Lights glowing from monitors, controllers clicking, and teammates calling strategies through headsets, the North Dakota Esports State Tournament delivered two days of intense digital competition. Held February 27–28 in Grand Forks, the event brought together high school esports programs from across North Dakota to compete in a bracket-style championship. Much like traditional athletics, teams advanced through seeded rounds and elimination matches where every game determined who would move closer to a state title.
At the center of the action was Minot United Esports, a combined program representing both Minot North High School and Minot High School. The organization fields multiple teams across different competitive titles, allowing students to specialize in games that match their skills and interests. Each team name represents a separate roster within the Minot United program, competing in its own game against schools from across the state. Esports itself is competitive video gaming played in organized leagues where teamwork, strategy, and fast decision-making are just as important as mechanical skill.
The tournament opened with an incredible breakthrough as Minot United captured its first state championship. The Special Olympics Rocket League team, Elizabeth Burrell (10th) and Leif Taylor (11th), powered through the bracket and claimed the state title. Elizabeth said that “Only at about 30 seconds left is when I would get into the game and start to actually play, but mostly it was him. We made it to finals. There I had to play more, but overall, it was super fun. We won 3–1 in the finals and got the title! We are going to continue SOND next year as a duo!” Rocket League is a fast-paced competitive game where players control rocket-powered cars to hit a massive soccer ball into the opponent’s goal. Matches require precise aerial mechanics, tight passing plays, and constant defensive rotations. Minot United’s duo demonstrated exceptional coordination throughout the tournament, combining quick reactions with strong communication to secure the championship.
Energy continued to rise as Minot United’s Valorant squads stepped into one of the most competitive brackets of the tournament. Valorant is a tactical first-person shooter where two teams of five players alternate between attacking and defending objectives. Each player controls a unique “agent” with special abilities that can change the course of a round, making teamwork and strategy essential. The team “Over” battled through difficult matches to finish seventh overall, while “The Rivals” fought their way into the quarterfinals before being eliminated in a close series. Throughout the season, additional Minot United players including Owen Carswell, Oliver Brunner, Parker Bailey, Dalton Allen, Matthew Bryl Bacor, Jordan Deleon, and Jack Reese also qualified for state competition in Valorant and other titles.
As the competition rolled into the second day, the “Smash” players stepped forward and immediately electrified the tournament floor. The Minot United Smash roster, Evan Guilmino (11th), Bryce Edwards (11th), and Weston Rom (9th), competed in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a popular fighting game where players battle one-on-one using characters from across Nintendo franchises. Instead of traditional team play, Smash focuses on individual skill, reaction time, and deep knowledge of character matchups. Despite being relatively new to the competitive scene, Bryce Edwards, a rookie with the fewest hours of experience on the team, helped contribute to an impressive run through the bracket. He noted that, “State was a very fun experience, even though our teams didn’t do as well as we thought we would. I’m most excited to come back with more competitive experience.” The Minot United lineup ultimately secured second place in the state, finishing just short of the championship in a tightly contested final match.
Closing out the weekend was one of esports’ most strategy-heavy titles, League of Legends. The Minot United team of Landon Taylor (11th), Vincent Williamson (12th), Michael Sander (12th), and Christian Dix (10th) competed in the multiplayer online battle arena game where two teams of five players fight across a three-lane map while attempting to destroy the opposing base. The Minot United roster demonstrated strong macro-level strategy throughout the tournament, controlling objectives and executing disciplined team engagements that helped them earn an impressive third-place finish.
By the time the final matches concluded, Minot United Esports had proven itself as one of the most versatile programs in the state. Competing successfully across multiple titles is rare in high school esports, where many programs focus on only one or two games. Minot United’s ability to place in several different competitions highlighted the program’s depth, preparation, and growing competitive culture.
Minot United left the tournament with major momentum. The program now looks ahead to continuing its growth and showcasing its talent at future events, including their upcoming invitational tournament on March 20 at Minot State University.
