Matching Up Against the Big Two

The first games of Division ONE’s Spring Split Playoffs were played on March 15th and March 16th. In League of Legends, Ohio State and St. Clair advanced in their brackets to face off against Winthrop and Maryville respectively, the Big Two in Division ONE. It’ll be a tough fight for Ohio State and St. Clair to stay in the playoffs, but their performance so far and growth after the Fall Split shows promise that those matches will be closer than many may expect.

Both Ohio State and St. Clair had stunning 2-0 wins to start off the Spring Split Playoffs. In their match against Utah, Ohio State was quick to take advantage of their mistakes even when they had the scaling disadvantage. OSU Ruler and OSU 5150 were able to secure the bot lane advantage in game 1 that allowed their team to focus on their biggest threat, UTAH A_Narwh4l in the top lane. Comparatively, St. Clair dominated the top lane against Stony Brook. Lanes fell as SCC Miracle helped his teammates move around the map and engage fights as Bard and Alistar. Stony Brook couldn’t handle their momentum.

Winthrop and Maryville still face a fight for Finals spots. Ohio State has shown a lot of growth, especially after finishing third in Division One League of Legends. They’ve shown they can defeat teams they previously lost to. The regular season battle gives them a chance to look back on how they could perform better and analyze any weaknesses in Winthrop. St. Clair has definitely toughened up for the Spring Split as they became the second college in Division ONE League of Legends to win a match against Maryville in their 1-2 regular season game. Topablo, Feiz, and Miracle have proven to be fierce opponents that surprised Maryville. Both games have the potential for a big shake up in the Spring Split Playoffs.

Leading up to the games against Winthrop and Maryville, I asked Ohio State’s 2m2mc and Chelouche and St. Clair’s Topablo and Miracle questions.

Ohio State

A_Narwh4l was a strong top-lane competitor, and you’ll be going against Winthrop’s Denathor this Sunday. How can you improve your early-game top-lane play?

2m2mc: “I need to improve early-game discipline, better wave control, smarter trades, and stronger jungle awareness, so I don’t get punished.”

In your opinion, what helped Ohio State the most to become the 3rd strongest League of Legends team in Division ONE’s Spring Split?

2m2mc: “Our team synergy and communication improved a lot, plus more consistent laning, which helped us play better as a team overall.”

In game 2, you went to help 2m2mc in the top lane only to become the only kill in a 2v1. How do you plan to improve your dive gameplay so Winthrop can’t get the kill?

Chelouche: “This is a silly question. Utah and Winthrop are on different levels. No changes need to be made.”

In the Fall Split, Ohio State went against Maryville in the playoffs. What are your thoughts now that you will be facing Winthrop for the Finals spot?

Chelouche: “Maryville is definitely a tougher opponent. I think Winthrop has some holes that we can try and expose.”

St. Clair

Your top lane performance was amazing in game 1 against Stony Brook. No deaths and 10 kills compared to SBU’s DancingwiththeBL’s 10 deaths and 2 kills. How did you perform that well? Any tips?

Topablo: “It's no secret, practice is key. I've played this matchup over 100 times against way better players in solo queue and scrims.”

How do you feel about going against Maryville’s top laner in next Monday’s game?

Topablo: “Maryville is a very difficult team to beat, and Keii is an exceptionally good player. I wouldn't say I'm nervous to face him again; I'm very excited and love challenges. Win or lose doesn't matter to me on Monday. I just want our team to show their best performance.”

You were the star support in the game against Stony Brook, especially on Bard. What advice or tips do you have in regard to helping your team engage fights?

Miracle: “It’s important to keep in mind the position of your team and your opponents when you engage. Try to always ask yourself, ‘can my teammates hit my opponents if I start the fight here.’”

In the Fall Split, St. Clair went against Winthrop in the playoffs. What are your thoughts now that you will be facing Maryville for the Finals spot?

Miracle: “If you want to win Division One, you’ve got to take both of them down. I think we match up slightly better into Winthrop, but either opponent isn’t easy. We’ve always had a rough track record against Maryville, so it’ll be a tough battle. I know our team will try our best and put up a good fight regardless.”

Ohio State and St. Clair will face the Big Two in Division ONE, Winthrop and Maryville, at the start of next week. It’ll be exciting to see their growth after the Spring regular season. Both teams are ready for the challenge as they take the time between games to research and grow for the challenge. On March 23rd, Maryville vs. St. Clair will start first at 3:30 p.m. MT, followed by Winthrop vs. Ohio State at 6 p.m. MT to end the night. These matches will determine the Finals matchup in Division ONE’s League of Legends Spring Playoffs.