What a crazy year of TF2 it has been for the community. The upcoming matchmaking update, international LANS, and more have made 2015 a year that everyone will remember. But now, today is where history will be made. For the first time in years, a non-b4nny team will be in the grand finals, and after a 4 seasons, a new team will be crowned champions. Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is the grand finals of the ESEA Season 20 Invite. Before we analyze the two teams, let’s take a look at how they got here.
The first set of matches of the playoffs went without any upsets. 1st seed Ascent swiftly took down 4th seed with ease, with Ascent winning both Snakewater and Granary. Meanwhile, 2nd seed Froyotech and 3rd seed Team Solouber went head to head in a somewhat close series, but eventually 4G came out as the victors, with wins on Snakewater and on Granary.
After the 1st round, TSU and wood pig were sent to the lower bracket to fight for their lives. But the match was forfeited by wood pig, giving TSU a free ticket to the lower bracket finals. The next day came the upper bracket finals, with the two NA titans of Ascent and Froyo going at it. At first Froyo won the first map on Badlands, setting themselves an advantage to the grand finals. However, Ascent came back with a punch, winning Viaduct and then Process to win the series and place Ascent in the grand finals, along with a series advantage.
The loss for Froyo was a bitter pill to swallow. Their playoff run and their 4 season streak was on the line. They once again faced TSU in the lower bracket finals. With both teams fighting for the second spot in the grand finals. TSU took the first game on Sunshine, and in an unexpected turn of events, Ash, Froyotech’s scout, left the roster mid series, forcing them to grab Seymour as a ringer. They eventually took the second game on Gullywash. The tiebreaker map was on Granary, with both teams stuck in a tug of war, and eventually going to overtime. Eventually, TSU was the stronger side, winning the golden cap, and making TF2 history as the first ESEA finals in years without a b4nny team. Hours later, Froyotech disbanded, leaving behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.
It’s all come down to this. Two teams will fight to become the ESEA champions. Ascent has the upper bracket advantage, meaning they only have to win one best of 3 to take home the crown. TSU, on the other hand, have a hefty task on their hands: to win two best of 3’s and become the champions. Who will reign supreme? Who will get the most meatshots? Who will drop uber the most? And will showstopper actually win invite? Let’s find out.
What a crazy year of TF2 it has been for the community. The upcoming matchmaking update, international LANS, and more have made 2015 a year that everyone will remember. But now, today is where history will be made. For the first time in years, a non-b4nny team will be in the grand finals, and after a 4 seasons, a new team will be crowned champions. Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is the grand finals of the ESEA Season 20 Invite. Before we analyze the two teams, let’s take a look at how they got here.
The first set of matches of the playoffs went without any upsets. 1st seed Ascent swiftly took down 4th seed with ease, with Ascent winning both Snakewater and Granary. Meanwhile, 2nd seed Froyotech and 3rd seed Team Solouber went head to head in a somewhat close series, but eventually 4G came out as the victors, with wins on Snakewater and on Granary.
After the 1st round, TSU and wood pig were sent to the lower bracket to fight for their lives. But the match was forfeited by wood pig, giving TSU a free ticket to the lower bracket finals. The next day came the upper bracket finals, with the two NA titans of Ascent and Froyo going at it. At first Froyo won the first map on Badlands, setting themselves an advantage to the grand finals. However, Ascent came back with a punch, winning Viaduct and then Process to win the series and place Ascent in the grand finals, along with a series advantage.
The loss for Froyo was a bitter pill to swallow. Their playoff run and their 4 season streak was on the line. They once again faced TSU in the lower bracket finals. With both teams fighting for the second spot in the grand finals. TSU took the first game on Sunshine, and in an unexpected turn of events, Ash, Froyotech’s scout, left the roster mid series, forcing them to grab Seymour as a ringer. They eventually took the second game on Gullywash. The tiebreaker map was on Granary, with both teams stuck in a tug of war, and eventually going to overtime. Eventually, TSU was the stronger side, winning the golden cap, and making TF2 history as the first ESEA finals in years without a b4nny team. Hours later, Froyotech disbanded, leaving behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.
It’s all come down to this. Two teams will fight to become the ESEA champions. Ascent has the upper bracket advantage, meaning they only have to win one best of 3 to take home the crown. TSU, on the other hand, have a hefty task on their hands: to win two best of 3’s and become the champions. Who will reign supreme? Who will get the most meatshots? Who will drop uber the most? And will showstopper actually win invite? Let’s find out.
And on the left corner we have….
Ascent
Scout: Shrugger
Scout: Yomps
Pocket: Rando
Roamer: Ma3la
Demo: Bdonski
Medic: Phorofor
The history of Ascent goes back to Season 15, when all-star roamer Ma3la formed Lost in Translation along with Decimate, Sezco, Smaka, Bdonski, and Alfa. At their first LAN, they managed to get a respectable 3rd place. During Season 16, Sezco and Smaka left, and were replaced with Rando and invite veteran TheFragile. Later on, esports organization Exertus sponsored the team, and the team began their growth as an NA titan. However, their 2014 summer was met with a few hiccups. During the Season 16 LAN, they were defeated by Streets Hoops (now Team SoloUber), a team with almost no LAN experience. And later on, they were unable to qualify for i52 as the NA representatives, losing to Classic Mixup. After the LAN, Fragile stepped down, and the team eventually picked up Cozen from Street Hoops to finalize their roster. And later on their sponsor rebranded as eLevate.
The bumps in the road didn’t stop them however, and during the Season 17 regular season, they went undefeated, and winning two matches versus the NA favorites Froyotech. At the LAN playoffs, they made their own history moment, defeating Classic Mixup in the lower bracket finals and participating in the first grand finals in years where there wasn’t a Platinum vs. b4nny finals. However, their victory was short lived, as they were hit with a crushing blow vs Froyotech, with the b4nny team eventually winning the finals.
The New Year rolled around, along with Season 18 and roster changes. Cozen and Rando stepped down, while Shrugger and kbk stepped in. The regular season was shaky for them, having just qualified for the 4th seed for LAN. At LAN however, they defeated underdog favorites Mad Men and Street Hoops, and faced their arch rivals Froyotech once again. However, the finals were no different than last year, with 4G sweeping the opposition and claiming the trophy.
Season 19 came around, and after ESL partnered with ESEA for the ESL ESEA Pro League for CSGO, things looked shaky for TF2. However, the amazing announcement of TF2 matchmaking kept the ESEA scene alive, albeit with no LAN finals. Another small loss was that eLevate dropped their sponsorship. No sponsor wouldn’t stop them though, as the team renamed themselves to Ascent.
LAN or no LAN, the competition continued with Season 19, with Fragile and Rando coming back in to replace kbk and Alfa. During the regular season, they swept just about every team, and even dealing a one-two punch to Froyotech by winning a map against them. During the playoffs, Ascent defeated Froyo in the upper bracket finals. However, in the grand finals, Froyo threw the knock-out punch, winning 2 two best of 3’s to become champions once again.
As summer rolled around, so did the hype for Insomnia 55, and their annual TF2 tournament. As per tradition, two NA teams are selected to represent NA at Coventry, England, with a fundraiser to also help the teams get there. Froyotech and Ascent were selected to fight for their continent. Before the event however, Decimate stepped down due to his busy schedule. Engima, legendary scout of Classic Mixup, was brought in to fill the missing slot. At the LAN however, they placed 4th, losing to Reason Gaming in the lower bracket.
Once the teams returned home, a shuffle took place before Season 20. Fragile stepped down once again, and Engima also. The team picked up upcoming players Yomps and Phorofor to take their place. While some had doubts on the team’s performance, Ascent silenced the disbelievers, taking first seed once again. Without a Froyo opposition, Ascent might have a chance to take home the championships.
Looking at the roster will definitely strike fear into their enemies. Shrugger and Yomps have proven to be a deadly scout combo, while Ma3la patrols the skies and Rando, Bdonski, and Phorofor form a deadly combo. If Ascent are to win, every core of their team must be at full throttle, with the scouts pushing forward and the others piling tons of damage. If they manage to survive, victory is sure at hand.
And on the left corner we have….
Ascent
Scout: Shrugger
Scout: Yomps
Pocket: Rando
Roamer: Ma3la
Demo: Bdonski
Medic: Phorofor
The history of Ascent goes back to Season 15, when all-star roamer Ma3la formed Lost in Translation along with Decimate, Sezco, Smaka, Bdonski, and Alfa. At their first LAN, they managed to get a respectable 3rd place. During Season 16, Sezco and Smaka left, and were replaced with Rando and invite veteran TheFragile. Later on, esports organization Exertus sponsored the team, and the team began their growth as an NA titan. However, their 2014 summer was met with a few hiccups. During the Season 16 LAN, they were defeated by Streets Hoops (now Team SoloUber), a team with almost no LAN experience. And later on, they were unable to qualify for i52 as the NA representatives, losing to Classic Mixup. After the LAN, Fragile stepped down, and the team eventually picked up Cozen from Street Hoops to finalize their roster. And later on their sponsor rebranded as eLevate.
The bumps in the road didn’t stop them however, and during the Season 17 regular season, they went undefeated, and winning two matches versus the NA favorites Froyotech. At the LAN playoffs, they made their own history moment, defeating Classic Mixup in the lower bracket finals and participating in the first grand finals in years where there wasn’t a Platinum vs. b4nny finals. However, their victory was short lived, as they were hit with a crushing blow vs Froyotech, with the b4nny team eventually winning the finals.
The New Year rolled around, along with Season 18 and roster changes. Cozen and Rando stepped down, while Shrugger and kbk stepped in. The regular season was shaky for them, having just qualified for the 4th seed for LAN. At LAN however, they defeated underdog favorites Mad Men and Street Hoops, and faced their arch rivals Froyotech once again. However, the finals were no different than last year, with 4G sweeping the opposition and claiming the trophy.
Season 19 came around, and after ESL partnered with ESEA for the ESL ESEA Pro League for CSGO, things looked shaky for TF2. However, the amazing announcement of TF2 matchmaking kept the ESEA scene alive, albeit with no LAN finals. Another small loss was that eLevate dropped their sponsorship. No sponsor wouldn’t stop them though, as the team renamed themselves to Ascent.
LAN or no LAN, the competition continued with Season 19, with Fragile and Rando coming back in to replace kbk and Alfa. During the regular season, they swept just about every team, and even dealing a one-two punch to Froyotech by winning a map against them. During the playoffs, Ascent defeated Froyo in the upper bracket finals. However, in the grand finals, Froyo threw the knock-out punch, winning 2 two best of 3’s to become champions once again.
As summer rolled around, so did the hype for Insomnia 55, and their annual TF2 tournament. As per tradition, two NA teams are selected to represent NA at Coventry, England, with a fundraiser to also help the teams get there. Froyotech and Ascent were selected to fight for their continent. Before the event however, Decimate stepped down due to his busy schedule. Engima, legendary scout of Classic Mixup, was brought in to fill the missing slot. At the LAN however, they placed 4th, losing to Reason Gaming in the lower bracket.
Once the teams returned home, a shuffle took place before Season 20. Fragile stepped down once again, and Engima also. The team picked up upcoming players Yomps and Phorofor to take their place. While some had doubts on the team’s performance, Ascent silenced the disbelievers, taking first seed once again. Without a Froyo opposition, Ascent might have a chance to take home the championships.
Looking at the roster will definitely strike fear into their enemies. Shrugger and Yomps have proven to be a deadly scout combo, while Ma3la patrols the skies and Rando, Bdonski, and Phorofor form a deadly combo. If Ascent are to win, every core of their team must be at full throttle, with the scouts pushing forward and the others piling tons of damage. If they manage to survive, victory is sure at hand.
And on the right corner, we have….
Team SoloUber
Scout: Cyzer
Scout: Alec
Pocket: Showstopper
Roamer: Grape
Demo: Block
Medic: Ninjanick
The team once known as Street Hoops have come a long way since Season 16. The core of the roster back then was Paragon, Deadbolt, Grape, Ash, Duwatna, and Cozen. Their first season in Season 16 was a surprise to everyone. Although they seeded 4th, at LAN they took everyone by surprise, by upsetting Exertus (Ascent) in the lower bracket finals.
After their LAN run, the team had high hopes for Season 17. However, roster changes shook up the team. Duwatna left to join Froyotech for i52, while Cozen joined Exertus. In response, they picked up scout veteran cyzer along with Grape’s friend ninjanick to join the fight. Their season wasn’t better or worse. They once again qualified for LAN, but their LAN run was cut short, as they suffered to losses to Elevate and Mixup, placing 4th.
Coming into the New Year, Street Hoops kept their roster in tack. With the disbanding of Mixup, all eyes were turned to Street as a contender to the throne. Their regular season for Season 18 gave the believers hope, with a 2nd seed placement. While their LAN performance was out of the park, they lost to eLevate in the lower bracket finals.
As Season 19 rolled around, Grape left the roster, leaving the team without a leader. To everyone’s surprise, everyone’s favorite meme lor…..I mean, soldier, Showstopper, joined the team. Their season this time around wasn’t exactly the greatest. And although they were able to make playoffs, Ash left the team to join Froyotech to replace Lansky for i55. Street Hoops put Alfa in his place, but were unable to advance further in playoffs, taking 4th place.
Later on, Alfa left for The Last Resort for i55, and Deadbolt and Paragon stepped down. With most of their roster gone, a major revamp took place. Alec and Xalox joined the team, and Grape returned as well. They also rebranded to Team SoloUber, a parody to a big organization in esports. While the major change was questionable, they managed to place 3rd in playoffs. Before playoffs, Xalox stepped down, with Block subbing in for playoffs. For the first round of playoffs, they lost to Froyo in a close fight. After getting a forfeit win from wood pig, they went on to face Froyo once again. After a series of crazy and butt-clenching events, TSU managed to win, advancing to the grand finals.
Coming into the finals, TSU have a tough task at hand. They must win 2 best of 3’s in order to win. However, their roster is strong enough to put up a fight. Big brown Cyzer will look to tear up the roof along with Alec, and Showstopper and Grape are sure to hit big meaty rockets. Block will have to pump out the dpm, and ninjanick will milk those ubers like Farmer Brown.
That’s all there this folks! I’m no analyst and I’m not the best at predictions, for the grand finals, I predict a 2-1 in favor of Ascent, with TSU winning Process, and Ascent winning Viaduct and Badlands. Let us know who will win Season 20, and may the best team reign supreme!
And on the right corner, we have….
Team SoloUber
Scout: Cyzer
Scout: Alec
Pocket: Showstopper
Roamer: Grape
Demo: Block
Medic: Ninjanick
The team once known as Street Hoops have come a long way since Season 16. The core of the roster back then was Paragon, Deadbolt, Grape, Ash, Duwatna, and Cozen. Their first season in Season 16 was a surprise to everyone. Although they seeded 4th, at LAN they took everyone by surprise, by upsetting Exertus (Ascent) in the lower bracket finals.
After their LAN run, the team had high hopes for Season 17. However, roster changes shook up the team. Duwatna left to join Froyotech for i52, while Cozen joined Exertus. In response, they picked up scout veteran cyzer along with Grape’s friend ninjanick to join the fight. Their season wasn’t better or worse. They once again qualified for LAN, but their LAN run was cut short, as they suffered to losses to Elevate and Mixup, placing 4th.
Coming into the New Year, Street Hoops kept their roster in tack. With the disbanding of Mixup, all eyes were turned to Street as a contender to the throne. Their regular season for Season 18 gave the believers hope, with a 2nd seed placement. While their LAN performance was out of the park, they lost to eLevate in the lower bracket finals.
As Season 19 rolled around, Grape left the roster, leaving the team without a leader. To everyone’s surprise, everyone’s favorite meme lor…..I mean, soldier, Showstopper, joined the team. Their season this time around wasn’t exactly the greatest. And although they were able to make playoffs, Ash left the team to join Froyotech to replace Lansky for i55. Street Hoops put Alfa in his place, but were unable to advance further in playoffs, taking 4th place.
Later on, Alfa left for The Last Resort for i55, and Deadbolt and Paragon stepped down. With most of their roster gone, a major revamp took place. Alec and Xalox joined the team, and Grape returned as well. They also rebranded to Team SoloUber, a parody to a big organization in esports. While the major change was questionable, they managed to place 3rd in playoffs. Before playoffs, Xalox stepped down, with Block subbing in for playoffs. For the first round of playoffs, they lost to Froyo in a close fight. After getting a forfeit win from wood pig, they went on to face Froyo once again. After a series of crazy and butt-clenching events, TSU managed to win, advancing to the grand finals.
Coming into the finals, TSU have a tough task at hand. They must win 2 best of 3’s in order to win. However, their roster is strong enough to put up a fight. Big brown Cyzer will look to tear up the roof along with Alec, and Showstopper and Grape are sure to hit big meaty rockets. Block will have to pump out the dpm, and ninjanick will milk those ubers like Farmer Brown.
That’s all there this folks! I’m no analyst and I’m not the best at predictions, for the grand finals, I predict a 2-1 in favor of Ascent, with TSU winning Process, and Ascent winning Viaduct and Badlands. Let us know who will win Season 20, and may the best team reign supreme!
Damn dude, hell of a lot of work put into this. Thanks for the excellent write up, really looking forward to the match!
Damn dude, hell of a lot of work put into this. Thanks for the excellent write up, really looking forward to the match!
imo maps seem super in favour of ascent, but I'd love to see a second bo3
great writeup, though I did spot a couple mistakes in the language (in tack?)
imo maps seem super in favour of ascent, but I'd love to see a second bo3
great writeup, though I did spot a couple mistakes in the language (in tack?)
Wholegrainimo maps seem super in favour of ascent, but I'd love to see a second bo3
great writeup, though I did spot a couple mistakes in the language (in tack?)
Yea, there was also a few typos but I just fixed them
[quote=Wholegrain]imo maps seem super in favour of ascent, but I'd love to see a second bo3
great writeup, though I did spot a couple mistakes in the language (in tack?)[/quote]
Yea, there was also a few typos but I just fixed them
SnivyThe history of Ascent goes back to Season 15, when all-star roamer Ma3la formed Lost in Translation along with Decimate, Sezco, Smaka, Bdonski, and Alfa.
Idk how this gets twisted every time but I was the one who formed the team originally, I picked up and tried out all the invite-pug stars who were teamless. Original core was me, ma3la, bdonski, decimate and we picked up members after that accordingly.
[quote=Snivy]The history of Ascent goes back to Season 15, when all-star roamer Ma3la formed Lost in Translation along with Decimate, Sezco, Smaka, Bdonski, and Alfa. [/quote]
Idk how this gets twisted every time but I was the one who formed the team originally, I picked up and tried out all the invite-pug stars who were teamless. Original core was me, ma3la, bdonski, decimate and we picked up members after that accordingly.
and you also got cut from it
and you also got cut from it
showstopperand you also got cut from it
at least I made an esea-lan
[quote=showstopper]and you also got cut from it[/quote]
at least I made an esea-lan
lpkane actually took LAN away from TF2 because he knew showstopper wasn't good enough to attend despite making top 4
it wasn't fair for a decorated player like alfa to be compared to the likes of showstopper
lpkane actually took LAN away from TF2 because he knew showstopper wasn't good enough to attend despite making top 4
it wasn't fair for a decorated player like alfa to be compared to the likes of showstopper
showstopperand you also got cut from it
the savagery of an invite champ
[quote=showstopper]and you also got cut from it[/quote]
the savagery of an invite champ
Ninjanick milk is best milk.
Show Content
MMMM :3
Ninjanick milk is best milk.
[spoiler]MMMM :3[/spoiler]