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. DSC came out hot, landing the opening picks and securing a full team wipe on CBC. Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier tries to rally with a few key eliminations, but DSC's pressure proves too much. CBC loses the first control point without gaining any percentage. The second point started with DSC again finding early momentum, picking off three members of the Hawks. Lucas "BAAAAABAAAAA" Grenier gets a kill on one of DSC's supports characters, but the response from DSC is immediate and overwhelming. CBC fails to make any progress on either point, losing Map 1 in a one-sided affair. 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. CBC begins with the attack but quickly runs into resistance. DSC grabs two early picks, leading to a team wipe on the Hawks. CBC struggles to get meaningful pressure on the point and is unable to secure the first checkpoint meaning DSC wins the defensive round convincingly. On defense, CBC finds an early elimination and looks to stabilize. Momentum briefly swings in CBC's favor, but DSC regroups and uses their ultimate's to force them off the point. An Ultimate (or "ult") is a hero's most powerful ability, designed to be a game-changing moment in a match. CBC loses map 2 and now has their backs to the wall. Map 3 took place on Junkertown 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 started on attack and won the opening team fight, pushing past the first checkpoint. A back-and-forth series of team fights follows, but CBC is halted just before the second checkpoint. Switching to defense, Branden "Cod" Nix opens the round with an early kill while Skylar "skitsu" Phanekham follows it up with a massive double kill to stall DSC's push. Despite their efforts, DSC breaks through the first checkpoint and carries their momentum to secure the map win and the series. The Hawks ultimately fall to Daytona State College, finishing 4th place in NJCAAE Nationals. The Hawks had a notable season making back-to-back national appearances in their first year as a team.
Round 1 CBC vs. Heartland CC
The CBC Hawks came out firing in the opening round of NJCAAE Nationals against Heartland CC, bringing the pressure and clutch factor when it mattered most. Game 1 saw late-game heroics, as Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers linked up twice with Jason "Yaxon" Gomez in the final minute on the clock. The Hawks take Game 1 off back-to-back passing plays. Game 2 flipped the script, with Jason "Yaxon" Gomez feeding Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers for the go-ahead goal early in the match. A clinical team effort kept Heartland at bay securing another win for CBC. Game 3 brought the drama. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers capitalized on an open net at 3:33, but Heartland answered with 2:26 left to play. With OT looming, it was Jason "Yaxon" Gomez passing to Daniel "Lanix" Lanier off a kickoff that sealed the sweep. CBC moves on with a clean 3-0 sweep on Heartland.
Round 2 CBC vs. Laredo Palominos
The Hawks met early adversity against a high-octane Laredo squad but flipped the series on its head in spectacular fashion. Game 1 went to the Palominos, who strung together four unanswered goals after Daniel "Lanix" Lanier opened the scoring from a Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers dime. CBC regrouped in Game 2 and there was a massive momentum shift. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers kicked things off with a solo goal early in game 2. Later, he passed to Jason "Yaxon" Gomez for a goal with just under 2 minutes left to play, then helped clear the lane for Daniel "Lanix" Lanier after bumping a defender out of the way. Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers added another goal just seconds later to solidify the Hawks momentum. CBC answered the call and tied the series 1-1. Game 3 was a wild one. Laredo scored first, but Daniel "Lanix" Lanier tied it immediately from a Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers setup. The match went into OT, and Daniel "Lanix" Lanier slotted the game-winner to win game 3 in favor of the Hawks. Game 4 was CBC Rocket League at its finest. Jason "Yaxon" Gomez benefited from a Palominos own goal, then the teams traded scores. With just under a minute, Tyce "Evanchase" Rogers found Daniel "Lanix" Lanier twice in the last minute of game 4. This was the icing on the cake. Daniel "Lanix" Lanier punched in a third with just 4 seconds left to play. CBC closes out the series 3-1 and punches their ticket to Round 3. The Hawks are heating up at the right time as they make a push to secure a National Title.
