By Andy Klotz—
MUNCIE, IN— – The Northside Titans are state champs—again!
The Muncie middle school defeated Batchelor Middle School of Bloomington 3-1 in their best-of-five state championship match of Marvel Rivals, one of 15 different games Indiana esports teams can compete in. This is the Titans’ second state title following its 2023 championship when they competed in Rocket League.
“What a way for these students to finish off the season,” Northside Esports Coach Jacob Mooney said. “Batchelor is a very good team, so our kids had to really work together to come out on top. It’s really rewarding to finish the year with a championship, and it shows our students how essential teamwork is to achieving a difficult goal.”
The state finals were held Saturday at the new Riverview Health Arena in Noblesville. The competition, which was livestreamed on the Indiana Esports Network, included middle schools and high schools from all over Indiana. There were also more than 20 colleges on hand to showcase their esports programs and the opportunities that are available for accomplished gamers on the next level.
While esports is still a relatively new extracurricular activity in Indiana schools, it’s catching on quickly. There are now approximately 200 school districts and 5,000 students participating. Some of the other games that teams compete in include Overwatch, Valorant, Fortnite, Super Smash Bros Ultimate and League of Legends.
Winning a second state championship in such a short time has earned Northside a reputation as a very high-level program. Mooney and co-coach Anthony Harter give all the credit to the hard work of the students. This year’s team includes:
Parker Sadler
Dean Werner
Aleczander Whitby
Max Cravans
Aiven Bright
Charles Kirk
Jaedyn Thomas
Tanner Oliphant
Brice Wooten
Lucas Cupp
For more information about esports in Indiana, please visit indianaesportsnetwork.org.
About Muncie Community Schools
Serving the local community since 1855, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) educates more than 5,000 students at six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school while also managing several other educational facilities. Through its unique partnership with Ball State University, MCS strives to maximize each student’s potential so he or she can be a positive, productive member of society. Find out more about MCS at muncieschools.org.
