Strawberry Mangoes was a new team to ESEA Invite for Season 20, featuring a theoretically strong roster with an interesting mix of experienced veterans and upcoming talent. However, despite some strong play from Muma and experienced players in the form of tagg, alfa, and indust, the team struggled early in the season, dropping their first three games to the current top three seeds of froyotech, Ascent, and Team SoloUber. They then hit a streak of wins to keep their hopes alive, but another stretch of four losses to the top three teams and the current fourth seed woodpig placed them in a difficult position.
The previous night, the team had to face off against Meat Market on Badlands. As both teams already had seven losses on the season, and the top four teams are guaranteed to finish the season at least 9-7, this game would eliminate one of the two teams from playoff contention. Strawberry Mangoes took a small lead to end the first half 3-2, but then lost three straight rounds to end their playoff hopes.
indust, veteran medic, will be looking to play under a new banner next season
As a result, the team has decided to fold, with very little reason to play and only four games left in the season.
Muma, the team's demoman and an upcoming talent, offered the following thoughts on the team and its run:
We went into the season pretty optimistic expecting to compete with the top four teams and make playoffs. We did pretty well against most of them but just fell short when trying to turn our really close games into wins.
Different members of our team had extremely different ideas about how to play and we were never able to reconcile them with each other and find a compromise. A lot of us want to stick together and keep playing but some of us just aren't willing to play together anymore so we decided to fold and do our own things for the rest of the season. Expect to see some of us possibly returning together next season.
The team's folding grants current contenders woodpig and Getawhale Fanclub forfeit wins, thus immediately eliminating Meat Market from the race. In addition, woodpig can now clinch a playoff spot with one win or Getawhale Fanclub loss, making it extremely difficult for Getawhale Fanclub to stay alive. For The Fall Classic, in which the team has been playing under the name Unbridled Dreams, the team will play out the tournament (albeit with standins). They currently sit in the lower round of six of the main event, with their next match against Team SoloUber this Saturday at 8:00 PM EDT.
The roster for Strawberry Mangoes was:
- Scout: Freestate
- Scout: corsa
- Roamer: tagg
- Pocket: alfa
- Demoman: Muma
- Medic: indust