Central High School’s Grey Hauge won the chess championship at the South Dakota high school esports state tournament in Brookings last weekend.
The event concluded a pilot season. Esports will be sanctioned by the South Dakota
High School Activities Association starting in the 2024-24 school year.
Teams at the tournament competed in chess, Rocket League, League of Legends and Super Smash Brothers.
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Hauge, who trained with Central High School Principal Jason Uttermark, won 2-0 in the opening round against a Tea Area High School player on Friday, March 22. On Saturday, March 23, he defeated another Tea student 2-0, a Deuel student 2-1 and Woonsocket student 2-0 to claim the title.
Warner’s Aiden Scarborough defeated chess players from Baltic and Dakota Valley before he was eliminated with a 2-1 loss against a student from Woonsocket.
Aberdeen, Northwestern teams compete in League of Legends
There were eight League of Legends teams at the state tournament, including the Aberdeen Legendary Eagles and a squad from Northwestern High School.
Aberdeen won its opening match two games to zero before losing 2-1 to Dakota Valley Purple LOL. Northwestern lost its first-round match two games to zero against Dakota Valley Purple LOL.
The Inters from Sioux Falls defeated Dakota Valley Purple LOL in the championship round.
Warner, Aberdeen squads qualify for Rocket League
In Rocket League, two Central and two Warner High School teams advanced to the state competition.
The Aberdeen Eagle Rocketeers downed the Woonsocket Blackhawks in the opening round, winning three games to zero, but lost 3-1 in the second round to Tea Area Rocket League.
The Aberdeen Eagle Rockets lost 3-0 to Sioux Falls Red in the first round.
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Both Warner teams lost in the first round to teams from Dakota Valley. Dakota Valley Black-RL beat Warner Red three games to none, and Dakota Valley Purple-RL downed Warner White 3-1.
Sioux Falls Red won the Rocket League championship 4-3 victory against Dakota Valley Black-RL in a best-of-seven showdown.