HUNTSVILLE – Bob Jones High School continued its Esports domination Monday winning its 10th consecutive state championship in the Rocket League competition since the computer-sports state championships were introduced in the AHSAA in 2019. The Championships were held at the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
The AHSAA has hosted championships in E-sports in the fall and spring semesters each year since 2019 – except for the spring of 2020 when the Covid epidemic canceled all AHSAA . The Rocket League game has been a staple of the competition from the very beginning. The Patriots of Coach Aubree White have won 10 of the 11 Rocket League titles overall. Grissom won the first title in the spring of 2019.
Bob Jones also beat newcomer St. Paul’s Episcopal in the Madden Football finals 2-0 in the best 2-of-3 series. With that victory, White’s team has won five Madden state titles as well – and 15 state championships overall – an AHSAA Esports record.
By contrast, Hoover High School, Eufaula High School and Hazel Green High School each posted their first Esports state championships Monday in the other competition.
Bob Jones’ team of Jonah Brooks, Max Dunkerley, and Luke Scherer defeated Calera High School’s team 4-1, 4-0, 3-1, and 3-2 for a 4-0 victory in the best-of-7 series. The Eagles’ team was comprised of Brayden Myers, Christian Ritchey, and Blake Williamson. Calera was coached by Colin Miller and Gentry Slay.
The Patriots won the Madden football title with the Patriots’ Corey Robinson selecting the Buffalo Bills and St. Paul’s Noah Abrams choosing the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson’s team swept the best 2-of-3 series winning 42-7 in game one and kicking a late field goal to win game two and state championship 20-17. St. Paul’s coach was Kelli Etheredge.
In the other state finals:
SUPER SMASH BROTHERS: Hoover High School’s team of Chase Gaston, Rehan Jiwani, and Parker Sims beat Davidson High School’s team consisting of Hayden Epler, Logan Lee, and Isaiah McNulty, 3-2 in the best-of-5 series. The Bucs, coached by Candace Brown, won the first set 2-1 and second set 2-0. The Warriors, coached Aimee Tucker, battled back to tie the match winning sets three and four, 2-1 and 2-0. Hoover battled back in the fifth set to win 2-1 to take the title.
MARIO CART: Auburn High School defeated the Alabama School of Cyber Technology winning 2 circuits to 1. The format included six races per circuit with the winning needing two of three circuits to win.
The Tigers’ team, comprised of Nathaniel Martin, Race Harden, Ethan Campbell, and Sean McDonough and coached by Jacque Middleton, won circuit 1 with a 127-107 total, and the third circuit, 120-114. ASCTE won the second circuit 125-109. Coach Matt Bohon’s team consisted of Preston Pritchard, Nicholas Sifuentes, Sophie Thompson, and Jacob Shumer. Scores were based on individual player finishes.
NBA K2 BASKETBALL: Eufaula’s Jonquavis Rumph chose the Los Angeles Lakers, and Wenonah’s Keshaun Purdie selected the Boston Celtics for all three games. Eufaula, coached by Andrea Tew, won its first Esports state championship dropping game one 49-44, winning game two 43-39 and winning game three, 20-15. Technical difficulties forced game three to be re-started three times.
On the first interruption, Eufaula was up by seven points, and on the second try, Wenonah, coached by Jerry Davenport, was leading by seven. It was then decided for the players to play a half to decide the title and Eufaula emerged with the win.
SPLATOON: Hazel Green High School, coached by William Bailey, won the Splatoon title 3-0 over Davidson High School for the school’s first AHSAA Esports championship. The Trojans’ squad included Audrey Benson, Isebella Summers, Cayden Ned, and Kaeson Fudge.
The Warriors, coached by Aimee Tucker, included Ethan Oliver, Talani Malone Colbert, Olivia Stewart, and Airey Johnson. The Esports championships are held twice each school year with the 2025 Spring Championships set for next year.
The complete year-by-year Esports state meet results since 2019 are listed below.
AHSAA Esports State Champions (2019-2024)
Fall 2024
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Super Smash Brothers – Hoover High School
Mario Kart – Auburn High School
NBA 2K – Eufaula High School
Spatoon – Hazel Green High School
Madden Football –Bob Jones High School
Spring 2024
Mario Kart - James Clemens High School
Splatoon 3 - McGill-Toolen Catholic High School
Super Smash Bros. - Davidson High School
Madden Football - Bob Jones High School
Rocket League - Bob Jones High School
Fall 2023
Mario Kart - James Clemens High School
Splatoon 3 - James Clemens High School
Super Smash Bros. - LAMP High School
Madden Football - Davidson High School
Rocket League - Bob Jones High School
Spring 2023
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Davidson High School
Madden Football - Davidson High School
Rocket League - Bob Jones High School
League of Legends - LAMP High School
Fall 2022
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - LAMP High School
Madden Football - Bob Jones High School
Rocket League - Bob Jones High School
League of Legends - LAMP High School
Spring 2022
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Spain Park High School
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Madden Football – Bob Jones High School, Jabari Salaam
League of Legends – LAMP High School
Fall 2021
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Thompson High School
Madden - Bob Jones High School
League of Legends – James Clemens High School
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Spring 2021
League of Legends – Thompson High School
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Smash Brothers – Thompson High School
Fall 2020
League of Legends – Thompson High School
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Spring 2020
No competition
Fall 2019
League of Legends – Thompson High School
Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
Spring 2019
League of Legends – Spain Park High School
Rocket League – Virgil Grissom High School
