Storylines - RLCS X NA - Edition #4
Another action-packed weekend saw the first RLCS X Regional Event come to a conclusion, and Week 3 of The Grid provide a more than entertaining warm-up. With no big upsets through Stage 1, all of the finest North American teams were out to showcase their talent, secure some huge RLCS X points, and be crowned the first regional champions. With Week 4 of the Grid looming next week, we also look at what's set to come.
REVIEW - THE GRID WEEK 3 / REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
Stage 1 of the Regional Event saw The Peeps, Spacestation Gaming, G2 Esports, and Team Envy go undefeated at they cut through their opposition like a hot knife through butter. Going into Stage 2 and the Playoffs, there was bound to be some thrilling encounters before a champion was unveiled.
Looking back at our key talking points, here's what happened in Week 3 of The Grid and the first Regional Event in North America.
IS IT ANY WONDER 72PC ARE KICKING ON?
COULD WONDER HELP SPUR 72PC INTO THE TOP EIGHT?
What a tough set of fixtures for 72PC, who fell to Team Envy, NRG, and Pittsburgh Knights. They did manage a 3-1 victory over Charlotte Phoenix, showing that they had what it takes to beat teams on the fringe of the top eight, but they fell just short when it mattered. The nail in the coffin came versus PK, where their game two swung in the wrong favour despite netting twice, allowing PK to go two games up and cruise home in the third. In what would have set up a winnable fixture versus the Kansas City Pioneers, Wonder and co. failed to clutch up. No doubt they'll be back, however.
HOW MANY PEEPS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB?
THEY'VE CONFUSED THE REGION WITH MIXED RESULTS, COULD THE PEEPS FOCUS UP FOR HIGH REWARDS?
Three. Gyro being the handyman, with AYYJAYY and Allushin holding the ladder. Participating in 69% of their goals across the weekend, Gryo clutched up when it mattered and they became one of only two teams to take Spacestation the distance all weekend, in a best of seven nonetheless. Losing out in a 1-0 defeat in game seven in the Semifinals of the Regional Event, they came just short of reaching the final and taking revenge on NRG who got the best of them in The Grid. With just the two finalists beating them all weekend, they proved that their spots in the top-four are more than just cameos.
CONSISTENT GIMMICKS CAN TORMENT ENEMIES
VERSION1 HAVE CONQUERED GIMMICKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT COULD THEY CONQUER NA ON THE PITCH?
Not a good weekend for AxB, Gimmick, and Torment. Suffering five defeats across the weekend, Version1 struggled for consistency. NRG swept the newly formed trio to show just how big the gap was in quality. It's only early days for Version1, but the combination between AxB and Torment was seemingly sub-par this weekend, with Gimmick often left to free roam and lack on defensive responsibility. Back to the drawing board.
SONIQ SPEED MAKES FOR A BIGGER CAR CRASH
THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL, DON'T CRASH SUSQUEHANNA, IT'LL HURT
When you're heading into a crash, the best advice is to steer into the skid, and Soniqs didn't even need to do that. They're simply in cruise control and I should stop doubting them. Fixtures did fall in their favour somewhat, coming across many teams that would have previously been classed as a similar ability to Susquehanna, but their class outshone, even upsetting Version1 in the Regional Event. Shock deserves all of the plaudits this time around as he managed impressive performances all weekend, whilst JRuss and Satthew took it in turns to shine. Next step for Soniqs is to push the likes of Rogue, The Peeps, and G2 to rival Envy, NRG and Spacestation.
YOUR REGIONAL ONE CHAMPS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD
SPACESTATION ARE IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND YOU'D BE BRAVE TO BET AGAINST THEM.
Predictions paid off here, as Spacestation Gaming went undefeated all weekend long to take home the first Regional Event first-place prize, and be crowned winners of The Grid Week 3. Not only did they breeze through Stage Two, billing both NRG and G2, they comfortably beat the best teams the playoffs, with only The Peeps and Rogue pushing them to a final map throughout the whole weekend. Arsenal, retals, and Sypical are simply cut from a different cloth at the moment, and it's simply electrifying to watch.
THE GRID - WEEK 3 Results
The Grid Week Three saw consistent names in the top eight, with the inclusion of Kansas City Pioneers. Rogue and Soniqs impressed again to make the top four, but Spacestation and NRG are in a league of their own. SSG took the final 4-2 to win their second win in The Grid in just three weeks.
Click to enlargeREGIONAL 1 PLAYOFFS Results
Pittsburgh Knights and Alpine Esports capitalised on some lacklustre performances from the likes of Version1 and Rogue to make the top eight and secure vital RLCS points. The top four came as no surprise though. Maybe the only shock was that the Susquehanna Soniqs didn't make the cut, but the prominent and proven North American monsters all found their rhythm in the Regional. In a rematch from The Grid final just a matter of days prior, Spacestation proved too strong again, taking the tie 4-1 and the $30,000 that comes with it.
Click to enlargePreview - THE GRID WEEK 4
Going into this weekend we have a more relaxed schedule per se, with just The Grid Week 4 on, starting August 28. Just. Anyone else loving this constant action? Here's how I see the weekend unfolding.
HOW TO OVERCOME SPAIN WITHOUT THE 'S'
BACK-TO-BACK FINAL DEFEATS FOR NRG, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK?
Back in form, but not quite with that winning sharpness we saw throughout the off-season, NRG couldn't get the best of Spacestation Gaming in the two finals last weekend. Clutch sensation jstn. will be hurting alongside GarrettG and Squishy who are so accustomed to winning. You can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be back with a vengeance next week and will throw everything at The Grid to get back to winning ways. I expect fireworks from NRG.
SUPERSONIQS ARE HERE TO STAY
CONSISTENTLY PROVING PEOPLE WRONG, THE SONIQS HAVE FOUND CONSISTENCY
Another top-four finish for the Sonqis has cemented them in the highest bracket of North American talent in RLCS X. It's now apparent that it was no fluke that we saw the Soniqs succeeding, and this week will likely be no different. With other teams such as The Peeps starting to find form, it will be interesting to see if they can start knocking down the giants' doors and beating the best of the best.
He's burnin' through the sky, yeah
PETITION FOR RETALS TO BE NICKNAMED MISTER FAHRENHEIT? DON'T STOP HIM NOW...
Spacestation Gaming is a joy to watch. Last week it was retals at the launch pad, controlling the game expertly and bouncing off his teammates as if they'd been together for years. This week you can guarantee Sypical and Arsenal will continue to shine alongside the newbie. Their weakness so far looks to be in the semifinals where The Peeps and Rogue forced a final game in the best of seven, hinting if they were to lose it will most probably be in the latter stages when the games extend from a best of five.
Can Majicbear Be The Driving Force For Alpine to build on?
AFTER KNOCKING OUT ROGUE IN STAGE 2, HOW FAR CAN ALPINE GO IN THE FUTURE?
Majicbear has arrived, and what a breath of fresh air it was to see him at his scintillating best last week to secure a top-eight finish. The former Omni Nation roster managed an impressive win over Rogue to defy expectations, and it was well deserved. Hitting consistency has been a problem with many teams on the fringe, as we've seen with the likes of Omelette, Plot Twist, and Kansas City Pioneers, but if Majicbear can continue his rhythm, he could follow JRuss' footsteps in being the deciding factor that will put Alpine in the top eight again.
Can Gyro Explode again?
The Peeps came closest to unseating Spacestation, can Gyro spark a fuse and blow them out of the water in Week 4?
You can take the Gyro out of the Explosive, but you can't take the Explosive out of Gyro. The Armenian continues to propel The Peeps to success and he's often the player to rise through the smoke for a crucial double-tap or pass to AYYJAYY who will slam the ball home. I'm sticking my neck on the line this week and predicting a final for The Peeps this week.
The Grid Week 4 Predictions
It will take something special to upset last week's top teams, although there was a difference between the Regional and The Grid. NRG will be after blood and their ruthless nature can easily carry them through, whereas The Peeps could be the undoing of Spacestation, after coming so close last time around.
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