The Newton High School eSports team ended an astounding Fall Season of play with a third-place finish in the 2024 Fall State Championships last week. Making the feat is even more impressive is the fact that this is the teams inaugural Fall Season, where the team competed in weekly video game tournaments against participating schools playing such games as Super Smash Bros., Rocket League, and NBA 2K.
The Tiger Nation eSports Team received an invite to the to the Fall Championships, held at the Thad Cochran Center at the University of Southern Mississippi on Dec. 10, where they went toe-to-toe against some of the best in the state, earning their third-place finish in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournament. The Super Smash Bros Tiger Nation Team advanced to the 3rd round of playoffs, finishing in 16th place in the state.
Newton High School principal Sonya Chapman said she was extremely proud of the team for continuing to raise the bar of excellence. District Superintendent Glenda Nickson echoed the sentiment.
“We’re extremely proud of our scholars and the advancements they’ve made throughout this season, and in such a short time,” said Nickson. “We at the Newton Municipal School District pride ourselves on continuously seeking ways to make their educational experience more positive.”
The eSports coach, Shella William, said that they school had a great reaction to the introduction of eSports last spring, with a number of students ready to put their video gaming skills to work for the school. The very first team made it all the way to the second round of the playoffs in the Marko Kart 8 Deluxe Tournament last spring.
“All the games we play are dealing with the Playstation or Nintendo Switch, so any student that goes home in the afternoon may have those gaming tools that they can play with. That’s basically what this is,” said Williams. “They’re learning a little bit more while they’re here after school. They’re in a safe place while they learn strategies and things from each other while playing the games, sportsmanship, and they’re learning how to communicate with one another, whether it be face-to-face or while meeting others that they’ve never met before. And that plays a big deal in what they do. Just like any other sport, they’re able to communicate better, better their gaming skills, and they’re also learning as they go.”
The Fall 2024 Tiger Nation eSports team is made up with several teams that specialize in the following games: Mario Kart 8 Tiger Nation Team-Adrien Miller, Lonnie Jones, Nigel Bender, Cameron Miller, Zacharia Crowther, Salathun Rush, Jaylon Robinson, Dillan McClendon, and Jamari McDonald; Super Smash Bros. Tiger Nation Team- Jamari McDonald, Nigel Bender, Adrien Miller, Lonnie Jones, Jaylon Robinson, Salathun Rush, and Dillan McClendon; Overwatch 2 Tiger Nation Team- Theodore Forte, Ja’kyrie Gaines, Tyler Moore, Cameron Miller, and Montana Matthew; NBA2K25 Tiger Nation Team-Brian Ford and Immanual Smith; Rocket League Tiger Nation Team: Amr Karah.
“We did a survey with our students on which games they had expertise and skills in, we worked with them and grouped them with what they were able to do,” Williams said. “And as a team, they grew. Our Mario Kart team started out at the beginner stage in the spring, as they progressed and got into the playoff they were at the intermediate stage, and now it’s looking like they are at the advanced stage.”
Jamari McDonald, an NHS senior and member of the Super Smash Bros. team, said he’s grateful for the introduction of the eSports team at Newton High, which allows him to take his skills and be involved in an after-school activity.
“People like me, we grew up playing games and it’s like a pastime for us,” said McDonald. “I feel like I’ve been a lot happier, and I enjoy the time me and my friends have had in playing these games. All the time we put together to achieve a victory; it feels very nice.”
After the Christmas break, the Newton High School esports team will embark in regular season play for Spring 2025 in January, where they’ll try to build on their successful fall season and make it to another State Championship.
The introduction of eSports last spring is part of an initiative within the school district to introduce a new sport every 1-2 years, according to Superintendent Glenda Nickson. Nickson said that the district has plans of following the successful introduction of a golf club and eSports with possibly bowling, flag football, and tennis in the next few years.
