DARK LEAGUE STUDIOS’ ESTUDYANTE ESPORTSDE LA SALLE University (DLSU), Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU), Faith Colleges and City College of Angeles (CCA) roared to history, becoming inaugural champions of four different disciplines in the Dark League Studios’ Estudyante Esports national championships over the weekend at the Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati.
The DLSU Green Aces swept the Southwestern University-PHINMA Cobras in the Valorant finals, 2-0, as Our Lady of Fatima Phoenix wiped out University of San Agustin Eagles in the League of Legends (LOL) finale, 2-0.
Faith Colleges’ Novus Bravehearts then pulled off a gritty 2-1 win over the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue Thunder in the thrilling centerpiece Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) event marked by a 26-8 domination in Game 3 to complete the conquerors of the three team events.
City College of Angeles, represented by Zaskieee with a main Zafina hero, ruled the Tekken 8 over finalists Far Eastern University, Central Philippine University and University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.
Xavier Juan (Xavi8K) spearheaded the way for La Salle in Valorant, bagging the MVP plum with solid coverage from teammates Lance Elmo Gacayan (Banunu), Aaron Francis Sablay (Fission), Fernando Miguel Dy (Guelson), Luis Corpus (Schnappi) and Lucas Gruenberg (Secre).
In LOL, Michael Jay (Austerity) reigned supreme for OLFU to win MVP. Backstopping him were Aiman Guro (SCP 001), Karl Emmanuel Aviles (Nezu), John Joseph Paracale (SWOOF), Van Michael Gestiada (UC VAN) and Joshua Mendoza (Mid Owa).
Then there’s Zywin Angelo Pedutem (Zywin God) clinching the MVP honors in MLBB for Faith Colleges with support from CJ Santos (Seajay), Rojan Macasaet (Shazz), Kirt Brainer Trinidad (Kirttt) and Ace King Toledo (ALASSSS).
DLSU, OLFU and Faith Colleges took home P500,000 each as City College of Angeles collected P100,000 for a whopping total of P1.6-million prize pool of Estudyante Esports, backed by the PBA, PLDT, Honda and Pocky, as part of the new program of Dark League Studios, which also organized the inaugural UAAP Esports last year.
Over 500 schools and 3,000 students vied in the Estudyante Esports National Championships, mirroring the national finals in basketball and volleyball from different leagues, as they duked it out in the tough regional qualifiers in the NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
But more than the bragging rights of school pride and luxurious cash prizes, the tourney marked a new horizon in the booming Philippine Esports scene with a bridge, at last, to connect the esports discipline and the academe — all for the future of youth in the digital world. — John Bryan Ulanday
