Santa Fe’s Esports team takes the title as the 2024 Mario Kart State Champions for the second consecutive year.
Esports, or competitive video gaming, operates similarly to traditional athletic sports like track and field. Members have the option to compete in various gaming events ranging from Mario Kart to Super Smash Bros and Splatoon 3.
On Dec 10. The team took to the University of Central Oklahoma to compete in the Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros Championship. Unlike the regular season, where teams compete online, the State Championship is the only time teams play in person.
“We had previously faced our rival team in the semifinals of playoffs, and we had competed against our finals opponent during the regular season,” senior Philip Sermersheim said. “With lots of practice before we walked into the finals arena, we were confident about winning, even if we had to win an upset match.”
In preparation for the big day, team members gathered in the Esports training room daily during seventh hour to practice their skills. Since Esports is an OSSAA athletic event, students are given the opportunity to practice and compete during school hours.
The team has some prior experience with taking home the gold. In 2022, they claimed their first OSSAA Super Smash Bros title followed by back-to-back wins in Mario Kart in 2023 and now 2024. In just three years since the program started, the team has won four state championships.
Nationally, Santa Fe placed third in the Mario Kart category in 2023.
“We have arguably the best Esports program in the state right now,” Esports coach Brady Beiri said.“We also have the most state championships out of any other schools in the state.”
After winning another state championship the team shared a round of congratulatory high fives.
“As the Mario Kart team captain, I’m proud of how we’ve grown since our inception 3 years ago,” Sermersheim said. “This was my final OSSAA competition, and I’m glad we ended on a high note.”
Through PlayVS Esports students have the opportunity to win scholarships in order to further their gaming career. To learn more about Esports click this link.
