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From left: Ryan Staite, coach Ibo Rivera, Gavin Lo Vasco, Angel Lopez, James Murphy, coach Aaron Jones.
Another season, another trophy.
That’s how it is for Putnam Science Academy’s e-sports team, which followed up its Rocket League state title in the fall with another one in the spring, this time a 3-0 sweep of Immaculate High School Friday afternoon.
“To think that we didn’t even make the playoffs last year to know winning back-to-back state titles…it’s almost comical,” said PSA coach Aaron Jones. “I feel very fortunate to have a team like this and to work with these guys because there’s are names that you’re going to hear in the future as professionals.”
PSA’s team of Gavin Lo Vasco, James Murphy, and Angel Lopez made quick work of things Friday and now looks forward to a couple of different national tournaments. One, sponsored by PlayVs, is all online and features 64 teams; the other, put on by HSEL, is held in Kansas City May 19-20 and features just eight teams from around the country.
“It means a lot,” coach Ibo Rivera said. “We want to compete against the best teams in the nation and winning states was the way to make that possible.
“It’s definitely crazy. I want to thank last year’s team for buying in and helping us in the process of making our program. Students and parents needed to see that they can attend PSA and the coaches will help them with their college e-sports dreams.”
Following the state tournament at Quinnipiac University, the team went to another event at Seton Hall University. And just as they did in New Haven, the Mustangs came out of that two-day event, which they used partially as a recruiting trip, unbeaten and looking ahead.
“I think this shines a pretty big light on us,” Jones said. “Especially being a small school, we can branch out a lot quicker to a lot of areas because it is all online. We can expand, and we should expand. We have made our mark playing Rocket League. That’s all well and good, and we want to continue that. But a lot of schools build their programs to build in other games as well. Next year, I think we can definitely do that.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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