A stunning performance by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team has culminated in the team taking the national crown in an intense two-day tournament.
The team, composed of Tom Cooper, Kevin Smith, Justin Johnson, Allen Drummond, and Alex DeGroot, found success in tight team coordination and individual stars in clutch moments. Cooper had an impressive showing in the semi-finals, carrying the team to a 6-1 victory.
The final round pitted RIT against the reigning champions from Northwestern University. Northwester had been dominant throughout the tournament, with no team coming close to knocking them off their perch. RIT came into the match as an underdog, but the team was undaunted. The boys worked together to coordinate their gameplay, shutting down Northwester’s offense one rush after another.
In the end, RIT emerged victorious in a nail-biting 7-6 affair. Much of the credit is due to Justin Johnson, who led the team with three clutch point captures. His experience as a competitive player was on full display, and his teammates could count on him to find success whenever it was needed.
The Counter-Strike 2 National Championship capped an impressive season for the RIT team. Despite the hardships of the pandemic, the team managed to practice and compete to the best of their ability, traversing the bumpy path to the championship.
The national crown is the first for RIT since the team’s establishment in 2017. The achievement is one of many for the school’s esports program, which grew from humble beginnings and has been a source of pride for RIT ever since.
The five members of the RIT Counter-Strike 2 team have proven themselves as the best in the nation. Their hard work and dedication to the game have paid off, and they have secured bragging rights for years to come.
