Photo submitted to the Times Observer The Warren Area High School Dragons celebrate their Division 1 Colonial Conference championship victory after defeating the Penn Hills Indians in a 3-0 sweep at Waynesburg University. The five juniors, who share a passion for video games and a background in the Boy Scouts, are now gearing up for their promotion to the Elite Conference.From left are Nick Shaffer, Alex Gulnac, Cole English, Coach Joe English, Chase Colosimo, Parker Mowrey.

The Warren Area High School esports team has gone from a newly formed team in 2018-19 to winning its first championship this year.

The program’s journey began when Joe English, a WAHS math teacher, stepped up as the team’s first coach and adviser. Recognizing the potential of esports as a growing competitive field, English guided a group of interested students on a visit to Bradford to observe and learn from its established high school esports team.

Despite early enthusiasm, the team’s development faced significant setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption slowed progress and delayed opportunities for the team to train and compete. The team regrouped, and this year marked a turning point for WAHS esports team.

On Dec. 14, the school’s esports team won the Division 1 Colonial Conference championship at Waynesburg University. While the regular season matches are played from English’s classroom, the Waynesburg event gave the team its first experience playing in a real esports arena.

“It wasn’t much different for us to play in a different environment; we just focused on playing,” said Alex Gulnac, team captain.

The top-seeded Dragons went head-to-head with the No. 2-seeded Penn Hills Indians in an Overwatch 2 match. Displaying skill and teamwork, the Dragons swept the finals with a 3-0 victory. The championship win capped an undefeated 10-0 season for the Dragons.

The win earned the team a promotion to the Elite Conference for the upcoming spring season. The Dragons will face tougher opponents in higher-level competition.

“These guys are like brothers,” English said. “They play like brothers and fight like brothers. They have been friends since they were young, and they know each other well.”

All five of the championship team members are juniors at WAHS. The students have been playing video games together since they were young and are still scouting together. Their shared history and camaraderie have been key to their success this season.

As the team prepares for Elite Conference, it is actively seeking sponsorships to help cover expenses such as equipment upgrades, travel, and tournament fees.