Hopatcong esports team comes from behind to earn state title

Jane Havsy, Morristown Daily Record
·2 min read

Michael Coolican was feeling the pressure as Hopatcong High School's esports team prepared for the Garden State Esports championships on Saturday. The Chiefs were the top seed in Knockout City, a dodgeball-like video game.

Coolican wanted to bring the title belt back to Sussex County.

He, classmate Danilo Lalo, and freshman Antonio Goncalves were not sure how long it had been since Hopatcong won a state title. But they all agreed it had been a long time.

The trio rewrote history, coming from behind to defeat Barnegat High School, 3-2, in the final Knockout City match on Saturday.

Hopatcong's Knockout City team -- freshman Antonio Goncalves and juniors Michael Coolican and Danilo Lalo -- won the Garden State Esports championship on April 1, 2023 at Kean University.
Hopatcong's Knockout City team -- freshman Antonio Goncalves and juniors Michael Coolican and Danilo Lalo -- won the Garden State Esports championship on April 1, 2023 at Kean University.

Hopatcong won the first game, then Barnegat switched to an unexpectedly aggressive style of play and took two games in a row.

"My boys showed a lot of teamwork, a lot of coordination in their game play, and came back and won to tie the series 2-2 and force a Game Five," Hopatcong coach Jim McKowen said. "(They demonstrated) lot of mental toughness, a lot of adaptation in their game strategy."

It is Hopatcong's first esports state championship since the team was founded in the fall of 2019.

Already a multibillion-dollar industry with professional teams and live ESPN broadcasts, competitive video-gaming is establishing itself as a force in New Jersey as well, with dozens of schools fielding teams, clubs and other programs.

More than half of the New Jersey districts that offer esports partner with GSE, a nonprofit created and run by local educators. Founded in 2019, the association now represents 261 programs with more than 5,700 students. Others partner with PlayVS, the Electronic Gaming Federation and the High School Esports League.

Video future: NJ high school esports providing path to community, college scholarships, employment

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which governs high school sports here, has yet to seriously consider adding esports. But 19 other states sanction high school esports championships, up from five in 2018.

However, Velan Studios – the company behind Knockout City – is shutting down the game's servers on June 6. Hopatcong will be the final Garden State champion.

"People think it's less than football, soccer, or even golf or bowling," said Goncalves, one of seven Hopatcong esports players who is also on the tennis team.

"The demanding part of it is you have to practice with your team, to learn how to play with them."

Antonio Goncalves and teammate Michael Coolican play Knockout City as part of the Hopatcong High School esports team during an online competition from their school in Hopatcong, NJ on March 23, 2023.
Antonio Goncalves and teammate Michael Coolican play Knockout City as part of the Hopatcong High School esports team during an online competition from their school in Hopatcong, NJ on March 23, 2023.

Garden State Esports winter champions

  • Knockout City: Hopatcong High School

  • Overwatch 2: Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

  • Super Smash Bros (High School): Union City High School

  • Super Smash Bros (Middle School): Burnet Middle School (Union)

  • Rocket League: Snow Day (High School): Eastern Regional High School (Voorhees Twp.)

  • Rocket League: Snow Day (Middle School): Kawameeh Middle School (Union)

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Hopatcong esports team comes from behind to earn NJ state title