(SPS) -- Sapulpa High School's Chieftain eSports league hosted its first regional qualifying event at the Chieftain Center on Saturday, March 26.
Nearly 60 students from 12 schools in northeastern Oklahoma gathered to compete for qualifying spots for the Oklahoma eSports League (OESL) finals, which will take place in April. 15 teams were represented, including 10 high school teams and five middle school teams.
Students must compete in-person for Super Smash Brothers, although other game qualifying events are taking place virtually.
Sapulpa High School's Super Smash Brothers competitors included Micah Greenfeather, Rylie Ashby, Cayden Carter, Noah Davis and Noah McCaskey.
Although Sapulpa's eSports players did not qualify this round, they have another opportunity to qualify with other games including Rocket League and NBA 2K.
"We're excited to host this tournament, and plan to host more in the future as our eSports program grows," said Bryce Hailey, SHS eSports head coach. "When students see this kind of event --
it's does very much help their self-confidence. Gamers are sometimes known to be a bit introverted. It's great for them to be able to meet new people, especially with shared interests."