KENOSHA – Carthage Esports opened February with Spring 2026 NECC Week One matches. Varsity and Club Valorant posted mixed results, Rocket League finished 1-2 overall, League of Legends was swept, and Overwatch posted a clean 2-0 showing. 

This article will analyze the Week One performances for these teams: Varsity and Club Valorant, Rocket League (Red, Black, and White), League of Legends, and Overwatch Red. As a side note, Carthage Overwatch Black (1-0, 3-0) was given a forfeit win vs. Old Dominion University JV on Friday, Feb. 6.
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage Valorant [Varsity] (0-1) vs. Minot State University Beavers Red (1-0) [Division VI – Midwest A]
Score: Minot State Red 2, Carthage 1 

After finishing with an NECC Division VII Valorant Championship last spring, the Carthage Firebirds sought to open the Spring 2026 regular season with a victory. Although the team did not achieve the desired result against Minot State, they showed tremendous heart. On Monday, Feb. 2, the Firebirds and the Beavers collided in a highly contested best-of-three series.

Carthage's Varsity match roster included junior captain Sergio Musaitef (Gio), junior Aiden Hecht (Hecht), sophomore Ryan Rivera (Rìghreanden), freshman Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish), and freshman Charlie Post (Opt1mal).

Map One [Bind / 13-2 Loss]: To begin its evening, the Firebirds played on Bind, a map characterised by the absence of a traditional mid-lane, relying instead on two one-way, noise-making teleporters to connect A and B sites. 

After a 2-0 start headlined by a three-kill performance from Musaitef, who used the Marshall sniper rifle, Minot State executed well-coordinated attacks to win 10 straight rounds. This forced the Firebirds into uncomfortable defensive positions, rattling their confidence. To end Map One, Minot State won three consecutive defensive rounds, including a dagger to eliminate Sullivan, who was wedged into a one-versus-three situation in B site.

Map Two [Abyss / 13-10 Win]: While digesting Minot State's defiant Map One performance, Carthage rebounded on Abyss, a map characterized by its three-lane, two-site layout that features high verticality, narrow walkways, destructible doors, and a lack of outer barriers.  

Amid an early 2-0 deficit, Post, along with Hecht, Musaitef, and Sullivan, devised a plan in Round Three: plant in the B site with four members alive and win. Once Post planted the spike, Hecht and Musaitef combined for three closing eliminations. A few rounds later, the Firebirds found themselves up 4-3 after a three-kill performance from Sullivan. At the role-swap half, Carthage was down 7-5 and eventually 9-5. Despite this, the team still fought on. 

To pull within one round, Sullivan, playing as Omen, dropped a smoke cloud to give herself coverage to defuse a planted spike in B site. The other Firebirds created a distraction act, limiting Minot State's ability to guard their own plant. Fast forwarding to Round 20, the Firebirds tied the score 10-10 after Hecht and Post combined for a few clutch eliminations, while Musaitef defused Minot State's spike in B site. Carthage would then win the next three rounds, including Round 23, to tie the series 1-1 after Musaitef clutched a one-versus-one post plan situation.

Map Three [Corrode / 16-14 OT Loss]: Week One's decider occurred on Corrode, a map characterized by its emphasis on "old school" FPS mechanics, prioritizing precise aiming and optimal positioning over excessive ability usage. It also does not contain mechanical hooks or rotating doors.

In the first half, Carthage went 7-5 on attack, following an excellent 4-2 start highlighted by Hecht securing the final kill in a two-versus-one post plant. To give the Firebirds a comfortable halftime cushion, Sullivan, playing as Omen, blinded a Minot State player and swung them to secure the Round 12 win. In the defensive half, things were rocky for Carthage, as they fell behind 12-8 at the conclusion of Round 20. However, the team persevered to force a 12-12 overtime. Post became the hero as he took out the last Beavers player guarding an A site plant after Hecht and Sullivan were plucked one by one.

After three overtimes, the Firebirds were defeated by Minot State. Their best chance came in Round 28, when the team had a favorable four-versus-two post-plant advantage. However, Beaver players Dumpling and Sleepy each cut off two Carthage defenders from the B site. From here, Minot State claimed Rounds 29 and 30 to solidify a 3OT victory and advance to 1-0 on the season.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage Valorant [Varsity]

• Ryan Rivera (Righreanden): 54 Kills / 51 Deaths [1.06 K/D], 10 Assists, Three Spike Plants  
• Aiden Hecht (Hecht): 47 Kills / 53 Deaths [0.89 K/D], 26 Assists, Four Spike Plants 
• Sergio Musaitef (Gio): 45 Kills / 51 Deaths [0.88 K/D], 16 Assists, Three Spike Plants 
• Thalia Sullivan (Jellyfish): 43 Kills / 51 Deaths [0.84 K/D], 28 Assists, Four Spike Plants 
• Charlie Post (Opt1mal): 39 Kills / 50 Deaths [0.78 K/D], 15 Assists, Six Spike Plants  

Carthage Valorant [Varsity] (0-1, 1-2) will return tonight at 7:00 p.m. CST for an on-stream Week Two, best-of-three series against the University of North Dakota Black (0-1, 0-2).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage Valorant [Club] (1-0) vs. Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets (0-1) [Division IX – Group A]
Score: Carthage Club 2, Waynesburg 0

Much like its varsity counterpart, Carthage Valorant [Club] also earned a podium placement. In Spring 2025, the team placed third in Division IX Valorant, headlined by a 2-1 victory over Arkansas State University.

In Spring 2026, Carthage's Club team is looking to run it back with a new roster. It includes senior Tanner Lee (Flare), junior Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17 aka ThePrimReaper). On Monday, Feb. 2, the Firebirds Club competed against Waynesburg University in a best-of-three series. The result was a 2-0 sweep for Carthage.

Map One [Bind / 13-4 Win]: To begin their series against the Yellow Jackets, Firebirds Club played on Bind. On defense, the team forced an 8-4 scoreline before role swaps took effect. A major highlight came when Perry and Prims found themselves in a two-versus-three post-plant situation. Prims was eliminated right before Perry gained his first elimination. 

Then, a one-versus-two situation occurred. Perry baited the two Yellow Jacket defenders out of position at A site by faking a defuse. As a result, players 7urbyd and RogueRonin lined themselves up perfectly for Perry, who killed two birds with one stone. Right before the half ended, Wade clutched a one-versus-three post-plant in Round 12 to shred through Waynesburg's offense with the Guardian marksman rifle.

To wrap up Map One, Firebirds Club won five consecutive attacking rounds to achieve a 13-4 victory. Throughout this hot streak, Gilchrist and Co. stayed poised and used their numbers' advantage to close out Map One. The combination of early picks and cutting off rotations was key. In Round 17, Carthage earned a flawless round as all five members were alive from start to finish. It ended with Lee securing the final elimination.

Map Two [Corrode / 13-8 Win]: In their second map, Firebirds Club played on Corrode and started the opening half on attack. Although Waynesburg prevented a role-swap half shutout, Carthage still finished 10-2 – even starting 7-0 at one point. Once again, the team showed excellent poise and communication skills. In Round 12, Perry and Wade were in a two-versus-two situation late. Perry, using Viper, launched a large cloud of toxic mist to give Wade enough space to plant comfortably at the B site. Despite their best efforts, the two Yellow Jacket players were eliminated by Perry and Wade, respectively.

In the second half, Waynesburg began to show more fight, winning three consecutive attacking rounds to force a 10-5 score. However, the Firebirds Club stayed calm, adjusted on defense, and forced a match point after Round 17, leading 12-5. While watching A Main, Prims secured Round 17's final elimination after Lee took out one Yellow Jacket player, and was immediately sniped by another. 

Entering Round 21, Waynesburg forced a 12-8 score, inching closer to the possibility of overtime. In a three-versus-three post plant near the B site, Gilchrist, Prims, and Wade worked together to ensure Carthage walked away with a 2-0 sweep. While Prims defused Waynesburg's plant, Gilchrist eliminated two players, while Wade secured the last kill. Thus, Firebirds Club won 13-8 on Corrode.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage Valorant [Club]

• Owen Perry (Kor): 46 Kills / 18 Deaths [2.56 K/D], Eight Assists, 10 Spike Plants  
• Kaliek Wade (Akko): 42 Kills / 23 Deaths [1.83 K/D], Six Assists, One Spike Plant
• Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 32 Kills / 23 Deaths [1.39 K/D], 13 Assists, Two Spike Plants 
• Tanner Lee (Flare): 33 Kills / 24 Deaths [1.38 K/D], Seven Assists, One Spike Plant 
• Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 12 Kills / 23 Deaths [0.52 K/D], Nine Assists, Two Spike Plants  

Carthage Valorant [Club] (1-0, 2-0) will return tonight at 6:00 p.m. CST for an off-stream Week Two, best-of-three series against Concordia University, Nebraska (0-1, 0-2).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage RL Red (0-1) vs St. Clair Saints Green (1-0) [Division I – Group B]
Score: St. Clair Green 4, Carthage Red 0

Carthage RL Red, consisting of senior captain Alex Vaile (Vaile), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and freshman Kyle Branski (xray), were eager to kick off their NECC Division I journey on Wednesday, Feb 4, after qualifying last week. Their opponent was the back-to-back Spring 2025 Collegiate Rocket League (CRL) champion, St. Clair Saints Green – a team based in Windsor, Ontario. Although the Firebirds were swept 4-0 by this highly-regarded juggernaut, they forced the closest results possible.

To begin, St. Clair Green achieved a 4-3 Game One overtime win after fending off Carthage Red's incredible perseverance. Before this, Perry put the Firebirds up 1-0 within the opening 20 seconds with a stellar shot from midfield. At the 3:11 mark, Saints player Pzy performed a flip-reset to flick the ball past Perry, giving his team an equalizer goal. Perry took this personally and delivered a musty flick 16 seconds later to create a 2-1 lead for Carthage. 

After a minute of consistent clears from both teams, Vaile blew past Pzy and dunked on Saints player Vesh to give Carthage a 3-1 lead. Then, at the 1:25 mark, Vesh and Pzy connected in the air for an alley-oop double tap after Perry barely missed his chance to clear the ball away. With three seconds left before regulation expired, Saints player Jazii jumped down from the ceiling and set up Vesh to tie the game 3-3 at the buzzer. To end Game One, St. Clair Green executed a jaw-dropping aerial triple-play.

Game Two showcased a defensive battle for three-and-a-half minutes. However, Jazii air dribbled the ball into Carthage's right corner, bounced it off Vaile's car, and Vesh took a tight shot to give St. Clair a 1-0 lead. Despite the Firebirds' best efforts to tie, the Saints were disciplined and milked the clock. 

Game Three presented yet another 3-3 overtime. In the early stages, Pzy twirled the ball above at midfield and gently dropped it down to Jazii for a goal at the 4:05 mark. After solid defense, Pzy own goaled at the 2:21 mark as Branski lined up a shot. To respond, Vesh executed a pop-up pass from midfield to Jazii, who readjusted himself in midair to stun Carthage with little over a minute to play. Later on, Perry had ice in his veins as he executed a perfect double tap off a pass from Vaile at the one-minute mark. 

With ten seconds left, Pzy was in scramble-drill mode and found a way to dance around the Firebirds' defense to give St. Clair a 3-2 lead with eight seconds remaining. With three seconds left, Vesh made a terrible mistake, bouncing the ball off his own backboard. As a result, Perry set up a pass for Vaile, who placed in the shot at the buzzer. After a roughly two-minute overtime, Branski demoed Jazii in his team's corner, flicked the ball up for Perry, but Vesh stole it and proceeded to carry the ball over Perry and flip-reset on Vaile to secure the Game Three win. To end the series, St. Clair Green took a 3-1 Game Four win despite Carthage's efforts to force another overtime.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage RL Red

• Owen Perry (Kor): Three Goals, Two Assists, 10 Saves, 12 Shots, Two Demos, 25% Shooting 
• Alex Vaile (Vaile): Two Goals, Two Assists, Seven Saves, 12 Shots, One Demo, 16.7% Shooting   
• Kyle Branski (xray): Two Goals, No Assists, Six Saves, 13 Shots, One Demo, 15.4% Shooting  

Carthage RL Red (0-1, 0-4) will return on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Two, best-of-seven series vs. Brewton-Parker Christian University (1-0, 4-2).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage RL Black (1-0) vs St. Ambrose University (0-1) [Division III – Midwest B]
Score: Carthage Black 4, St. Ambrose 2

After a third-place finish in the NECC's Fall 2025 Division IV Midwest playoffs, junior captain Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), junior Lucas Menzer (Joystik), and senior Tanner Lee (Flare) looked to pick up where they left off. Carthage RL Black returned to action on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to take on the St. Ambrose University Bees in a best-of-seven series. The result was a 4-2 series win for the Firebirds.

Games One and Two were split between both teams. Carthage Black gained the upper hand first with a 2-1 Game One win. To overcome an early 1-0 deficit, Lee connected with Menzer at the 1:19 mark to force a 1-1 tie. For the remainder of Game One, both offenses were stonewalled by excellent defensive clears. However, with less than 30 seconds to play, Lee set up another stellar pass – this time to Gilchrist, which helped the Firebirds take Game One. In response, St. Ambrose earned a 4-2 Game Two win after scoring three unanswered goals after emerging from a 2-1 score deficit. St. Ambrose player SkySpark became a jack of all trades, recording two goals, assisting teammate Sholonk twice, and recording two saves.

In Game Three, Carthage Black secured a dominant 6-0 victory. Lee achieved a hat-trick, Menzer recorded two goals and two assists, and Gilchrist accumulated one goal and three saves. Game Four ended with a 3-2 overtime win for St. Ambrose. Both teams fought tooth and nail, trading goals twice within regulation. Menzer and Gilchrist kept Carthage at bay while Sholonk and VolticVibes tried to sting their way toward a lead. After a one-minute and 49-second overtime, Sholonk provided St. Ambrose a Game Four win.

With the series tied 2-2, Carthage Black knew they needed discipline to regain momentum. In Game Five, the Firebirds eclipsed a 2-0 shutout win headlined by a two-goal performance from Menzer. Additionally, Lee stepped up on defense with four saves. To wrap the series up, Carthage Black decimated St. Ambrose with a 5-1 Game Six win. Once again, Lee recorded a hat-trick, while Gilchrist and Menzer scored one goal each.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage RL Black

• Lucas Menzer (Joystik): Eight Goals, Three Assists, 12 Saves, 19 Shots, 13 Demos, 42% Shooting
• Tanner Lee (Flare): Seven Goals, Seven Assists, 14 Saves, 23 Shots, Three Demos, 30% Shooting
• Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): Four Goals, Four Assists, Eight Saves, Nine Shots, 44% Shooting.  

Carthage RL Black (1-0, 4-2) will return on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Two, best-of-seven series vs. the Minnesota State Mavericks (0-1, 3-4).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage RL White (1-0) vs University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (0-1) [Division IV – Central A]
Score: Carthage White 4, UWEC 0

Despite a first-round exit in the Fall 2025 Division IV Midwest playoffs, Carthage White demonstrated strong teamwork and chemistry throughout the season. The team's roster includes senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), and freshman Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17). Last fall was their first time playing on a team together. Achieving a 3-3 overall and 13-15 record to make the playoffs was a great accomplishment. 

In Spring 2026, Carthage White aims to make the leap to a conference championship and qualify for Nationals. On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Firebirds faced UW-Eau Claire in a best-of-seven series. The result was a 4-0 sweep for Carthage White, a marvelous start to its Spring 2026 NECC campaign.

In Game One, the Firebirds secured a 3-1 victory, highlighted by a two-goal performance from ThePrimReaper. To support Prims, Buchmann passed the ball twice. On the scoring front, Buchmann logged one goal, giving Carthage White a larger cushion. Defensively, Wade recorded two saves and three demolitions. The Firebirds marched on to a 4-0 Game Two victory. Once more, Prims recorded two goals, aided by two assists from Wade. Buchmann scored once and recorded two saves. Wade remained consistent, forcing three more demolitions against the Blugolds and constantly scrambling their defense.

In Game Three, Carthage White won a close 3-2 contest after UW-Eau Claire tried to come back. For a third consecutive game, Prims scored twice. This time, Buchmann and Wade assisted Prims. Buchmann also scored a single goal and recorded one save. Lastly, the Firebirds took a 9-1 victory in Game Four. After letting Prims cook on offense, Wade took matters into his own hands, scoring five goals on four shots with two demos. Buchmann secured a hat-trick on eight shots, while Prims mustered one goal, three assists, and two demos.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage RL White

• Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): Seven Goals, Five Assists, Three Saves, 14 Shots, Two Demos, 50% Shooting
• Kaliek Wade (Akko): Six Goals, Six Assists, Four Saves, 12 Shots, Eight Demos, 50% Shooting
• TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid): Six Goals, Four Assists, Four Saves, 17 Shots, Zero Demos, 35.3% Shooting.  

Carthage RL White (1-0, 4-0) will return on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Two, best-of-seven series vs. Grand Valley State University Club B (1-0, 4-0).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage League of Legends (0-1) vs. Kettering University  [Division VI – East B]
Score: Kettering University 2, Carthage 0

Carthage League of Legends were upset by the University of Tulsa Hurricanes JV in the Fall 2025 Division VII West playoffs. Although the team's playoff run fell short, they still posted an undefeated 6-0 overall and a 12-3 map record. For Spring 2026, the Firebirds aim to maintain their poise throughout the season and rekindle the excellence of their 2024-25 season. 

However, the team faced a Week One roadblock against Kettering University on Thursday, Feb. 5. The Bulldogs pulled off a 2-0 sweep, which kept Carthage from getting off to a good start. The Carthage League of Legends 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: To open the series, Carthage deployed Cahara, Firerose22, OwenThePotato, Toothless, and Wolfstrike into the fray. After nearly 32 minutes, the Firebirds fell to the Bulldogs, who were let out of their cages and never looked back. Carthage finished with just eight eliminations, 30 deaths, and 15 assists. For Kettering, they had inverted elimination and death stats (30-8), and accumulated 55 assists. These team statistics show the Bulldogs' dominance throughout the game.

Game Two: The Firebirds aimed to force a Game Three to keep the series alive. Their lineup remained largely unchanged except Bravo came in for Firerose22. However, the Bulldogs stifled their attacks, enforcing a 2-0 sweep. Although Carthage suffered another loss, they performed statistically better compared to Game One. In total, 17 eliminations, 28 deaths, and 24 assists. One highlight player for Carthage included Owen Johnson, who recorded an 8/6/3 KDA and a 327 Creep Score (CS). Kettering recorded 28 eliminations, 17 deaths, and 59 assists, solidifying themselves as a thorn in Carthage's back throughout Game Two and in this series.

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Player Stats – Carthage League of Legends

• Gavin Johnson (Cahara): Six Kills / Seven Deaths (0.86 K/D), Five Assists, 288 AVG Creep Score
• Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato): 10 Kills / 13 Deaths (0.77 K/D), Six Assists, 290 AVG Creep Score
• Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike): Four Kills / 10 Deaths (0.40 K/D), Five Assists, 253 AVG Creep Score
• Ian Saner (Toothless): Three Kills / 13 Deaths (0.23 K/D), Eight Assists, 193 AVG Creep Score
• Katherine Rieckmann (Firerose22): Two Kills / 10 Deaths (0.20 K/D), Five Assists
• Christian Delgado (Bravo): Zero Kills / Five Deaths (0 K/D), Nine Assists

Carthage League of Legends (0-1, 0-2) will return on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Two, best-of-three series vs. Loyola University Maryland Green (1-0, 2-0).
 

Spring 2026 NECC Week One Recap – Carthage Overwatch Red (1-0) vs. Purdue White (0-1) [Division III – Central A]
Score: Carthage OW Red 3, Purdue White 0

In Fall 2025, Overwatch Red accomplished more than any other Carthage Esports team – winning a conference championship. Carthage Overwatch Red competed in Division IV Central, went undefeated in the regular season, and bulldozed Stevenson University, Saginaw Valley State, and Middle Tennessee to capture coveted hardware. It was their second crowning of an NECC title since Dec. 7, 2023, when they took down Purdue Steel 4-3 after being down 3-1 at one point.

For Spring 2026, junior captain Mason Stenger (zXc), junior Joy Schultz (JumpyWizard), sophomore Billy Flanagan (ChickenFries), sophomore Deacon Kirvan (FerociousPig), and sophomore Adam Hollis (Hollister09) were promoted to Division III Central. The team believed it could be a perennial contender in a higher division and started its path of dominance on Friday, Feb. 6, against Purdue Boilermakers White.

The result for Carthage Overwatch Red was a 3-0 sweep. Throughout the series, Carthage played in the following game modes: Control, Flashpoint, and Escort. 

Control involves two teams competing to capture and hold one main objective, progressing from 0% to 100% in a best-of-three format. Flashpoint is similar to Control, but competing teams aim to keep three out of five objectives for a shorter duration. The Escort game mode has two teams switch off from pushing a payload to defending it. The offense's goal is to hit as many checkpoints as possible before the timer runs out. The defense's goal is to stop the payload from moving and force the time limit to expire.

Carthage Overwatch Red achieved the following final scores against Purdue Boilermakers White: 2-0 Control win on the Busan map, 3-0 Flashpoint win on the Aatlis map, and a 3-0 Escort win on the Shambhali Monastery map. Thus, the Firebirds started their Division III – Central A regular season with a 1-0 record and 3-0 map record.

Carthage Overwatch Red (1-0, 3-0) will return on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m. CST, for an off-stream Week Two, best-of-five series vs. Cleveland State University White (0-1, 1-3).

Carthage Esports begins Spring 2026 NECC Week Two livestreams tonight with Valorant, followed by Rocket League on Wednesday, Feb. 11 and League of Legends on Thursday, Feb. 12. 

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 (https://twitch.tv/carthageesports) to receive notifications when broadcasts are live.