The St. Clair Saints esports program took home three championships as part of the inaugural Canadian Esports Nationals.
Each of St. Clair’s 5 esports teams made it through the Nationals Group Stage to qualify for playoffs this past weekend. The Saint’s Call of Duty, Overwatch and Rocket League teams went on to capture championship victories, solidifying St. Clair College as the top esports program in the country.
The Call of Duty team took down Queen’s University and University of Toronto in the Group Stage. They went on to playoffs to defeat Fanshawe College, Ontario Tech University and Brock University in the Grand Finals.
“We’re thrilled to be the first team to secure a Canadian Esports Nationals title,” said Call of Duty Head Coach Zarin Bartholomew. “We’ve set the standard for Canadian Call of Duty and we will continue to raise that bar next semester.”
The Overwatch squad dominated Brock University and Simon Fraser University to advance to playoffs. There they continued their winning ways over the University of Calgary and University of Ottawa before dispatching Ontario Tech University to claim the Grand Finals victory.
“The team has been working hard since the start of the semester, having some good results and close games in big tournaments. It was about time we brought home a championship,” said Overwatch Head Coach and Flex Support Arjun Khela.
Lastly, the Rocket League team faced tough tests against the University of Ottawa and Georgian College but came away with both victories in the Group Stage. In the playoffs, they battled past Carleton University and Toronto Metropolitan before taking down Université de Montréal to take home the Nationals Championship.
“"The win was a testament to our growth as a roster overall, and I think it is only the beginning of our success as a team," added Rocket League Head Coach and player Ben Talbot.
St. Clair’s League of Legends team finished tied for 3rd in the country after losing to the University of Waterloo in the semifinals. The Valorant team were runners up in the Nationals Grand Finals, losing to Wilfred Laurier.
The Canadian Esports Nationals tournament was the first of its kind, designed to showcase Canadian Esports and crown the top teams in the nation. The event saw 37 schools and 93 teams compete from across Canada.
Chris Funston
Assistant Esports Director
St. Clair College
cfunston@stclaircollege.ca