KENOSHA – On Friday, March 6, Carthage Esports concluded Week Five of its Spring 2026 National Esports Collegiate Conference [NECC] campaign. Overwatch Red and Rocket League Black remain undefeated, Valorant Club earned its third victory, League of Legends won its fourth straight match since Week Two, while RL White experienced its first loss. Lastly, Rocket League Red played another close, but heartbreaking series.
Spring 2026 WEC Week Three Mini Recap – Carthage League of Legends (LoL), Overwatch (OW), and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU)
Before our Spring 2026 NECC Week Five deep-dive, we will briefly address the Spring 2026 Wisconsin Esports Conference [WEC] Week Three Results.
On Monday, March 2, Carthage LoL (1-2, 3-4) earned a 2-0 victory over MSOE Red, netting its first regular-season victory. As a result, Carthage LoL is ranked seventh in the standings. Next, on Tuesday, March 3, Carthage OW Red (3-0, 6-1) obtained a 3-1 victory over MSOE Crimson. As a result, the team is ranked third in standings behind UW-Stout Blue (3-0, 9-0) and UW-Whitewater Purple (3-0, 9-0).
Lastly, Carthage Smash (1-2, 2-4) lost an extremely close series vs. UW-River Falls (2-1, 4-2).
UW-River Falls took a 2-0 Set One victory and a 1-0 Set Two victory. These scores reflect how many stocks UW-River Falls had left after defeating Carthage.
In Set One, UWRF player JustJohnson recorded five knockouts alone, leading his team. Meanwhile, Alex Chuluunbat (ParaMedx) scored five knockouts to keep his team in the set. The deciding factor was UWRF's ability to gain a couple of valuable knockouts that came from players Acto and pk_water. Connor Grubisic (Spacefood) and Rylee Preston (Ender) mustered up just one knockout each. Meanwhile, Shannon Pasters (MintMelee) recorded three knockouts.
For Set Two, Chuluunbat once again stood out for Carthage, securing five knockouts. Next, Grubisic rebounded with four knockouts. Preston secured two before elimination. Lastly, Samuel Bergamo (Scorp) stepped in for Pasters and secured one knockout. Despite their valiant effort, UWRF came away with the 2-0 sweep.
Spring 2026 WEC Week Three Player Stats – Carthage Smash
Carthage will compete in the Spring 2026 WEC Week Four events, starting with League of Legends on Monday, March 23. The program will then continue on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, with Overwatch and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, respectively.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage Valorant [Club] (3-3) vs. Minot State Beavers White (1-4) [Division IX – Group A]
Score: Carthage Val Club 2, Minot State White 0
On Monday, March 2, Carthage Valorant [Club] competed in a best-of-three series vs. Minot State Beavers White. In Week Four, the Firebirds looked unstoppable in Map One Corrode against Missouri State White. However, Maps Two and Three were inconsistent as Carthage struggled heavily on Bind and Pearl. The team's defensive strategies weren't as fluent as their attacking strategies. Despite that, the Firebirds still made it a close 2-1 series.
Nonetheless, Carthage rebounded against Minot State White this week, claiming a dominant 2-0 victory. The Week Five roster included senior TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid), senior Tanner Lee (Flare), junior Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), and freshman Owen Perry (Kor).
In their Week Five matchup vs. Minot State White, the Firebirds competed on Breeze and Corrode. Breeze is a larger, tropical-themed map known for its wide-open spaces, long-range sightlines, and intense mid-control fights. It contains a mechanical door in A-site, and a one-way chute from A-Hall to Mid. This map forces players to be aware of complex, rotate-heavy strategies. Corrode is 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.
With this victory and their 2-0 Week Six loss vs. Valparaiso University (4-2, 9-5), Carthage Valorant [Club] sits at fourth place in their Division IX – Group A standings. Do note that their Week Six loss vs. Valparaiso University will be discussed in the next recap article.
Map One [Corrode / 13-3 Win]
Half One: To begin its evening, Carthage Valorant [Club] started its night on attack. Their well-organized team strategy and positioning pushed them into a 10-2 lead at halftime. Lee [Waylay] started well in Round One. Here, he accumulated two crucial kills in a one-versus-two scenario. Beavers White player LifeSqueezer, who eliminated Buchmann and Gilchrist, attempted to hide in an A-site corner. However, Lee spotted and eliminated him with a Ghost pistol. Then, Lee attempted to plant the spike. Before he could, SlashL dashed in as Neon from A-Elbow, only to get tapped by Lee's Ghost pistol. From here, the Firebirds won six straight rounds before Minot State White broke the shutout in Round Seven.
A prime example of Carthage's excellent teamwork came in Round Five. While Gilchrist [Omen] was eliminated early from SlashL's Judge shotgun, he gave excellent callouts to his teammates. Lee benefited from it as he swung Minot State White's OrigamiDragon and Tech7 in B-Link. He attempted to get a third elimination with a Vandal assault rifle, but was caught reloading in the open. Even though LifeSqueezer eliminated Lee, Buchmann [Skye] backed up his teammate well, finding LifeSqueezer with a Guardian assault rifle. Outside of B-site, Wade [Yoru] eliminated Stormwave. Lastly, Perry [Viper] protected Buchmann from getting swung by the aforementioned SlashL.
After a 6-1 score, Carthage won the next four out of five rounds. In Round Eight, Gilchrist and Wade secured all five eliminations on Minot State White. Gilchrist picked off two while rotating from Mid-Top into B-site. Wade occupied Mid-Stairs and took out three players. In Round Nine, Lee owned the kill feed as he aced – eliminated all five Minot State White defenders. In Round 11, the Firebirds earned a flawless round as their offense was split up across B-site, Mid, and A-site. Perry collected an elimination at the B-site; Buchmann and Gilchrist got one elimination each in Mid. Lastly, Wade eliminated two Minot State White defenders, including the last alive, to bring home the round. To end the half, Lee swung Stormwave in A-site to confirm a 10-2 lead.
Half Two: On defense, the Firebirds won three of four rounds to secure a 13-3 victory on Map One. In Round 13, Lee and Wade took control of Mid-Bottom. Wade then rotated to the B-site to support Buchmann and Gilchrist, who were about to be swarmed by the Beavers. During this play, Wade achieved three eliminations with the Ghost pistol. Additionally, Perry stayed behind a few crates and managed to get two more eliminations. In Round 14, Gilchrist, Lee, and Perry whipped out the big guns. Gilchrist claimed the lives of three Beavers White attackers with the powerful Ares LMG in B-site. Before this, Lee hit a snipe, and Perry domed one attacker with a Judge shotgun.
To end Map One, Gilchrist and Perry clutched a two-versus-two post-plant in A-site. Gilchrist rotated from A-Main into the site. Then, he launched a cloud of smoke to throw off Tech7, leading to his death. Lastly, Gilchrist stuck a spike defusal as Perry mowed down LifeSqueezer with an Ares LMG. Thus, Carthage's excellent teamwork paid off and prompted a 13-3 Corrode victory.
Map Two [Breeze / 13-4 Win]
Half One: On Breeze, Carthage Valorant [Club] started on the attacking side. This time, Minot State White put up a better fight, only allowing the Firebirds to escape with an 8-4 half. The Firebirds started 2-0 before Minot State White took their first win in Round Three. In Round One, Buchmann [Astra] and Gilchrist [Sova] were engaged in a two-versus-two. Buchmann eliminated OrigamiDragon with a Classic pistol in A-Pyramids. On his way to A-site, Gilchrist planted the spike. After, he crept up the A-Ramp, watched his right corner, and took out Tech7 and LifeSqueezer. After Minot State's Round Three win, they remained competitive, forcing a 3-2 contest at one point. However, it did not phase the Firebirds.
Carthage practiced excellent trigger discipline across Rounds Five and Six. Specifically, the team planted the spike at a given bomb site and made Minot State White hesitate a defusal. Thus, the Firebirds wasted enough time to ensure these wins. In Round Seven, the team returned to its search-and-destroy mantra. The round began with Gilchrist using Sova's ultimate—Hunter's Fury—to launch a powerful dart and eliminate LifeSqueezer from B-Main. Perry [Viper] managed the outskirts of B-site well and scored one elimination. Buchmann planted the spike and took down two Beaver defenders with the Guardian assault rifle. Before the round ended, Wade [Yoru] claimed the last elimination. In Round Nine, Minot State White picked up its third round win after Tech7 guarded the spike from Buchmann with mere seconds left in B site.
For Round 10, Lee [Jett] led the round with three eliminations as he controlled Mid-Top, which cut off Minot State White's rotation strategy. Next, Carthage hustled to the A-site in Round 11. Perry did an excellent job using Viper's toxic mist walls to cut off Minot State White's line of sight. In the four-versus-four post-plant, Buchmann, Gilchrist, Lee, and Wade practiced stellar team communication and were confident in gunfights. Before the half ended, Minot State White took Round 12 defiantly. While playing as Harbor, OrigamiDragon secured three eliminations, which forced Buchmann and Perry into a two-versus-five situation. Despite their efforts, Carthage was eliminated.
Half Two: When Carthage switched to defense, they managed to win five consecutive rounds and ran away with a 13-4 Map Two victory. In Round 13, Gilchrist wielded the Sheriff with pride to record three eliminations. He caught SlashL and LifeSqueezer in B-Wall. Then, Gilchrist found Stormwave in B-site, who guarded the Beavers' plant. Meanwhile, Perry made quick work of Tech7, while Lee took out OrigamiDragon. Next, Buchmann broke out for three pistol eliminations in Round 14 as he roamed around A-site.
In the final rounds, Carthage systematically picked Minot State White's offense apart. Their ability to roam in Mid-Bottom and Mid-Top proved to be the real difference maker. To end Map Two, Gilchrist earned three eliminations with the Odin LMG. As he launched Hunter's Fury as Sova, SlashL swung him. It was down to Lee and SlashL in a one-versus-one. With full confidence, Lee advanced to his left from a B-Elbow corner, unloaded on SlashL, and eliminated them with the Shorty shotgun.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Player Stats – Carthage Valorant [Club]
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 207 Kills / 158 Deaths [1.31 K/D], 77 Assists, 28 Spike Plants
- Tanner Lee (Flare): 206 Kills / 149 Deaths [1.38 K/D], 41 Assists, Five Spike Plants
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): 197 Kills / 152 Deaths [1.30 K/D], 61 Assists, 11 Spike Plants
- Owen Perry (Kor): 160 Kills / 142 Deaths [1.13 K/D], 55 Assists, 33 Spike Plants
- Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 83 Kills / 136 Deaths [0.61 K/D], 35 Assists, Seven Spike Plants
- TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid): 25 Kills / 10 Deaths [2.50 K/D], 10 Assists, Six Spike Plants
Carthage Valorant [Club] (3-3, 7-6) will return on Monday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. CST for an off-stream Week Seven best-of-three series vs. Southern Nazarene University.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage RL Red (0-6) vs. Concord University Mountain Lions Esports (3-2) [Division I – Group B]
Score: Concord 4, Carthage RL Red 2
On Wednesday, March 4, Carthage RL Red competed in NECC Division I action vs. Concord University Esports. Unfortunately, it was the same song and dance for the Firebirds – a hard-fought battle decided by inches. The team brought Concord to Game Six, hoping to force a Game Seven. However, their plans were destroyed. As of this writing, Carthage Red is 0-6, 8-24, and remains in eighth place in Division I – Group B.
Carthage RL Red's roster includes senior captain Alex Vaile (Vaile), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and freshman Kyle Branski (xray). The trio took home the Fall 2025 Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC) Rocket League championship. Perry earned State MVP honors and was crowned champion alongside Branski and Vaile.
To open the series, Concord exploded to a 4-0 lead in Game One. Despite this trend, Carthage Red put its best foot forward. Although they ended up losing 4-3, it was a commendable effort. First, after a brief kickoff, Vaile scored on a contested shot (3:16) immediately following a passing play between Helix and Simas. Next, Branski scored Carthage Red's second goal (3:08) after Vaile carried the ball from his half to the Mountain Lions' net. In the process, Vaile faked out Crispy and Helix, which opened a scoring lane for Branski. Then, Vaile secured the Firebirds' third goal after taking a contested shot in front of Helix (1:41). Branski popped the ball up at midfield, Vaile soared, and Perry roared with a demo. For the remainder of Game One, Carthage Red tried to create a 4-4 tie. Ultimately, Simas came in clutch for Concord.
Carthage Red then took Game Two 4-3 in nail-biting fashion. The Firebirds jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Vaile intercepted a pass from Helix and turned it into a goal (4:28). Then, Branski supported the foundation with a goal in stride (2:15), following a midfield pass from Perry. Despite their lead, the Mountain Lions began to wake up as Crispy scored on a flip reset (1:53). To retaliate, Branski ground pinched the ball in front of Concord's defense and faked them all out (1:39). With a 3-1 lead, Carthage Red knew they were in the driver's seat. For the remainder, Carthage and Concord kept pushing each other's defenses to the limit. Crispy drilled in a contested shot to prompt a 3-2 score (1:17). However, Vaile caught his opponents out of rotation on the ensuing kickoff (1:10), to create another two-goal lead. Afterwards, Carthage Red only allowed Concord to obtain one goal within the last minute.
In Game Three, Perry showcased a breakout performance, scoring all five goals for Carthage Red. He placed Concord's defense in a blender and left them scattered. He was excellent in all facets – side shots, midfield shots, and even pulling out the 90-degree flick. In the end, the Firebirds took a 5-3 victory. Although Perry peaked, Concord's trio kept things interesting. Following this, Concord gutted out a 3-2 win in Game Four. The Mountain Lions found themselves up 2-0 thanks to contributions from Helix and Simas. Once again, Carthage Red showed its competitive backbone as Vaile found the net after winning a 50/50 against Crispy (2:56). However, Concord spoiled a potential comeback as Simas performed a flip reset and scored to put his team back up by two goals (0:31). Before Game Four ended, Vaile won a pinch battle against Helix (0:16) in hopes of creating a comeback.
Concord then took Games Five and Six to prevent Carthage Red from obtaining its first Division I NECC victory. In Game Five, the Mountain Lions pulled off a 6-4 victory. Each member scored two goals, solidifying consistency between them all. Additionally, when they trailed 4-3 with 1:27 left, Concord had an increased sense of urgency. They were constantly in the "right place, right time" mindset. Ultimately, their offensive prowess and defensive awareness kept them afloat. Game Six gave Carthage Red yet another heartbreaking loss. After being down 2-0, Perry and Vaile fought hard to tie the game up, while Branski complemented with four saves. The series was decided at the 0:37 mark when Simas passed the ball to Crispy at Carthage Red's goal line. Crispy, after bumping Branski, slightly touched the ball into the net – a sensational goal for Concord, but devastation for the Firebirds. Thus, the Mountain Lions won Game Six by a 3-2 scoreline.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Player Stats – Carthage RL Red
- Owen Perry (Kor): 22 Goals, 11 Assists, 60 Saves, 82 Shots, 33 Demos, 27% Shooting
- Kyle Branski (xray): 19 Goals, 12 Assists, 41 Saves, 76 Shots, 29 Demos, 25% Shooting
- Alex Vaile (Vaile): 18 Goals, 17 Assists, 36 Saves, 65 Shots, 18 Demos, 28% Shooting
Carthage RL Red (0-6, 8-24) will return Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Seven, best-of-seven series vs. Cleveland State Esports (1-3, 7-15).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage RL Black (6-0) vs. Missouri University of Science and Technology [MST] Miners Gold (2-3) [Division III – Midwest B]
Score: Carthage RL Black 4, MST Gold 3
Following Carthage RL Red's 7:00 p.m. CST series vs. Concord University on Wednesday, March 4, Carthage RL Black made their first on-stream appearance this season. The trio of junior captain Penn Gilchrist, junior Lucas Menzer, and senior Tanner Lee faced the Missouri University of Science and Technology [MST] Miners Gold at 8:30 p.m. CST. As always, this series was best-of–seven. However, it went the full distance and included a Firebirds comeback after being down 3-1.
With this series comeback win, Carthage Black (6-0, 24-8), has sole possession of first place in the Division III – Midwest B standings. Do note that the team's rescheduled Week Six match against Central Methodist University will be discussed in the next recap article.
Game One ended in a 3-2 overtime win for Carthage Black. MST Gold jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to an excellent midfield 50/50 followed by a redirect off the right wall from Blade (4:21), and Riftx placing in a shot following a goal line pinch from Blade against Menzer (1:27). In between these two scores, MST Gold held firm defensively. Although Carthage Black continuously forced shots, none of them fell in. Luckily, there was 1:27 left for the Firebirds to work with. They kept up the offensive pressure and found their first score after Menzer centered the ball near MST's net. Lee then jumped in and forced a contested shot to fall through (0:54). About 30 seconds later, Menzer found himself near MST's left goal post. He slightly tapped the ball in center position, and Gilchrist followed up underneath him to force a 2-2 tie. The overtime period ended when Menzer dropped a pass from above MST's goal line, and Lee threaded the needle between two defenders (+1:47).
In Game Two, MST Miners Gold contained Carthage Black's offense well to secure a 3-1 victory. The Firebirds' lone goal came from Lee, who was lined up on the left side of MST's net (4:15). Menzer once again provided a stellar midfield pass to his teammate. The momentum shifted after Riftx methodically carried the ball past Menzer and took advantage of a Firebirds triple-commit (3:47). Exactly one minute later, Riftx capitalized on the same mistake from his opponents (2:47). About 20 seconds later, MST found themselves in Carthage Black territory. Riftx took a 50/50 shot on Menzer, and Blade lined up a right-side pass, which left room for Tre to slot the ball into the Firebirds' net. From here, MST Gold controlled the pace and took Game Two.
Once again, MST Gold's defense held Carthage Black to just one goal. Thus, the Miners won Game Three 2-1. Following the game's opening kickoff, both teams kicked the ball around until Riftx swooped in, stole the ball from Lee, and air dribbled it into the Firebirds' net (4:43). To equalize the score, Gilchrist rotated back into a shot opportunity MST's goal line after Blade tried to orchestrate a backwards pass to Riftx, but he missed it. Thus, Gilchrist split the sticks between two defenders to force a 1-1 tie (3:42). The game's final goal happened on an MST fastbreak, where Tre raced past Gilchrist to score following a missed backboard touch from Lee (3:04). Game Four presented the same scenario, where MST held firm and won 2-1 against the Firebirds.
Game Five started the Firebirds' inspiring comeback as they earned a 4-2 win. Instead of being stonewalled by the Miners Gold defense, Gilchrist and Menzer found ways to break free from isolation. The team played more closely together and made excellent plays throughout. When needed, the team held firm on defense. Within the opening minute, Carthage Black eclipsed a 2-0 lead headlined by a Menzer kickoff goal (4:56) and a Gilchrist double-tap (4:06). Although Blade provided a wicked midfield pass to Riftx in an effort to get MST on the scoreboard (3:58), Carthage Black kept finding ways to score. Gilchrist notched his second inside three minutes as Lee triple-tapped the ball off MST's backboard. This gave Gilchrist enough time to force the ball into the net past Tre for a 3-1 lead (2:36). Tre then scored inside two minutes to keep things at an interesting 3-2 score up until the final seconds. Before Game Five ended, Pixlr twirled in the air and passed the ball left to Menzer, who found an open seam in MST's defense and scored (0:02).
In Game Six, Carthage Black battled to the last second and achieved a 4-3 victory in regulation. This performance was headlined by three Gilchrist goals, accompanied by three assists from Lee. Along the way in battling to force a Game Seven, the Firebirds were down 3-1 in Game Six. To put his team back in the game, Gilchrist scored off a left goalpost pass from Lee (3:25). On the ensuing kickoff, Lee found an opening in MST's backline and slotted the ball into the net's bottom right corner to force a 3-3 tie (3:21). Gilchrist showed no signs of slowing down as he placed in a surprise shot against MST's defense (2:58). Carthage Black took a 4-3 lead as Lee levitated with the ball and Gilchrist cut back into the play to confuse the defense. For the last three minutes, Carthage Black and MST went back and forth, threatening each other's defense. Ultimately, Lee knocked down the ball at zero seconds to force Game Seven.
For Game Seven, Carthage Black achieved a gutsy 2-1 win. After two minutes of defensive Rocket League, Menzer scored after Lee lined up a pass on the right side (2:54). Gilchrist was the initial target, but he missed, which left room for Menzer to race in from the left side of MST's goal. To tie the game 1-1, Blade tapped the ball off Carthage Black's backboard, which forced Menzer to commit a goal line touch that Tre scored on after he contested it (0:53). To break the tie, Menzer touched MST's backboard and left the ball in position for Gilchrist to soar above and knock down an absolute teardropper of a shot. This became the series-clinching goal as Carthage Black held off MST Gold for the last 30 seconds. Thus, a comeback filled with adjustment and endurance was complete.
Post Game – Andrew Czysz Jr (TurbidJuggler) [Play-by-Play] interviewing Tanner Lee (Flare)
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Player Stats – Carthage RL Black
- Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr): 24 Goals, 14 Assists, 28 Saves, 80 Shots, 26 Demos, 30% Shooting
- Tanner Lee (Flare): 21 Goals, 17 Assists, 37 Saves, 82 Shots, 32 Demos, 26% Shooting
- Lucas Menzer (Joystik): 18 Goals, 18 Assists, 35 Saves, 69 Shots, 35 Demos, 26% Shooting
Carthage RL Black (6-0, 24-8) will return Wednesday, March 18, at 8:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Seven best-of-seven series vs. Missouri Valley College (5-1, 22-10).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage RL White (5-1) vs. Purdue Boilermakers White (3-2) [Division IV – Central A]
Score: Purdue White 4, Carthage RL White 1
On Wednesday, March 4, Carthage RL White, featuring senior captain TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid), sophomore Kaliek Wade (Akko), and Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17 aka ThePrimReaper), played an off-stream best-of-seven series against Purdue Boilermakers White. Despite a strong Game One performance, the Firebirds were overwhelmed by Purdue and dropped the next four games, including a 4-1 loss. Last week, Carthage White achieved a 4-0 sweep vs. the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (0-4, 3-16) and held them scoreless for 19 total minutes across four games.
With their Week Five loss vs. Purdue White and their Week Six victory vs. the University of North Dakota [UND] Black (3-3, 17-17), Carthage White (5-1, 21-6) has maintained sole possession of first place in Division IV – Central A. Do note that the team's Week Six 4-1 win over UND Black will be discussed in the next recap.
In Game One, Carthage White obtained a 3-1 victory. Buchmann came away with the game's opening score off an assist from Wade (0:24). About 30 seconds later, Purdue White's Funky scored an equalizer goal thanks to an assist from his teammate Chris. For the next three-and-a-half minutes, both teams engaged in a defensive battle, clearing shots away left and right. However, Prims picked up his scythe and went to work. In the backhalf of Game One, Prims scored two straight goals to allow Carthage White to pick up the victory.
For Game Two, Purdue White reversed the tide and claimed a 4-1 victory. Their offense clicked immediately and remained consistent throughout. Chris scored the Boilermakers' first goal (0:32) off an assist from Funky. For the next two-and-a-half minutes, Carthage White attempted to tie the game. However, Chris demonstrated a strong defensive spirit by making four saves. Early in the third minute, Blackout and Funky each scored a goal. With a 3-0 lead, Chris netted his second goal assisted by Blackout. Before the game finished, Prims connected with Wade to break the 4-0 shutout.
Game Three presented another example of Purdue White's stellar defense. Carthage White found themselves down 1-0 early again. Chris continued to be a thorn in the Firebirds' back offensively and defensively. He scored his first goal just 50 seconds into the game. Roughly a minute later, Prims orchestrated a successful passing play that allowed Wade to drop in an equalizer. Despite their best efforts, Chris etched his name in the scoreboard with a hat-trick upon Game Three's conclusion. Additionally, he accumulated four more saves.
With a 2-1 series lead, Purdue White felt confident in their abilities. Carthage White aimed to turn the tide back in their favor. Once again, however, the Boilermakers found early success and built on their momentum. Blackout scored the opening goal (0:59) after a solo effort. Roughly a minute-and-a-half later, Chris hit paydirt to secure a 2-0 lead for this team. To keep the score close, Prims found an opening in Purdue White's defense and scored on his own solo play. However, Chris and Funky worked together seconds later to reinforce a two-goal cushion. This ultimately decided Game Four. Before the end, Wade etched his name on the scoreboard thanks to a great setup from Prims. Thus, Purdue held on long enough to win 3-2.
Game Five was a heartbreaking 4-3 loss for Carthage White, which meant Purdue White closed out the series 4-1. Within the first couple of minutes, each team had two goals – Blackout and Funky for Purdue; Prims and Wade for Carthage. Prims' goal came in last during the brief shootout. Once again, though, Purdue White's offensive pursuit never wavered. With three minutes remaining, Chris scored his lone goal. Then, roughly a minute-and-a-half later, Funky drained in a shot to put the Boilermakers up 4-2. After recording three consecutive games with four saves, Chris put his complementary playstyle on full display in Game Five as he accumulated three assists. Before Game Five ended, Buchmann lofted a pass to Prims, who knocked it down. Carthage White, down 4-3, had a chance to tie, but could not roll the ball over to Purdue White's half. Thus, the Boilermakers contained the Firebirds once more.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Player Stats – Carthage RL White
- Jimmy Prims (ItsSlurp17): 30 Goals, 16 Assists, 24 Saves, 69 Shots, 20 Demos, 43% Shooting
- Kaliek Wade (Akko): 23 Goals, 22 Assists, 32 Saves, 64 Shots, 38 Demos, 36% Shooting
- TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid): 18 Goals, 15 Assists, 20 Saves, 70 Shots, 28 Demos, 26% Shooting
Carthage RL White (5-1, 21-6) will return Wednesday, March 18, at 6:00 p.m. CST, for an on-stream Week Seven best-of-seven series vs. the University of Michigan [JV] Blue (1-3, 13-15).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage League of Legends (4-1) vs. Widener University Pride (0-5) [Division VI – East B]
Score: Carthage LoL 2, Widener 0
On Thursday, March 5, Carthage League of Legends (LoL) clinched its fourth consecutive victory since Week Two vs. Loyola University Green (3-1, 6-2). In Week Five, the Firebirds successfully swept Widener University (0-5, 1-10).
With this victory, Carthage LoL (4-1, 8-3) is now second in Division VI – East B behind Kettering University (6-0, 12-0). The Firebirds competed against Kettering back in Week One, but suffered a 2-0 loss. On their schedule, Carthage has a Week Six match vs. West Virginia Tech (2-2, 4-4) and a Week Seven match vs. Saginaw Valley State University [SVSU] Red (4-1, 8-5).
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), and freshman Ian Saner (Toothless). For roles, Gavin plays Top Lane, Saner plays Jungle, Zeller plays Mid Lane, and Owen plays Bot Lane. Lastly, Delgado and Rieckmann take turns in the Support role.
Game One (Carthage – 32 E / 12 D / 67 A) vs. (Widener – 12 E / 32 D / 26 A) [33:19]
To open this series, Carthage eclipsed a commanding 32-12 elimination victory and finished with a 71,988 to 58,358 gold advantage. Additionally, the Firebirds' synergy is heavily reflected in their 67 team assists, nearly tripling what Widener University mustered (26). Throughout Game One, the Firebirds' solo lanes primarily operated the steering wheel. Zeller (Mid) recorded an excellent 6/1/13 scoreline, contributing to nearly 60% of the team's eliminations. Gavin Johnson (Top) showcased heavy frontline pressure as he finished 9/1/8 while accumulating over 16,500 gold. Next, Owen Johnson (Bot) posted a 7/3/11 scoreline while leading the lobby in farm with 302 Creep Score, and the highest gold total, 17,452. Lastly, Rieckmann (Support) anchored teamfights with 22 assists. This enabled the Firebirds' carries to win mid-game engagements. Carthage's balanced kill distribution and low death totals suggest that the team controlled objectives comfortably and closed Game One methodically.
Game Two (Carthage – 30 E / Six D / 67 A) vs. (Widener – Six E / 30 D / Four A) [27:09]
In Game Two, Carthage continued to galvanize Widener and created an even more lopsided scoreboard. In only 27 minutes, the Firebirds conjured up a 30-6 elimination victory. Additionally, the team finished with 53 assists to Widener's four, demonstrating near-perfect team coordination. Owen Johnson (Bot) orchestrated the most explosive performance – 10/1/11 (21.0 KDA) and 27,353 damage. Next, Zeller (Mid) stayed alive and finished with a 7/0/9 scoreline. Thus, Carthage's senior captain created constant map pressure and enabled Carthage's skirmishes to snowball quickly. Gavin (Top) added another great performance with an 8/2/6 line, while Saner (Jungle) controlled early objectives and tempo with a 7/0/9 showing. Rieckmann (Support) played her role exceptionally well once again. This time, she contributed 19 assists, helping the Firebirds maintain constant engagement pressure and suffocate Widener.
Overall, teamfight coordination and balance carry threats contributed to Carthage's dominant victory over Widener University. The ADC, Jungle, and Top roles all finished with 17 kills in the series, making it nearly impossible for Widener to shut down a single win condition.
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Player Stats – Carthage League of Legends
- Gavin Johnson (Cahara): 64 Kills / 28 Deaths [2.29 K/D], 63 Assists [4.54 KDA]
- Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato): 64 Kills / 41 Deaths [1.56 K/D], 86 Assists [3.66 KDA]
- Ian Saner (Toothless): 51 Kills / 32 Deaths [1.59 K/D], 90 Assists [4.41 KDA]
- Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike): 42 Kills / 30 Deaths [1.40 K/D], 94 Assists [4.53 KDA]
- Katherine Rieckmann (Firerose22): 12 Kills / 33 Deaths / 113 Assists [3.79 KDA]
- Christian Delgado (Bravo): Five Kills / 14 Deaths / 21 Assists [1.86 KDA]
Carthage League of Legends (4-1, 8-3) will return on Thursday, March 12, at 7:00 p.m. CST, for a Week Six, best-of-three series vs. West Virginia Tech (2-2, 4-4).
Spring 2026 NECC Week Five Recap – Carthage Overwatch Red (6-0) vs. Milwaukee School of Engineering [MSOE] Raiders (3-2) [Division III – Central A]
Score: Carthage OW Red 3, MSOE 0
On Friday, March 6, Carthage OW Red, featuring junior captain Mason Stenger (zXc), junior Joy Schultz (JumpyWizard), sophomore Billy Flanagan (ChickenFries), sophomore Deacon Kirvan (FerociousPig), and sophomore Adam Hollis (Hollister09), competed in Week Five action. This week, their opponent was the MSOE Raiders. Once again, the Firebirds showed no signs of slowing down as they achieved yet another 3-0 sweep within a best-of-five series.
With this victory and their Week Six sweep vs. Akron Gold (1-6, 4-19), Carthage OW Red (6-0, 18-0) holds sole possession of first place in Division III – Central A. As the team locks up a playoff spot, they will aim to win their first conference title in Spring NECC Overwatch. Since Dec. 7, 2023, Carthage OW Red has won two out of the last three Fall NECC conference titles (Dec. 7, 2023, vs. Purdue Steel – 4-3 win, and Dec. 2, 2025, vs. Middle Tennessee – 4-1 win).
Against the MSOE Raiders, Carthage OW Red competed in the following game modes: Control, Escort, and Flashpoint. Control is a game mode in which teams attempt to capture a point from 0% to 100% in a best-of-three format. To win the map, a team must capture two of three capture points. Escort is a game mode in which both teams take turns moving and defending a payload objective. On attack, the goal is to move the payload through checkpoints within a given time limit. The defensive goal is self-explanatory: prevent the payload from moving. Flashpoint is similar to Control, but competing teams aim to keep three out of five objectives for a shorter duration.
In Control, the Firebirds played on the Lijang Tower map. Lijang Tower is a three-stage Control map featuring three distinct segments inside a futuristic Chinese metropolis: Control Center, Garden, and Night Market. Control Center is an indoor, high-tech skyscraper floor with low walls and a large pillar. The Garden is an open-air area featuring a central point surrounded by a deadly moat. Night Market is densely positioned with flank routes through surrounding buildings and stalls. Despite MSOE's best effort, Stenger and Co. locked up a 2-1 victory. This solidified that the Raiders were a formidable opponent for the Firebirds.
Next, the Firebirds took their talents to Watchpoint: Gibraltar, a classic Overwatch payload map set in an abandoned Mediterranean base, where attackers escort a satellite-carrying drone through three distinct checkpoints: Tunnel, Hangar Aircraft, and Final Bridge. Once again, Carthage OW Red showcased excellent poise against a feisty MSOE Raiders squad, earning a 2-1 Escort victory.
Lastly, the Firebirds competed in New Junk City for Flashpoint. New Junk City is a massive, redesigned Flashpoint map set in an Australian wasteland, featuring five distinct, industrial-themed capture points. The five points include: Arena (open/central), The Ducts (narrow/vertical), Refinery (industrial/close-quarters), and Junkyard (open/minimal cover). Teams that can move efficiently between points without getting lost are heavily rewarded. Additionally, excellent hero management is a must, especially when the point changes. In the end, Carthage OW Red gutted out a 3-2 Flashpoint victory. Although it tallied as a sweep, the MSOE Raiders showed great composure in an attempt to cool off Carthage. However, the Firebirds continue to fuel the flame.
Carthage Overwatch Red (6-0, 18-0) will return Friday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. CST, for an off-stream, Week Seven, best-of-five series vs. Robert Morris University [RMU] Academy Red (1-3, 4-9).
Carthage Esports will return for Week Seven livestreams with Valorant on Monday, March 16, Rocket League on Wednesday, March 18, and League of Legends on Thursday, March 19. Additionally, Week Seven will be Senior Night for these individuals when their game title is slated to compete: TJ Buchmann (RL White), Gavin Johnson (League of Legends), Tanner Lee (RL Black), Mady Savage (Valorant), Alex Vaile (RL Red), and Quentin Zeller (League of Legends).
Weekly broadcasts will continue past the Spring 2026 NECC regular season for applicable playoff teams. Stay tuned to our social media platforms and these articles to find out which teams qualify for the Spring 2026 NECC playoffs. Lastly, the Spring 2026 NECC Week Six Recap will be released either on Monday, March 16, or Tuesday, March 17. Most teams have already played their Week Six matches due to the campus's spring break period [March 9 to March 13].
Follow @carthageesports on all social platforms for updates, and follow the Carthage Esports Twitch channel here to receive notifications when broadcasts are live.
