Lawton Esports students compete in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Lawton Public Schools Esports recently hosted more than 100 students at Lawton’s Central Plaza to compete in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, all hoping to score points to qualify for the Oklahoma Scholastic Esports (OKSE) State Tournament in December.

During their semester-long season, players across the state attend one of five regional qualifier tournaments for this title. Competitors have three opportunities to compete at regional tournaments to get individual points for state qualification, in addition to collecting team points for school awards.

“We are proud of all of our players, teams and coaches for all of the hard work they’ve put in to earn their success,” said John Robertson, LPS Elementary Esports Coordinator and one of the tournament’s organizers. “These players often organize their own extra practice sessions and tournaments — both in-person and online — to train with other schools and universities for more experience.”

MacArthur High School junior Azeary Godfrey and Eisenhower Middle School eighth grader Collin Johnson took first place in their respective brackets. This is their second consecutive qualifier this season to finish in first place. LPS high school players won all top eight spots in their bracket, while LPS middle school had five players finish in the top eight.

The players battled through a double elimination bracket, one versus one, and had to win two-out-of-three matches to advance. The final three matches — winners’ finals, losers’ finals and grand finals — are best of five. For season ranks, players earn points based on wins in winners’ or losers’ brackets.

“These events are a league effort,” Robertson said. “Teams help by bringing additional equipment, and many coaches often help with organization and bracket management. These tournaments run smoothly because of our esports community’s dedication to our students and the esprit de corps they’ve built with their students over the year.”

Competing teams included all secondary sites at Lawton Public Schools, including Lawton Virtual Academy, as well as Altus, Cordell, Ninnekah, Cache, Indiahoma, Sterling, Carnegie and Clinton. Eisenhower Middle School eighth grader student Gabriella Browder said playing against and watching other players helps the players improve.

“It gives you more ideas of how other people play, and it’s not just limited to the people we would see at other tournaments in town,” Gabriella said. “So, people come in from Altus, we can see how they play and get a better idea. So, if we ever play against them in another tournament, we’re like, ‘OK, this person plays like this. We have some pointers to make it a littler easier to win the game.’”

The players’ camaraderie has grown throughout the short time esports has been active in LPS. Students often travel together as “Team Lawton” to regional and state tournaments, giving them plenty of opportunities to learn together and celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

“So a lot of us are actually friends since we always see each other,” Gabriella said. “So it’s like you see your friend playing and you want them to win, even if your school doesn’t win. Still, Lawton as a whole wins.”