Lisle – Between Friday, March 6, and Sunday, March 8, Carthage Esports competed in the 2026 Midwest Battleground LAN organized by the DuPage Sports Commission. League of Legends, Overwatch (Red), and Rocket League (Red and Black) competed in this year's tournament. In the end, Rocket League Red brought home another regional championship for Carthage Esports.

Midwest Battleground Tournament Background

Midwest Battleground is an Esports tournament that has created a bridge between high school and collegiate ecosystems in the Chicagoland area. To achieve this feat, the tournament provides a professional-level, in-person (LAN) environment for students. It debuted in February 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Lisle. Through a trial run, the DuPage Sports Commission realized how successful the first iteration was. Not only was the first Midwest Battleground tournament focused on active competition, but it also featured diverse offerings and a regional involvement focus.

As a side note, the DuPage Sports Commission, created in 2019, is an organization focused on driving economic development in DuPage County, Illinois, through sports tourism. Their mission is to attract, create, and support sporting events that generate economic impact through visitor spending at local hotels, restaurants, and businesses. Their focus is to promote DuPage County as a premier, year-round, four-season sports destination.

Since February 2024, the DuPage Sports Commission has been organizing educational panels, speaker sessions, and networking opportunities for coaches, parents, and players. By including professional-level tournaments and complementing them with these activities, the DuPage Sports Commission successfully hosted a comprehensive event. One of the major reasons why the Midwest Battleground tournament thrived quickly is that it filled a void. Before the Midwest Battleground, there was not a notably localized tournament in the Illinois area.

However, this tournament resolved a previous issue. In February 2024 alone, the DuPage Sports Commission encouraged about 40 schools (more than 300 players) to participate in the inaugural Midwest Battleground. Between February 28, 2025, and March 2, 2025, the second annual tournament attracted nearly twice as many competitors (600). In 2026, the Midwest Battleground was once again a great success, with 648 attendees (118 teams), according to its Startgg tournament page. 

Throughout its short history, the DuPage Sports Commission has partnered with organizations like the Illinois High School Esports Association (IHSEA) and Spectrum Industries. These collaborations help strengthen ties in Midwestern competitive gaming and ensure that technological capabilities are maintained. 

2026 Midwest Battleground Tournament Formats

League of Legends: Round-robin stage included best-of-one matches. The top four teams advanced to a best-of-three, single-elimination bracket. During the in-game champion draft phase, each team must declare what champion and role they will play as.

Overwatch: 16 teams competed in four round-robin pools with four teams each. During the round-robin phase, all matches were best-of-three series. Afterwards, all 16 teams participated in a double-elimination championship bracket, seeded based on their previous round-robin performances. Unlike other game titles, the only best-of-seven series took place in the Grand Final.

Rocket League: 14 teams competed in two round-robin pools with seven teams each. All round-robin matches were best-of-five series. Then, all 14 teams faced off in a double-elimination bracket, seeded based on their round-robin results. Finally, the Winners, Losers, and Grand Finals were all best-of-seven series.

Rocket League Red – First Place

Carthage RL Red set out to win another regional LAN championship. Recently, the Firebirds secured Red Cedar Rumble and Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC) LAN titles in Fall 2025. The team's roster consists of senior captain Alex Vaile (Vaile), freshman Owen Perry (Kor), and freshman Kyle Branski. Additionally, their person in command is Timmy Connors, a former Edgewood College Rocket League player known for his established pedigree in the regional scene. 

On Friday, March 6, Carthage Red competed in round-robin action in Pool One. Within this portion of the tournament, Carthage Red faced the following teams: DuPage Chaparrals, Ferris State Crimson, Maverick Esports, Michigan State University [MSU] White, Ohio Northern University, and UW-River Falls. When the round-robin concluded, the Firebirds came out with a 6-0 overall and 18-2 game record. In particular, Vaile and Co. swept every team except for MSU White. The Spartans took the Firebirds to a fifth game in their series. Although this occurred, Carthage Red was ready for anything and held on to start their round-robin win streak.

Based on their near-perfect record, Carthage Red was slotted into the Winner's Quarterfinal of the double-elimination championship bracket. On Saturday, March 7, the Firebirds competed in the quarterfinal against Carthage Black and Dakota State University in the Winner's Semifinal. Against Carthage Black, Carthage Red swept their varsity counterpart, 3-0, in a best-of-five series. Next, the Firebirds took down Dakota State University, 3-1, in the Winner's Semifinal. 

On Championship Sunday (March 8), Carthage Red faced Northern Illinois University in the Winner's Final and pulled off a 4-1 win to advance toward the Grand Final. The best-of-seven series to conclude the 2026 Midwest Battleground Rocket League tournament was Carthage Red vs MSU White. This rematch had all the seeds to plant a full-fledged seven-game series. However, Carthage Red achieved the most bizarre four-game sweep one has witnessed at the Midwest esports level.

Before the series started, Carthage Red was given a "game advantage" (1-0 start) because they reached the Grand Finals through the upper bracket. In Game Two, the Firebirds kept their momentum afloat to win 3-1. Within the opening minute, Branski passed the ball from MSU White's left corner wall to their goal line. Within seconds, Perry raced into the Spartans' goal line and notched the opening goal (4:08). Roughly two minutes later, Perry pounced on the Spartans net once more to score his second goal (2:13). After MSU White's Gribble knocked Perry's initial air dribble away, his teammate Sibs tried to follow it up. However, Sibs hit the ball awkwardly, which opened the lane for Perry to drive the ball in. With a little over a minute left, Perry secured a hat-trick thanks to a wicked right goal post pass from Branski (1:12). Before regulation ended, MSU White player Amazzh prevented a shutout with a nice midfield read that caught Carthage Red off guard (0:47).

Game Three defined what this series will be remembered for. The most polarizing game in Carthage Esports Rocket League history. Carthage Red endured a 13-minute and 16-second overtime to pull off an improbable 3-2 Game Three victory. To open Game Three, Sibs lined up a right goal post pass for Amazzh, who scored with authority after intercepting a Branski clear (4:46). To retaliate, Branski clanged the ball off a wall near midfield. Then, Vaile carried the ball down midfield and shot it underneath two MSU White defenders – Gribble and Amazzh (3:24). With under two minutes remaining, MSU White caught Carthage Red on a fastbreak opportunity. The team triple-committed on an offensive push, which provided Sibs with a golden opportunity to put MSU White up 2-1 (1:49). With less than a minute left and sweep hopes on the line, Vaile rained down the double-tap of his life against MSU White's Gribble (0:53). This equalizer started a 2-2 stalemate that lasted for a combined 14 minutes and nine seconds (0:53 in regulation and 13:16 in overtime).

In overtime, both teams showcased tremendous mental fortitude. Essentially, Carthage Red and MSU White played nearly four Rocket League matches in Game Three alone. Each standard game has a five-minute in-game timer. An overtime period in Rocket League continues until one team scores a game-winning goal. In other words, instant, sudden-death stakes. Therefore, the pressure to score first in overtime is increasing. In this series, MSU White had to put in extra effort because they were already down 2-0, facing a potential 3-0 deficit. Carthage Red aimed to keep its foot on the gas pedal. At the 13:12 mark, MSU White's Sibs missed a clear opportunity near his team's net. After he missed a critical touch, Branski flicked the ball down the middle of MSU White's net to score the game-winning shot. 

The entire 13-minute and 16-second overtime period can be viewed here. 

After a long break, both teams were ready for Game Four. In the end, Carthage Red used its hot streak to win 3-1. The journey became rocky at first as Gribble jumped one of Vaile's defensive clears right in front of Carthage Red's net (4:27). Afterwards, the Firebirds became acclimated to the situation at hand. Vaile helped his team tie the score 1-1 after executing a perfect pass to Branski. Vaile lined himself up in the right corner near MSU White's net. Branski was situated to his left. Then, Vaile's pass bounced off the left goal post, providing Branski with an easy rebound as Gribble was out of position (3:47). Before the 3:00 mark, Vaile dusted Sibs on a one-versus-one play by carrying the ball above Sibs, who was in net attempting to defend (3:03). To ensure a Game Four victory, Branski scored on another left goal post pass set up by Vaile (0:47). Throughout Game Four, the Firebirds were potent on offense and merciless on defense, holding MSU White to just one early kickoff goal.  As a result, the Firebirds completed a 4-0 sweep against MSU White, which included a Game One advantage. 

Coach Comments (Timmy Connors): "Winning any tournament feels great, especially when you play 10 total series over three days and don't lose a single one. The ability to dominate and show our poise on the LAN stage is what we are here for. I am proud of the guys for persevering through a tournament full of hiccups due to tech issues and delays. Through it all, though, they remained locked in from the first match to the Grand Final. We are ecstatic to bring back some more hardware for the program!"

Player Comments (Alex Vaile): "Midwest Battleground this past weekend was a lot of fun, and it's really cool to participate in three-day LANs because they don't happen often. The size of the LAN is nothing like what I've seen before. Overall, I think we played very well throughout the weekend, and we kept adapting and improving since our first series on Friday. I feel like we always perform better as a team on LAN. Playing with xray and Kor makes my job much easier on the field. It's really awesome to win a LAN in my last semester at Carthage, and I'm very grateful to everyone who supported us over the weekend!"

With this victory, Carthage RL Red has now won its third regional LAN event since the team of Alex Vaile, Owen Perry, and Kyle Branski was formed. Also, this is Timmy Connors' third regional LAN win at the helm of the program. Carthage RL Red is actively competing in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) and Midwest Collegiate Rocket League (MCRL). For more updates on their status, be sure to view the "Esports – Story Archives" section, stay tuned on social media, and keep your eyes peeled for more articles.
 

Rocket League Black – Seventh Place

Carthage RL Black, consisting of junior captain Penn Gilchrist (Pixlr), junior Lucas Menzer (Joystik), senior Tanner Lee (Flare), and senior TJ Buchmann (Blasecupid) [Sub], competed in the Midwest Battleground Rocket League tournament alongside Carthage Red.  

On Friday, March 6, Carthage Black competed in Pool Two of the round-robin stage. In this pool, the Firebirds faced these teams: Dakota State University, Grand Valley State University [GVSU] Blue, Indiana Wesleyan University, Michigan State Academy, Northern Illinois University [NIU] Red, and Wilmington College. Upon conclusion of the round-robin matches, Carthage Black finished in fourth place with a 3-3 overall and 12-9 game record. The Firebirds swept Michigan State Academy, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Wilmington College 3-0. However, the team lost 3-1 to Dakota State University, GVSU Blue, and NIU Red.

Based on their modest record, Carthage Black was slotted in Winner's Round One of the double-elimination championship bracket. On Saturday, March 7, the Firebirds began their day with a 3-0 sweep against UW River Falls. However, in the Winner's Quarterfinal, Carthage Black ran into Carthage Red. Unfortunately for Black, Red achieved a 3-0 sweep, re-establishing their dominant prowess after an undefeated round-robin performance on Friday. Then, Carthage Black sought to fight their way through the tournament's Losers' Bracket. In Round Two, Carthage Black swept the DuPage Chapparals 3-0. Heading into Round Three, the Firebirds aimed to stay the course, but Ferris State Crimson came out on top 3-0.

As a result of its Loser's Bracket Round Three elimination, Carthage Black finished seventh out of 14 in the 2026 Midwest Battleground Rocket League Collegiate Invitational. 

Player Comments (Tanner Lee): "First of all, the 2026 Midwest Battleground was the last LAN that I will travel to. So off the bat, I was just taking it in and enjoying the experience. We slightly underperformed in my opinion, but we also had moments of what I think is our ceiling, which is nice to see going into the homestretch of the Spring 2026 season."

As of this writing, Carthage RL Black is actively competing in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) and Midwest Collegiate Rocket League (MCRL). For more updates on their status, stay tuned on social media, and keep your eyes peeled for more articles.
 

Overwatch Red – Fourth Place

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 the Midwest Battleground Overwatch tournament this past weekend.

Similar to Rocket League, Overwatch competed in a round-robin stage before advancing to a double-elimination championship bracket. In the round-robin stage, Carthage Overwatch were placed in Pool One alongside the University of Illinois Springfield, Ohio Northern University, and the Syracuse Orange. In the end, the Firebirds came away with a 2-1 overall and 4-3 map record. Their only loss was against the Syracuse Orange (2-0). Stenger and Co. got the job done against the University of Illinois Springfield (2-0) and Ohio Northern University (2-1).

Moving on, Carthage OW Red were slotted in Winner's Round One based on their round-robin performance. In their Winner's Bracket run, the Firebirds defeated Purdue Boilermakers Gold, 3-2, in a hard-fought series that went the distance. However, their run was cut short as the Minnesota State Mavericks narrowly beat Carthage OW Red, 3-2.

After their short Winner's Bracket stint, the Firebirds regrouped and made a deep Loser's Bracket push. Ultimately, this effort awarded them a fourth-place finish out of 16 competing teams. In their run, Carthage OW Red defeated Ohio Northern University (3-1) in Loser's Round Two, UW-Stout Blue Devils (3-2 comeback) in Loser's Round Three, and obtained a forfeit win vs. Northwestern College, Iowa. However, their Loser's Bracket Final hopes were dashed by DePaul University as they took a 3-1 victory. Despite its shortcomings, Carthage OW Red proved they are a strong Midwest Overwatch team. 

Player Comments (Billy Flanagan): "I think it was an incredible tournament! We managed to reverse sweep our rivals (UW-Stout) and reach the top four, which was a huge achievement given the tough competition we faced. I am extremely proud of all our players. We showed great resilience and never gave up. We played from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, and all of us poured our hearts into this competition for almost 10 hours. I cannot wait to see what our team can do for NECC and WEC. I am a firm believer that we will win both this semester. I also cannot wait to return to Midwest Battleground next year and earn the first place we deserve."  

As of this writing, Carthage OW Red is actively competing in the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) and Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC). For more updates on their status, stay tuned on social media, and keep your eyes peeled for more articles.

League of Legends

Lastly, Carthage League of Legends (LoL) consisting of senior captain Quentin Zeller (Wolfstrike), senior Gavin Johnson (Cahara), junior Christian Delgado (Bravo), sophomore Owen Johnson (OwenThePotato), and freshman Ian Saner (Toothless), competed in the open bracket. Their result was a 1-4 record, with their sole win coming against Lake County.


Carthage Esports will return for Week Seven NECC 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 players: TJ Buchmann (RL White), Gavin Johnson (League of Legends), Tanner Lee (RL Black), 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 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.