the UPDATE Fall 2020 SEASON

Come Join us as we recognize our braves for their outstanding achievements in the fall 2020 season. SMITE REGIONAL CHAMPIONS! Heading into its first year of competitions, the smite team faced a lot of “learning lessons” as they dropped 5 of their first few starts. The braves would get destroyed by Jesuit high school in it’s first appearance at a regional league match earlier this year. Smite coach victor barraza commented that, “they just kept getting better, they never quit and they committed themselves to learn the metas and absorbed the strategies of other pro teams.” When the braves found their groove the season had turned around. Coach barraza was excited to see they had earned a spot into the post season.

After three rounds of play, the braves would rematch Jesuit in a best of three series with The winner to be crowned regional west- ern champion. Led by jester freshman Lauren Weldon, the braves countered a major Jesuit offensive to steal game one. Jesuit re- sponded in dominance as they easily took game two. The braves rallied another Jesuit offensive and became the first brave esports team to win a cif playvs title.

Congratulations to Lauren Weldon for winning the smite finals mvp as she led in kda and damage in the series. The Braves are seen above and look forward to defending their title the spring 2021 season. Rocket propelled success

The braves rocket league program would prove to be a dominant one in high school esports. Led by junior captain, Brandon suiter, the braves would lose only two games this season. Their season came to a close in the state final game last month. The junior varsity team also made the playoffs and finished in the regional top eight! Suiter, a game knights youth esports academy super star, commented that, “it’s got to be a good sign when our junior varsity team can take down most division one varsity teams.” the braves look forward to setting their sights on the spring 2021 season and invite any rocket league players to reach out for a tryout. A league of their own A new home for esports? The program has come a long way in After advancing to the state quarterfinals such a small amount of time. Last last spring the braves had a lot to prove this season the braves carried just 1 game season. The team would title and put 2 of those teams in the graduate jack ji and brad Dominguez, two major playoffs. this season the braves car- components of the league of legends varsity ried 5 game titles and put 7 teams in roster. Definitely big shoes to fill. With some the playoffs. The braves currently Esports Head coach serious practice ethan wu and matt huang have 10 players in youth academy Gabe Giangualano ‘99 would join the squad and make the braves com- Matt huang ‘22 esport programs and 2 players who petitive in the fall. During the pandemic ethan expect to be committing to collegiate programs by the end of was required to return home to Taiwan where the year. Several academy players have expressed interest in he continues to participate in virtual learning, transferring because of the winning formula. With all this team training and compete with esports. Finish- growth the braves new president dr. brian wickstrom has dis- ing top 10 in the state, the braves advanced to cussed the possibility of building a new facility to meet this the playoffs and were knocked out in the round growth. Partnerships with razer, ucla and csudh are just a few of 16 to a very talented Glendora hs program. steps head coach gabe giangualano has made to make the braves League of legends looks forward to the spring the gold standard of high school esports. Tie in the talent and season. Ethan wu ‘21 the coaching staff and it’s a no brainer players are interested in attending or transferring in. could there be a new home for bosco esports? Time will tell. BO KNOWS A to OVERWATCH remember When esports head coach gabe The fall season had a lot of firsts for giangualano held a tryout meeting esports, one of which was the arrival of last year, one of the itching ques- fortnite. Seeing that fortnite was a popular Bo visty ‘24 tions On, then freshman, Bo visty’s title head coach gabe giangualano brought mind was, “will there be overwatch?” unfortunately at the time in a specialist to oversee the program. Enter Alexander romero giangualano’s focus was to build a strong base and just carry a (gamertag rome), the alumni, gamer, streamer, aspiring actor and natu- league of legends program, so the answer was no. but bo saw the ral leader that the programs needs in fortnite. He would spend months possibility of an overwatch team in the future and decided to training the team spanning all the way back to the summer. After a rig- learn another game title. Excited, he signed up for the league of orous tryout coach rome built three teams, white, silver and gold. Iden- legends frosh/soph team. He spent an entire season learning com- tifying fortnite players lack discipline, rome required parents to en- munication strategies, how to breakdown film and function in a force early bed times, 6:30am training sessions and instituted “no video team setting. He also learned to limit his time with games that game” days. This method would create the most competitive fortnite weren’t in season. So when coach gabe announced that bosco program in California. Understanding the demands of his program were esports was expanding into overwatch, bo was all over that! Three players who were no stranger to physical sports, senior elijah giangualano “carbon” and freshmen louie perez “hazard” and Kelvin With coach gabe bringing on former overwatch pro player Robert vargas “kelv” would make the braves gold team a force to be reckoned diaz, gamertag zaid, to the coach the braves, bo knew he needed to with. The silver and gold teams would both make the playoffs and the get in top form. Balancing school and training bo quickly rose to gold team would go on to meet school rival mater dei in the final. In an being the top prospect. Bo applied all of his team building and eti- epic battle in December the braves would come up short and learn an quette and built a top overwatch program. Seeing the potential in excellent lesson. The braves would be the 2nd best fortnite team in our program coach zaid signed the team up for nasef, the most California. As a senior, carbon has stirred some college interests and is competitive high school overwatch league in the country. In it’s keeping his options open for now but hopes to be sitting at a college first season the braves would make the playoffs and beat many signing table by the end of the year. The fortnite program looks for- division one schools along the way. The most memorable being ward to the spring and invite all fortnite pc players to come tryout but opening days comeback to villa park. The braves look forward to remind them that fortnite has a philosophy that there are no gamers the spring and invite any pc overwatch players to test their skill here just esporters. The fortnite program is seen here below. in their program. Spring 2021 esport tryouts St. John Bosco students St. Joseph students St. Dominic Savio MS students (Ages 13 and up)

Register for a tryout by 1/15/2021: bosco.org/esports Game titles

PC—League of Legends PC—Smite PC or CONSOLE—Rocket League PC—Fortnite PC—Overwatch PC—Valorant Ps4—madden Ps4—fifa Switch—smash brothers

This spring we will be exercising social distancing so we will use a combina- tion of Discord and Zoom from your home. As state regulations change we may train in person at a future time.