Introducing the British Esports Championships Season 1 winners!

The inaugural season of the British Esports Championships for secondary schools and further education colleges has concluded.

With teams taking part in Rocket League, Overwatch and League of Legends tournaments, it’s been an exciting first season. While we wait for Season 2 to get underway in 2019 (you can sign up to that here), let’s pay a huge congratulations to and list the six winners from Season 1.

The Brights (Ysgol John Bright)
Overwatch Schools Champions

The Brights (pictured above) have secured the Overwatch Schools Championship. They stormed the group stages, winning all their matches 4-0.

They then stormed the elimination stage, winning all their matches there 4-0.

And the final? They defeated Scorpions from King Edward’s School in Stratford 4-0 too, cementing themselves as deserved champions.

Karl Lawson, Deputy Headteacher at Ysgol John Bright, said: “This has been our first esports championship and we’ve been thrilled to have got so far. The team are all very excited about the opportunity to play live at Insomnia – as several of them have attended in the past as spectators.

“We’re also looking at opportunities for sponsorship so that we can enhance our school’s provision for esports; we feel it is a great opportunity for our young people to come together and develop their skills of communication and working with others. Having access to better IT equipment would certainly help us grow this as an extra-curricular provision in school.”

Overwatch team member Luke commented: “There was a moment of shock and surprise when we realised we won as we were very unorganised for this tournament. We had never played together before this, so getting this far is incredible.

“I hope we encourage other schools to realise that, even when you know little or nothing about esports, it is still possible to take part and do well.”

Beyond Reality (The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School)
League of Legends Schools Champions

Beyond Reality were a force to be reckoned with in this tournament, winning all their matches in the group stages and swiss stage, placing them on top.

They beat Alsager School in the Season 1 final to take the top prize and have qualified for the grand final at Insomnia Gaming Festival next April.

Their roster is as follows:

• Top – Morgan (AOMG Jay Park)
• Jungle – Miguel (Migsayyy)
• Mid – Alessio (Old and Retired)
• Adc – Jakub (SirKemzo)
• Support – Jordan (AOMG Loco)

Harry Wessels, teacher of computing and computer science at The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, said: “See you in the next chapter.”

The Beyond Reality League of Legends team said in a statement: “We are the reality.”

Fortes Esports (Carmel College – school and sixth form college)
Rocket League Schools Champions

Fortes, like the other school winners, took victories in all their group stage matches.

They beat The Armoured Saints from St Augustine’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form centre 7-0 in the final, making them Season 1 Rocket League champions.

Fortes’ Rocket League team consisted of James, Cameron and Carter, all Year 11 students at Carmel, and substitute Piotr, a Year 13 student at Carmel. As the Year 11 students are moving to college and Piotr is off to university, they’ve decided a different team will step in for Season 2.

Mary Atherton, Maths Assistant Curriculum Leader at Carmel College, said: “We’ve had a superb time playing in the Championship and we’re delighted to have won, particularly as it’s the first Championship, so it seems really special to have won this one.

“We even got a round of applause from all the teachers here at Carmel, which just shows how amazing they think we are too. We’re looking forward to Insomnia! It’ll be phenomenal to play there.”

You can read more about Fortes Esports in our team profile here.

Sunderland Seers (Sunderland College)
Overwatch Colleges Champions

The Sunderland Seers from Sunderland College have established themselves as the toughest competition in the British Esports Championships – and the snazziest at photoshoots!

Sunderland College won our Championships pilot earlier this year in both Overwatch and League of Legends – and now they’ve done the same in Season 1.

Their Overwatch team beat the Confetti Arrows from Confetti College 4-0 in the final.

You can check out their Overwatch roster here:

– Josh Bainbridge
– Connor stokoe
– Jake Gawthrope
– Mitchell Armstrong
– Jake McGough
– Anthony lakeman

Ben Marriott, Authorised Staff, Protocol at Sunderland College, said: “Josh has done an outstanding job as the Overwatch captain, especially with all the issues the teams had, with people leaving and new members joining, he is the only person remaining from the original team. But he has stayed resilient and led his team to victory.

“Going against Confetti arrows in the finals felt kind of poetic, getting to face off against the team that beat us so early on, a second chance at victory. They fought really well, and it was a hell of a game, I hope we get to see them again next season.”

Sunderland Seers (Sunderland College)
League of Legends Colleges Champions

Sunderland’s League of Legends team swept aside the competition to win Season 1 of the League of Legends College Championship.

Check out their final match here, which saw them beat Engage from East Norfolk 2-1, in what was arguably the closest final in Season 1.

The roster was as follows:

– Robert Catley (TooneXx)
– Callum Wood (Little L1ght)
– Jeeven Singh (Teaschtie)
– Joe Anderson (Best Egirl uk)
– Jacob Lawther (Earth 9732)

Ben Marriott, Authorised Staff, Protocol at Sunderland College, on winning in Overwatch and League of Legends said: “I am insanely proud of both teams, they both did amazingly. The really worked hard to get where they are and they deserve all the credit for these victories.”

“I never had my doubts that our League of Legends team was going to get to the finals. Robert is one of the most dedicated players we have, and one hell of a captain. He would keep his team up to date on all the new meta changes, research the competition and generally just kick ass in game. With all the work he does, and the great team dynamic, we were sure to do well.”

SRCulater (Southern Regional College)
Rocket League Colleges Champions

Leading the pack in the Rocket League Colleges Championship is SRCulater from Southern Regional College.

They stormed the group stages and built up a rivalry of sorts between Sunderland College, beating Seers’ second team in the group stages 4-3 and Seers’ first team too.

SRCulater also faced Seers’ first team again in the final, where they beat them 4-1.

The unbeaten team is as follows:

• Lenard Klamarik
• Jonathan Russell
• Ronald Klamarik

Southern Regional College lecturer Mandy McNeil said: “Being involved in the British Esports Championships has allowed our students to grow and develop their teamwork and communication skills across campuses and courses within Southern Regional College. The team’s strategic thinking improved over the course of the Championships which led to SRCulater being the only unbeaten team in the Rocket League Colleges Championship!

“It also has to be admired that to take part in such a large Championship takes a high level of dedication and time management to balance college life and the pressure of a competition.”

Are you one of the winning players?

Each team’s teacher was contacted for a photo and more info. If you are a player from the team and want to share more info, please DM us @British_Esports on Twitter.

What do the winners receive?

Each winning team has qualified for the British Esports Championships grand finals at Insomnia on Friday April 19th 2019. They will face the winner of season 2 which kicks off in January.

Every player on each winning team will receive a British Esports winners jersey and a certificate.

Each player will also receive a free ticket to Insomnia on April 19th, as will one teacher per team (travel/accommodation not included). The winning teams at the grand final will take home a trophy.

The Overwatch winners will also receive a £15 Battlenet voucher, while the League of Legends winners will receive RP prizing (amount TBC). The overall grand final winners in April 2019 will receive Triumphant Ryze skins. We’re in discussions with Psyonix re: Rocket League prizing.

You can sign up to Season 2 of the British Esports Championships here, and get the latest from us via the British Esports Twitter page.