OLATHE — The roar inside the Olathe Innovation Campus didn’t come from a packed gym or a buzzer-beating shot. Instead, it came from headsets, keyboards and controllers as Kansas officially entered a new era of high school competition. 

When the final matches wrapped up, Olathe West and Andover Central stood tied atop the standings with 17 points apiece, sharing the inaugural Kansas State High School Activities Association Esports state championship in a historic debut for the activity. 

“Winning the first-ever eSports KSHSAA title was an incredible experience for us,” Andover Central coach Ian Carpenter said. “At the beginning of the year, we set some big goals, and taking home that state championship was definitely the highlight. I’m happy to share the achievement with Olathe West. One thing I quickly learned about the Kansas eSports community is how much they value good sportsmanship and respecting your competitors — it’s really something special.” 

Olathe West coach Dr. Kurt Parker echoed that sentiment. 
 

“Andover Central is an incredible school with a great coach and outstanding players,” Parker said. “It truly does not stink to share this honor with them — they absolutely earned it with how they competed this season. Winning meant the world to our team.” 

Andover High coach Aaron Weatherbie, whose program finished third overall, said the state event represented years of groundwork for esports in Kansas. 

“The gamers were ecstatic,” Weatherbie said. “This was the result of years of work from so many different people. Our program started with a group of students back in 2019 that wanted to see esports thrive in Andover. Since then we have worked to turn that club into the beginning of a dynasty.” 
 

Olathe West opened the state finals Saturday with a statement, sweeping Olathe Northwest 4-0 to capture the Rocket League championship. The Owl team of senior Michael Hagedorn, sophomore Jonah Wallace and senior Ethan Terry entered as the No. 1 seed and capped a dominant season with a 30-5 match record and an undefeated 9-0 campaign. 

Andover Central followed with a title of its own, defeating Hugoton 3-1 in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate championship match. Hugoton, the No. 6 seed, had upset Wichita-Northwest in the semifinals to reach the finals. Andover Central’s squad featured Natalie Fontes, Charles Ott and Alex Solovey, with Fontes and Ott also members of last year’s national championship team coached by Weatherbie. 

Andover High closed the day by winning the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe championship over Olathe East. The Trojans’ team of Jonathan Simmons, Deacon Angell, Henry Nigh and Matthew Figy entered as the No. 1 seed and helped Andover finish third overall with 15 points. 

“We were prepared to compete at a high level on the state stage,” Weatherbie said. “The thing that really set this event apart was the facility that Olathe built to host and the faculty that they employ to run the event. That atmosphere was electric and really set the tone to make the competition feel professional.” 
 

Andover Central’s SSBU team was led by Fontes, who is currently ranked No. 12 in the United States with her character Corrin and No. 31 in the world. She was also the only female competitor in the state finals 

“I honestly think Natalie is one of the most impressive athletes I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” Carpenter said. “Her ability to adapt quickly and her deep game knowledge really stand out. She helped mentor the other kids on the team, and we couldn’t have been as successful without her.” 
 

Fontes said winning the KSHSAA title added to a growing list of achievements. 

“Winning state for KSHSAA felt exciting. It was fun to plan and hang out with people who enjoy the same things as me,” Fontes said. “Seeing buildings and rooms made for Esports made me feel happy. I always feel comfortable in those rooms.” 

She said Esports provides a community that many students struggle to find in traditional activities. 

“I am happy that it is a thing in schools,” Fontes said. “It gives us a little space to just have fun and meet other people that like the same things that I do.” 

Fontes added that being one of the few female competitors has been meaningful. 

“I had several women and girl competitors come up to me after we had won state, telling me how cool it is to see other girls competing and representing,” she said. “That’s the part I enjoy the most.” 

For Parker, the title represented a rapid rise for an Olathe West’s program that started out small and he said the jump from informal club play to a purpose-built arena was surreal. 

“We started Esports as a club in 2023 with a handful of students playing on my Switch on a television in the school library,” Parker said. “Over the last three years, we have worked hard to build something special at Olathe West. Our original group saw us go from one TV in the library, to LAN events in the Computer Science Lab, to online national competitions, and then suddenly to competing in an arena built specifically for them. They were excited, energized and motivated.” 
 

Weatherbie said the experience felt like witnessing the birth of a traditional sport. 

“I often imagine this is how people must have felt when basketball was first introduced to the school system,” Weatherbie said. “‘You mean we get to play basketball at school? And they’re going to build us a court?’ We are living through the start of something massive that will define the future.” 

The inaugural season featured more than 80 schools statewide, with KSHSAA partnering with PlayVS to launch esports as a sanctioned activity. Coaches believe the sport is poised for significant growth. 

Weatherbie said the national growth of scholastic esports has been rapid and encouraging. 

"I believe in the power of gaming and its ability to bring people together," he said. "The Esports lab provides a place for gamers to connect and engage in a community. Esports provides an opportunity for many students who often feel that their talents are ignored or even looked down upon. Gaming can be an isolating thing, but I was very encouraged by the sense of support and community I saw being fostered this season. It is so awesome to see kids find a passion and a home in their schools."