The Columbia Basin College Hawks opened their NJCAAE Regional Playoff run with a dominant 3-0 sweep over St. Louis Community College, advancing to the Grand Finals with momentum and confidence. Map 1 took place on Lijiang Tower in the Control game mode. Control is a best-of-three game mode where teams fight to hold a designated point, building up percentage to 100% to secure the round. CBC started slow, with early deaths putting them on the back foot. But the Hawks regrouped and used their ultimate's in perfect sync. An Ultimate (or "ult") is a hero's most powerful ability, designed to be a game-changing moment in a match.  Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier turned the tide with a triple kill, helping CBC flip control and close out the first point. In round two, Branden "Cod" Nix came in clutch from an off angle with a devastating triple kill, sealing the first map. Notable players included Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier with a KADs (Kills/Assists/Deaths) of 33/5/3, Branden "Cod" Nix 28/2/2, and Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham 25/2/2. Map 2 took place on King's Row in the Hybrid game mode. Hybrid begins with an Assault capture point, transitioning into an Escort payload push. Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier opened with a pick on defense, and though SLCC captured the first point, CBC delivered a full team wipe to halt the escort. As SLCC neared the final checkpoint, Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier shut it down with another triple kill and Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham added a final clutch pick. On attack, CBC overwhelmed SLCC early. Branden "Cod" Nix exploded with a quad kill, followed by a triple to lock in the win. Notable players included Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier 39/15/8, Branden "Cod" Nix 31/2/6, and Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham 30/2/6. Map 3 took place on Rialto in the Escort game mode. Escort requires the attacking team to push a payload to multiple checkpoints while the defending team attempts to halt their progress. CBC dominated early defense with multiple wipes, holding SLCC before the first checkpoint. On offense, Branden "Cod" Nix opened with a massive triple kill, and CBC coasted to the win and a spot in the Grand Finals. Notable players included Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier 19/5/1, Branden "Cod" Nix 18/2/2, and Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham 16/3/0. During the Grand Finals CBC faced off against Blinn Community College. Map 1 took place on Lijiang Tower in the Control game mode. Blinn struck early, forcing resets and retaking control multiple times. A huge quad kill from Blinn's "Rajeem" shut CBC down in round one. In round two, despite a strong start from Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier, CBC couldn't maintain control and dropped the map 2-0. Map 2 took place on King's Row in the Hybrid game mode. With Talan "Librya" Kiesecker subbing in, CBC tried to swing momentum. Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier delivered a double kill to help cap point one, but Blinn answered with a full team wipe. In overtime, CBC fell just short of the second checkpoint. On defense, CBC held strong early, but Blinn eventually pushed through, claiming another map. Map 3 took place on Dorado in the Escort game mode. Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham sparked a mid-round push with a triple kill, and both he and Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier added double kills to move the payload, but CBC's push fell short. On defense, Blinn needed only one checkpoint to secure the title and they did. CBC fell 3-0, finishing second in the NJCAAE Central Region. Despite the loss, CBC's playoff run was filled with highlight-reel plays and standout performances. Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier, Branden "Cod" Nix, and Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham led the charge, helping the Hawks secure their place as one of the top Overwatch teams in the NJCAAE. They will look to carry this momentum into their national playoffs this coming week.

The CBC Hawks entered the NJCAAE Regional Playoffs with momentum and confidence after a dominant regular season showing. They continued their tear with thrilling wins over Murray State College and Salt Lake Community College. Series one took place against Murray State College. The series opened with a tough back-and-forth in Game 1. Despite goals from Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier, CBC dropped a close opener 4-3. Game 2 marked the start of a momentum shift. Jason "Yaxon" Gomez struck early, and the chemistry between Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier took over with crisp passing plays, capped off by a highlight-worthy flip reset from Daniel "Lanix" Lanier to close out a 5-0 shutout. A flip reset in Rocket League is a high-level mechanic where a player regains their dodge by touching all four wheels of their car to the ball mid-air, allowing for a second flip to shoot or fake. Game 3 saw CBC at their best, scoring a flurry of goals with near-flawless offensive rotation, Jason "Yaxon" Gomez secured a hat trick, while Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier each added to the tally in an 8-0 shutout. Game 4 saw Thomas "Rolox" Kochenauer sub in for Jason "Yaxon" Gomez, and although CBC clawed back from a 3-0 deficit with a furious final-minute rally, they fell heartbreakingly short as Murray State scored the game-winner with four seconds left. However, Game 5 was all CBC. Jason "Yaxon" Gomez returned to spark the offense, Daniel "Lanix" Lanier dazzled with a flick over the defense, and Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers finished strong with a precision strike off a Daniel "Lanix" Lanier pass. The Hawks closed out the series 3-2 to advance. Series Two took place against Salt Lake Community College. In Game 1, the Hawks set the tone early. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers found Jason "Yaxon" Gomez for the opener, and after trading goals, Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers sealed the win with a clutch overtime strike. Game 2 was a passing clinic, as CBC moved the ball with precision, Daniel "Lanix" Lanier and Jason "Yaxon" Gomez each delivered gorgeous assists, while Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers and Jason "Yaxon" Gomez each tallied two goals. Despite a late push by Salt Lake, CBC held on for a 4-2 win. Game 3 saw more heroics after trading early goals, Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers tied it up with a booming clear, and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier sealed the sweep with a brilliant solo play in the final seconds. The Hawks advanced to the Grand Finals with a 3-0 sweep. The NJCAAE Grand Finals took place against Salt Lake Community College as they won out through the loser's bracket. The Finals began with Salt Lake coming out on fire. In Game 1, SLCC jumped to a 6-0 lead in under two minutes, leaving CBC scrambling. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers and Jason "Yaxon" Gomez each managed to respond with goals, and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier added a late one, but the deficit was too great to overcome. In Game 2, CBC regrouped. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers connected with Daniel "Lanix" Lanier early, and later returned the favor, tying the game in the final minute. Despite a kickoff goal from Jason "Yaxon" Gomez in the dying seconds, Salt Lake edged CBC 6-5. Game 3 saw CBC dig deep. Jason "Yaxon" Gomez danced through defenders for the opening goal, and after SLCC tied it up, Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers netted the overtime winner off a perfect Jason "Yaxon" Gomez pass. Game 4 brought another battle. Daniel "Lanix" Lanier opened with a mechanical flip reset goal, and Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers added one off a Jason "Yaxon" Gomez assist, but Salt Lake closed the game strong with a flurry of late goals, forcing a bracket reset. A bracket reset occurs in a double-elimination tournament when the team from the loser's bracket defeats the undefeated team from the winner's bracket, forcing a final rematch to determine the overall champion. Salt Lake City Community College did not have time to play the bracket reset match as their campus was closing for the night. After going undefeated throughout the entire playoff bracket, the Hawks now take on Salt Lake Community College once again this Tuesday, April 15 at 6 PM PST to determine who secures Regional Champs and the top seed heading into the National Playoffs. With continued development and undeniable chemistry, the Hawks are poised to make even bigger waves in the upcoming National playoffs that they qualified for.
 
Overwatch 2 National Playoff Bracket: https://njcaae.leagueos.gg/league/stages/4bwjqivfk85b7xn6pgbgu6h3s