Over the past few months, thirty-two teams from Europe competed in ETF2L Season 24 High to earn the ETF2L High title and also earn passage through the gate to the prestigious Premiership. With the European competition becoming more competitive by the day, the key to the gate became highly contested.

Vouloir, c'est pouvoir (picture by G4F Records)

Season 24 began with the regular season, where the teams would fight for one of the six playoff spots. French powerhouse and Gamers Assembly 2016 winners top5rocket topped the standings without dropping a single map, while ex-Danger Dogs members sheepy’s dog hand and Alfie lead Planet Weeb: Make Anime Great Again and Stevie Wonder’s Aim School to 2nd and 3rd place finishes respectively. Team Infamous, ANELE ezSports and Vintage grabbed the last three playoff spots in 4th, 5th and 6th place.

The stage was set for the playoffs, with top5rocket and Planet Weeb receiving first round byes thanks to their 1st & 2nd place finishes. In the quarterfinals, Vintage took a decisive 2-1 upset over Stevie Wonder’s Aim School after a close series, while Team Infamous dispatched ANELE ezSports in a swift 2-0, despite a scare on the second map.

The semi-finals only had one match played, with top5rocket receiving a default win versus Vintage due to a ruling by ETF2L. With top5 becoming the first finalist, their opponent would be determined by the second semi-final matchup between Team Infamous and Planet Weeb.

The series kicked off on Snakewater, where Planet Weeb managed to score the only round of the game while preventing Team Infamous from pushing, giving Planet Weeb the first map of the series. Team Infamous brought it back on Reckoner, edging out a golden cap round to take the second map 4-3 and tie up the series. The series would be decided on Granary Pro, and the map proved to be a barn-burner for both squads. Ultimately it was Planet Weeb who came out as the victors, as they were able to hold their 3-2 lead to close out the map and the series to take the express train to the Grand Finals.

Thus, top5rocket & Planet Weeb met at the Grand Finals gate, with both finalists having their eye on the prize: the ETF2L High Title and passage to the Premiership. The Grand Finals began on Gullywash, and in the usual Gullywash fashion, the advantage went back and forth, with both teams tied 1-1 at the twenty minute mark. But with the fragging power of Corbac & Médico, top5rocket blasted open the stalemate, taking control of the game to net two rounds and end the first map 3-1. The 2nd map on Snakewater was a different story however, as Planet Weeb answered back with lightning speed aggression thanks to an all-star performance from Funs and sheepy, and snowballed the game to the win difference in a 6-1 sweep, putting both teams at the decider map: Granary Pro. Despite what looked like a tilt from the French squad, top5rocket held it together and slowly gained a lead on Granary 2-0. With only five minutes remaining, Planet Weeb made a last ditch effort to tie up the score and go to a golden cap, but top5rocket crushed their dreams with a well held defense. With the time dwindled down to zero, top5rocket took the map, the series and the championship, along with entry to the next season of the Premiership.

The final standings for ETF2L Season 24 High are:

• 1st: top5rocket (promotion to ETF2L Season 25 Premiership)
• 2nd: Planet Weeb: Make Anime Great Again
• 3rd-4th: Vintage, Team Infamous
• 5th-6th: Stevie Wonder's Aim School, ANELE ezSports