Virtual Dominance

As Esports gains popularity, Zach Hundley gets involved and places in three local tournaments.

By staff writers, Grace Caspino and Megan Plocher

Zach Hundley is a star both in the pool and in video games. He placed first in both the Ducks NHL 20 Tournament and in the Chel Invitational.  The Anaheim Ducks hosted two NHL 20 esports competitions for high school students and adults. The competition offers hockey fans and Esports an opportunity to play for scholarship prizes.

“I grew up playing video games since I was 5 or 6. Esports is a club that is all about playing videogames competitively and going to tournaments and winning prizes” said Senior Zach Hundley. “The competitions are at a convention center, you get to play in front of a big crowds and sometimes even on live TV”

Hundley has not been playing esports for very long. He got involved in the club, along with many other Santa Margarita students, by accepting an email invitation from Mr. Darwazeh. Although Hundley has experience playing video games, he had no experience in playing in high-level tournaments. Most of the video games Hundley plays involve a sporting event.

“We went into the third game since it was best out of 3 and I was pretty anxious about the game since the other player was pretty good,” said Hundley, “But after going up 4-1 in the last quarter i knew it was over. It was an amazing feeling that will probably be one of my top high school memories”

Aside from the Anaheim NHL tournaments, Hundley also placed second at the North American High School NHL 20 tournament.

“Esports is not really a real sport because there is no physical conditioning to it, so its pretty much a video game,” said Hundley. “As of right now, I have no further plans for esports”