The Fairfield High School esports team competed in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate state tournament on Friday, November 21st, facing two of the toughest programs in the bracket and showing resilience and strong teamwork despite the results.
Match 1 – Fairfield vs. Washington
Fairfield opened the tournament against Washington, who went on to finish as state runners-up. Washington took the match 2–0 by scores of 11–8 and 14–6.
Individual results for Fairfield included:
- Aaron Carlson: 6 knockouts, 4 falls
- Tristen Garretson: 1 knockout, 3 falls
- Kani Haddon: 4 knockouts, 3 falls
- Gabe Strong: 0 knockouts, 3 falls
- Ledger Dodson: 1 knockout, 3 falls
- Simon Glass: 1 knockout, 3 falls
- Alex Creer: 0 knockouts, 3 falls
Match 2 (Consolation) – Fairfield vs. Forest City
The team then dropped into the consolation bracket, where they faced another powerhouse in Forest City, the two-time defending state champions. Forest City also won 2–0, taking the games 15–6 and 15–5.
Fairfield results included:
- Aaron Carlson: 1 knockout, 6 falls
- Tristen Garretson: 1 knockout, 3 falls
- Kani Haddon: 4 knockouts, 6 falls
- Gabe Strong: 1 knockout, 6 falls
- Ledger: 2 knockouts, 7 falls
- Simon Glass: 2 knockouts, 3 falls
Coach Weseman: “We Played Two Total Powerhouses”
Head Coach Tyler Weseman said the competition was about as tough as it gets at the state level.
“It was pretty straightforward: We played two total powerhouses and couldn’t quite keep up,” Weseman said.
“In the first round we lost to eventual runner-up Washington 2-0. They’re really solid from top to bottom. Then in the loser’s bracket we ran into Forest City, the two-time defending champions. 2-0 once again.”
Weseman praised his seniors for keeping the group focused, positive, and connected throughout the day.
“Our seniors did a great job of keeping everyone together and, on the whole, we ended up still having a fun day. They have become one of my favorite groups due to their leadership and real talk.”
He added that the state tournament showed the younger players the level needed to compete deep into the bracket in the future.
“Everybody else — this shows you the level that real tournament players bring to the table. If we want to really make a dent next time out, we’re going to have to keep working on fundamentals, getting more experience in tournament settings, and maybe even pocketing some change-of-pace or high-tier characters for situations where option A isn’t working.”
Despite the early exit, Fairfield finishes the season with valuable state experience and a strong group returning next year. Fairfield now prepares for the winter season of esports.
