. Offensively, GVSU players Kannura and Vaq each scored once to outpace the Firebirds.
Game Two presented a shootout in which Carthage White earned a 5-3 win. Vaq scored the first goal within 44 seconds. Then, Buchmann turned things up a notch as he scored twice. Shortly after, Uperz forced a 2-2 tie off an assist from Vaq. However, the Prim Reaper was unfazed as he collected GVSU's souls by scoring twice. With a 4-2 lead, Carthage White added one more score, courtesy of Wade. Although Uperz forced a 5-3 score, the damage was already done.
To break the series tie, Carthage White won 4-2 in Game Three after scoring four consecutive goals. Once again, Prims scored twice, wielding his imaginary scythe with pride. After he gave the Firebirds a 2-0 cushion, Buchmann and Wade added to the tally. To prevent a shutout, Kannura and Uperz each found the net once to end with a 4-2 score. In Game Four, Carthage White clicked on all cylinders late to bring home a 2-1 win. After Kannura scored in the game's opening 20 seconds, the Firebirds were stonewalled. At the midway point, though, Wade provided an opening for Buchmann to tie the score 1-1. With mere seconds left to play, The Prim Reaper struck once more and scored the game-winning goal for Carthage White.
Entering Game Five, GVSU Club B was desperate to keep the series going. Instead of making small miscues in the beginning, Carthage White found success. Prims decimated GVSU's defense, scoring three times within two minutes. With a 3-0 lead, the Firebirds focused on maintaining their lead. Before the series ended, Prims and Wade brought their team's tally to five goals, while GVSU scored two goals to prevent a shutout. In the end, Carthage White achieved a 2-0 start to their Spring 2026 NECC season, headlined by an astonishing performance from Jimmy Prims.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage RL White
- Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 17 Goals, Eight Assists, Five Saves, 32 Shots, Eight Demos, 53% Shooting
- TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid): 11 Goals, Nine Assists, Seven Saves, 30 Shots, 12 Demos, 37% Shooting
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): Nine Goals, 12 Assists, 12 Saves, 24 Shots, 19 Demos, 38% Shooting
Carthage RL White (2-0, 8-1) will return on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 6:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Three, best-of-seven series vs. Indiana University JV (1-1, 7-6).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage League of Legends (1-1) vs. Loyola University Maryland (1-1) [Division VI – East B]
Score: Carthage 2, Loyola 0
On Thursday, Feb. 12, Carthage League of Legends (LoL) obtained its first Spring 2026 NECC regular season victory after stonewalling Loyola University, 2-0. Last week, the Firebirds struggled to gain momentum against Kettering University. As a result, they were swept and started 0-1. However, this week, Carthage LoL found its footing.
The team'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).
Game One: Carthage's Game One lineup included Gavin and
Owen Johnson, Saner, Rieckmann, and Zeller. After a 38-minute, 25-second period, the Firebirds won thanks to a dominant team performance, building a significant gold lead through coordinated mid and late-game fights. Owen, playing bot lane as Corki, led the game with over 44,000 damage. Zeller, in the midlane, controlled objective fights with a strong zone presence while playing Anivia (7/3/16). Lastly, Rieckmann recorded 24 assists on Nami, highlighting the Firebirds' coordinated team engagements. The Firebirds posted 33 eliminations, 73 assists, and 16 deaths. Although Loyola player Hoss had accumulated over 43,000 damage, the Firebirds' teamfight coordination kept them afloat.
Game Two: In roughly 37 minutes, Carthage LoL cruised to a 2-0 victory. The only lineup change was Delgado replacing Rieckmann. Once again, Owen delivered consistent damage in the bot lane. In all, he finished with a K/D/A of 11/3/8 and over 33,000 damage. Zeller's 17 assists in the midlane underscored Carthage's focus on coordinated teamfighting. Although Hoss remained a consistent component of Loyola's game plan, the Firebirds' balanced output secured the series sweep. As a team, Carthage accumulated 26 eliminations, 54 assists, and 16 deaths.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Player Stats – Carthage League of Legends
- Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato): 32 Kills / 20 Deaths (1.60 K/D), 23 Assists
- Gavin Johnson (Cahara): 18 Kills / 12 Deaths (1.56 K/D), 24 Assists
- Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike): 13 Kills / 17 Deaths (0.76 K/D), 38 Assists
- Ian Saner (Toothless): 13 Kills / 18 Deaths (0.72 K/D), 34 Assists
- Katherine Rieckmann (Firerose22): Five Kills / 13 Deaths (0.38 K/D), 29 Assists
- Christian Delgado (Bravo): Three Kills / 10 Deaths (0.30 K/D), 17 Assists
Carthage League of Legends (1-1, 2-2) will return on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Three, best-of-three series vs. Mercyhurst University (0-2, 0-4).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage Overwatch Red (2-0) vs. Cleveland State University [CSU] White (0-2) [Division III – Central A]
Score: Carthage OW Red 3, CSU White 0
On Friday, Feb. 13, Carthage Overwatch Red, featuring junior captain Mason Stenger (zXc), junior Joy Schultz (JumpyWizard), sophomore Billy Flanagan (ChickenFries), sophomore Deacon Kirvan (FerociousPig), and sophomore Adam Hollis (Hollister09), brought out the brooms to ring in a 2-0 regular season start. Last Week, the Firebirds took down Purdue White across the Control, Escort, and Flashpoint game modes. This week, Cleveland State White felt victim to an onslaught.
Carthage Overwatch Red completed the best-of-five series with a 3-0 sweep. First, they played the Control game mode on Ilios. Control is a game mode in which two teams compete to capture and hold one main objective, progressing from 0% to 100% in a best-of-three format. Ilios is a scenic Mediterranean map with three parts: Lighthouse, Ruins, and Well. In the end, Carthage Red won 2-0.
Next, the Firebirds traveled to Aatlis, a map characterized by its futuristic, night-time urban environment inspired by Moroccan architecture, featuring green roof tiles, hotshot arc openings, and arabesque decorations. Also, it is smaller than other maps as it is directly tied to the Flashpoint game mode. Flashpoint is similar to Control, but competing teams aim to keep three out of five objectives for a shorter duration. With excellent coordination, Carthage Red won 3-0, sweeping Cleveland State in Flashpoint.
Lastly, the Firebirds traveled to Esperanca for the Push game mode and secured a series-sealing victory. Esperanca is known for its "Swiss cheese" design, with many openings and passageways that allow for quick return to the robot, helping prevent spawn-camping. In Push, two teams compete to guide a robot across multiple checkpoints. The winning team is determined by the robot's meter distance over 10 minutes.
Carthage Overwatch Red (2-0, 6-0) will return on Tuesday, February 17, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Three, best-of-five series vs. the Northern Illinois University Huskies (2-0, 6-2).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap – Carthage Overwatch Black (2-0) vs. Thomas More University Blue (1-1) [Division VIII – East B]
Score: Carthage OW Black 3, Thomas More 0
To conclude our Spring 2026 NECC Week Two Recap, Carthage Overwatch Black took down Thomas More University Blue, 3-0, in a best-of-five series. The competing roster included junior captain Ethan Anderson (Snowstorm), sophomore Ryan Rivera (Righreanden), freshman Chris Duffey (LitheCash), and freshman Jenna Pillman (Jenny), and freshman Alek Miech (Stewie).
To begin their evening, Carthage Black secured a 2-1 Control victory on Lijang Tower. Next, the Firebirds earned a Push win on Colosseo. To wrap up the series, they achieved a 3-0 Flashpoint victory on the Aatlis map.
Carthage Overwatch Black (2-0, 6-0) will return on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Three, best-of-five series vs. Hagerstown Community College (0-2, 0-6).
Carthage Esports begins Spring 2026 NECC Week Three livestreams tonight with Valorant, followed by Rocket League on Wednesday, Feb. 18, and League of Legends on Thursday, Feb. 19. Weekly broadcasts will continue throughout the Spring 2026 NECC season, with Valorant on Mondays, Rocket League on Wednesdays, and League of Legends on Thursdays, including regular-season matches and applicable playoff coverage. Keep your eyes peeled for weekly recaps written by Andrew Czysz Jr.
Follow @carthageesports on all social platforms for updates, and follow the Carthage Esports Twitch channel here to receive notifications when broadcasts are live.
