Sebastian Leeper Shines Bright in Boise State Esports’ Fighting Game Scene
As far as Boise State Esports’ varsity lineup goes, fighting games are a relatively new addition to the games Boise State Esports supports. Fighting games were first introduced to the program through Smash Bros. a few years ago. From there, Boise State Esports has gradually expanded its fighting game lineup, with forays into Street Fighter […]
As far as Boise State Esports’ varsity lineup goes, fighting games are a relatively new addition to the games Boise State Esports supports. Fighting games were first introduced to the program through Smash Bros. a few years ago. From there, Boise State Esports has gradually expanded its fighting game lineup, with forays into Street Fighter 6, and Guilty Gear Strive. It’s among these latter games where you’ll find student Sebastian Leeper, also known by his gamertag “Yata”, picking up victories left and right for Boise State.
Sebastian Leeper sits in the Boise State Esports Arena as one of the most accomplished fighting game players the program has seen. (Photo Credit: Dawson Gutierrez)
Starting Out
Leeper first got involved with Boise State Esports playing Guilty Gear Strive in the Collegiate Fighting Games Conference (CFGC). In an interview, Leeper described Guilty Gear Strive as one of his favorite games.
“It’s the game I have the most time in by far for a reason,” said Leeper. “It’s a mix of the playerbases, community, and mechanics of the game. The mechanics are faster, stronger, and deeper in my opinion…overall giving me much more satisfaction than, for example, Street Fighter gives.”
With fighting games being mostly single player, a lot of responsibility rested solely with Leeper to perform well. Despite all of the singular pressure, Leeper excelled in competition, winning two back to back CFGC championships in Guilty Gear Strive for Boise State.
At the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, Boise State Esports held tournaments in College Football 25 and Street Fighter 6. Both of these games were new additions to Boise State’s varsity lineup. Top performing players in these tournaments were offered places on the varsity team as well as scholarships. With a strong second place showing in Street Fighter 6, Leeper further expanded his footprint in the esports program. Soon, Leeper was competing in Super Smash Bros, Street Fighter 6, and Guilty Gear for Boise State.
Continuing Success
In addition to his newly expanded role within Boise State Esports, Leeper also found professional success partnering with BadMoon, an apparel company founded by and catered to fighting game players.
“I got into BadMoon mostly by entering a lot of online tournaments,” said Leeper. “They are an apparel company built by other fighting game players that wanted to see me (and a couple others) go to major events. Therefore, I show off their brand and they fly me to events.”
Both Boise State and Badmoon gave Leeper the resources to travel across the country to various fighting game competitions, where he found even more competitive success. Some of his most notable achievements include winning the Spring 2024 CECC West Regionals and finishing top 32 in Guilty Gear Strive at Evo 2024. In addition to these new achievements, Leeper has continued winning championships in the CFGC, winning again in Guilty Gear for a total of 3 championships.
Leeper has shown himself to be just as driven in his academic pursuits. Leeper enrolled in Boise State with an associate’s degree earned in high school and immediately started pursuing a Bachelor’s in Computer Science in the College of Engineering. He is currently in his last semester of study, and is getting close to earning his degree in just five semesters!
“I like looking/sorting through/understanding data, which is a lot of CS. And the degree can lead me towards that type of profession,” said Leeper. “Boise State’s CS program is pretty fine. Most professors are great and they give a lot of resources to learn both in lecture and out.”
Looking Ahead
Once graduated, Leeper looks to continue his competitive career thanks to his partnership with BadMoon. While many people in his position might feel anxious about their competitive future, Leeper looks to continue his journey with the same mindset that has earned him much success up to this point, have fun above all else.
“The most fundamental aspect to ‘performing well’ is just to understand what you enjoy about the games in the first place,” said Leeper. “I feel like plenty of people take away that aspect in pursuit of simply winning for the sake of winning, which means they are more sour to results where they lose. Having fun while competing, then checking the VOD’s to see what could’ve been played better and labbing it out is the main/only way I have improved, to be honest.”
OnePlus Steps into Esports: Partners with Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids to Power India’s Gaming Future
Bengaluru,16 May 2025: OnePlus, the global technology brand known for delivering fast and smooth smartphone experiences, is officially entering the world of Indian esports. The brand today announced its partnership with three top-tier esports teams—Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids—reinforcing its commitment to building a gaming-first ecosystem. The partnership extends to deep product integration, with […]
Bengaluru,16 May 2025: OnePlus, the global technology brand known for delivering fast and smooth smartphone experiences, is officially entering the world of Indian esports. The brand today announced its partnership with three top-tier esports teams—Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids—reinforcing its commitment to building a gaming-first ecosystem.
The partnership extends to deep product integration, with players providing real-time feedback shaping current and future OnePlus devices. The collaboration aims to bring authentic, on-ground insights into its product development process, ensuring that each device is tested and refined in the most demanding mobile gaming environments.
Through this collaboration, OnePlus reaffirms its commitment to delivering industry-leading performance, particularly in gaming scenarios where frame rates, thermal efficiency, and sustained power matter most. The partnership is not just about creating a presence in esports, it’s about actively contributing to its future by aligning product strategy with the expectations of gamers and the community that supports them.
As part of the partnership, K9 and Cincinnati Kids will now compete as OnePlus Gods Reign, OnePlus K9 and OnePlus Cincinnati Kids — a move that reflects deeper integration and shared focus on delivering smooth, high-performance gaming experiences to a wider community.
“At OnePlus, our community has always been at the core of everything we do. Over the years, we’ve listened closely to our gaming community and understood their need for speed, performance, and reliability. This collaboration reinforces our dedication to the gaming community and marks an exciting step in empowering the next generation of mobile esports athletes,” said Marcel Campos, Director of Product Strategy at OnePlus.
Gaming with Power — The OnePlus 13 Series
The OnePlus 13 Series is engineered to elevate the mobile gaming experience to new heights. Equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the OnePlus 13 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the OnePlus 13R, both devices deliver exceptional performance and high-speed graphics rendering, ensuring a consistently smooth and responsive gameplay experience.
To support extended gaming sessions, the series features a Dual Cryo-Velocity Vapor Cooling System, effectively managing heat and preventing thermal throttling. Whether users are engaged in fast-paced multiplayer battles or exploring graphically demanding open-world environments, the OnePlus 13 Series maintains optimal performance frame after frame.
Backed by a powerful 6,000mAh battery and 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging, the OnePlus 13 Series enables longer playtimes with minimal downtime. With its combination of raw power, efficient thermal management, and sustained frame stability, the OnePlus 13 Series is purpose-built for gamers who demand peak performance.
Meet the Team:
OnePlus Gods Reign
A Bangalore-based esports powerhouse, Gods Reign is home to some of India’s most celebrated BGMI athletes. Known for their precision, strategy, and unmatched synergy, they’ve claimed titles at BGIS and BGMS and were runners-up at BMPS — with their 2023 win at BGIS still legendary. In 2025 they won the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series with new roster additions and a sharper mindset.
OnePlus K9
Born out of grassroots talent and driven by discipline, K9 is one of India’s fastest-rising BGMI teams. From dominating community tournaments to securing podium finishes at ESL BGMI Snapdragon Pro Series, Red Bull MEO, and BGIS, K9 is proof that strategy and teamwork win championships. Now competing as OnePlus K9, the team is ready to chase global glory.
OnePlus Cincinnati Kids
From overlooked to unstoppable — the Cincinnati Kids are the ultimate underdog story. With no sponsors and minimal spotlight, they kept grinding in unofficial tournaments. It all changed at BGIS 2025, where they shocked fans and rivals alike by finishing 7th in the Grand Finals. Now rebranded as OnePlus Cincinnati Kids, their story is a tribute to grit, passion, and pure love for the game.
OnePlus steps into Esports, partners with leading BGMI teams to power India’s gaming future
Today, OnePlus entered the Indian esports space, announcing a strategic partnership with three competitive gaming teams: Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids. The move marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to building a ‘gaming-first ecosystem’ that combines product innovation with grassroots-level engagement in India’s booming mobile gaming sector. Unlike traditional sponsorships, OnePlus aims […]
Today, OnePlus entered the Indian esports space, announcing a strategic partnership with three competitive gaming teams: Gods Reign, K9, and Cincinnati Kids. The move marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to building a ‘gaming-first ecosystem’ that combines product innovation with grassroots-level engagement in India’s booming mobile gaming sector.
Unlike traditional sponsorships, OnePlus aims to integrate directly with the esports ecosystem, using insights from professional players to guide product development.
Players from each partnered team will provide real-time feedback on device performance during gameplay.
Feedback will be used to optimize critical gaming metrics, including frame rates, power efficiency, thermal management, and input latency.
OnePlus says the focus is on building devices that perform under real tournament conditions, aligning both hardware and software with gamers’ needs.
The brand emphasized that this isn’t just a promotional exercise – it’s a long-term commitment to improving the mobile gaming experience in India through active collaboration with the esports community.
The three teams will now compete under the OnePlus banner:
OnePlus Gods Reign: Based in Bengaluru, this elite BGMI team has claimed top positions at BGIS and BGMS, and was runner-up at BMPS. In 2025, they clinched the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series title after a roster revamp.
OnePlus K9: Known for rising through grassroots competitions, K9 has participated in tournaments like ESL BGMI Snapdragon Pro Series, Red Bull MEO, and BGIS. Their consistent performance has led to the new identity, OnePlus K9.
OnePlus Cincinnati Kids: This team began their journey without sponsors and rose through the ranks, finishing 7th at the BGIS 2025 Grand Finals. Their underdog-to-contender transformation has earned them a strategic tie-up and rebrand as OnePlus Cincinnati Kids.
Speaking about the partnership, Marcel Campos, Director of Product Strategy at OnePlus, said, “Our community has always been central to our work. Over time, we have carefully listened to the gaming community’s demands for speed, performance, and reliability. This collaboration strengthens our commitment to gamers and represents an important step in supporting the future of mobile esports athletes.”
Alongside the partnership announcement, OnePlus showcased its gaming-optimized flagship lineup, the OnePlus 13 Series, which the company says is “built with mobile gamers in mind.”
The OnePlus 13 packs the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform for flagship performance, while the OnePlus 13R runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. Both phones offer advanced GPU performance and sustained frame rates alongside their Dual Cryo-Velocity Vapor Cooling System to manage heat under heavy loads. There’s a massive 6,000 mAh battery with 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging for extended gaming sessions with minimal downtime
OnePlus believes this three-pronged strategy – hardware innovation, grassroots partnerships, and pro-level feedback – will redefine mobile gaming in India. By aligning its product roadmap with the pulse of the esports community, OnePlus is positioning itself as a long-term player in India’s rapidly evolving gaming ecosystem.
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South Fayette Unified Esports Team wins regional title
1 / 3 Celebrating their championship are Team Green members, from left, Miguel Persichetti, Nathan Lyons, Cameron Diehl and Cole Chichester. Courtesy of the South Fayette School District 2 / 3 South Fayette High School’s Team Green […]
South Fayette Unified Esports Team wins regional title
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Celebrating their championship are Team Green members, from left, Miguel Persichetti, Nathan Lyons, Cameron Diehl and Cole Chichester.
Courtesy of the South Fayette School District
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South Fayette High School’s Team Green won the Eastern United States Region Unified Esports championship. Team members are, from left, Miguel Persichetti, Nathan Lyons, Cole Chichester and Cameron Diehl.
Courtesy of the South Fayette School District
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Members of South Fayette High School’s two esports teams
Courtesy of the South Fayette School District
South Fayette High School has become known for its championship teams with multiple WPIAL titles in football and girls basketball, along with a state boys basketball title in 2010 and a state girls basketball championship this year.
Add another championship to the list – unified esports, whose team members composed of both neurotypical and neurodiverse students (those with special needs) compete using video games.
The new Unified Esports Team Green – made up of Miguel Persechetti, Nathan Snyder, Cole Chichester and Cameron Diehl – recently won the championship of the Eastern United States Region, only the second region in the nation to offer unified esports. Team Green amassed a 7-1 record in Mario Kart before moving on to the postseason to capture the championship by a narrow 2-1 victory.
“That’s the idea of unified – bringing those kids together to be able to work together on these teams,” said Dr. Kevin Maurer, esports program director. “That’s the best part. Seeing the mentorship and peer connection that’s happening that otherwise wouldn’t. Students dealing with any type of disability, we check it at the door and those students are just able to be players of the game just like anyone else. We are so proud of the team. They were one team of 37 unified Mario Kart teams across the Eastern United States Region competing in the Special Olympics League.”
South Fayette is in a league that is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and includes students from Freeport, Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Beaver. Funding through a Moonshot Grant from the Grable Foundation was integral in starting the program. Moonshot Grants typically fund research or innovation designed to tackle ambitious and potentially transformative goals.
The team competes in a state-of-the-art esports arena at the high school. Students are involved in the promotion, live-streaming and announcing aspects of the sports. There also is an arena in the middle school.
“In addition to our high school teams and our middle school teams participating in the PIEA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association), we added a Unified Esports team,” Maurer said. “We are the first teams in Pennsylvania to be competing through the Special Olympics in Unified Sports.”
South Fayette High School has two esports teams. Team White is composed of Cole Froelich, Pranav Mantraratnam, Milan Gupta, JR Wolski and Shivanshu De.
Esports is the third unified sport in the district, along with bocce and robotics.
“What’s wonderful about this whole season was that you had students who may never have crossed paths working together on a team,” Maurer said. “Watching the nurturing of the students, who are mentoring each other, the teamwork that goes into it, the sportsmanship, all of those things you see in traditional sports, we observe through this kind of future focus sport.”
Stacey Barth, one of the coaches, spoke with pride about the team’s accomplishments.
“They did such a great job this year, being the first year that we participated in this,” she said. “They really came together as a team. They got along and worked so well together.”
Snyder, a junior, wasn’t even aware of the team when asked by Persechetti to participate.
“I had no real expectations going into this,” he said. “I thought it was something fun to be doing after school and I would meet some new people. We just kept winning. I think we improved over time. … It’s a really rewarding feeling to actually be good at something.”
He’s also benefited from being part of the team.
“Connections, that’s the whole thing,” Snyder said. “I already played a lot of video games as a kid and I feel like I was able to use some of that to make some new friendships. I’ve always been kind of shy in making connections. Getting thrown into esports, it was kind of awkward. But I feel like I was able to work on communication a lot. I just got to talk to more people, and I feel like that was one of the most rewarding things esports gave to me.”
Persechetti, 18, agreed.
“I definitely learned to talk with people better and how to communicate with a team,” said the senior. “I also learned how to strategize in order to play better.”
Persechetti took on the role of team leader, making sure teammates were calm in stressful situations and were in the right mindset for the competition.
“He made sure that he was always keeping the rest of the team upbeat, even if they were getting a little down sometimes,” Barth said. “He always got them back on track.”
Persichetti enjoyed the experience and winning a championship.
“Being able to win was pretty gratifying since we were unsure we were going to win while we were playing. It was pretty close,” Persechetti said.
Esports have grown in popularity collegiately, transforming from niche campus clubs into a significant component of college athletics. Scholarships are available at some colleges for esports participants. Class of 2024 seniors Lincoln George and Luke MacIntosh were the first South Fayette players to receive collegiate esports offers and scholarships. Macintosh is now a member of the Robert Morris University esports team.
“In the future we’re looking forward to having even more teams,” Maurer said. “We’re excited to have some all girl teams as well. It matches up with our district vision. We want to look at future focus programs, student-centered and inclusive. This checks a lot of those boxes for us. Our students are gaming and we’re meeting them where they are.”
United’s A.J. Hixson to compete on St. Francis’ esports team | Sports
ARMAGH, Pa. – United High School senior A.J. Hixson recently took a major step toward his ultimate goal when he committed to join the esports team at St. Francis University. Hixson will major in computer science and minor in cybersecurity. ×
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ARMAGH, Pa. – United High School senior A.J. Hixson recently took a major step toward his ultimate goal when he committed to join the esports team at St. Francis University.
Hixson will major in computer science and minor in cybersecurity.
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By Laura Lombardi The Wellington High School Crusader Overwatch Esports team made an impressive showing at the Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF) High School National Championship… Previous Post Library to Host “Married To Adventure” Next Post A Time to Celebrate, A Time to Care Link 0
By Laura Lombardi The Wellington High School Crusader Overwatch Esports team made an impressive showing at the Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF) High School National Championship…
Iowa high school esports team prepares for state tournament | News
ADEL, Iowa (KCCI) — ADEL, Iowa — Adel-De Soto-Minburn High School’s esports team is making a name for itself in Iowa with a strong performance in Mario Kart. For junior Miller Banse, the esports team gives him an opportunity to play on a team that he otherwise wouldn’t have. “I have a condition called HLHS, […]
ADEL, Iowa (KCCI) — ADEL, Iowa — Adel-De Soto-Minburn High School’s esports team is making a name for itself in Iowa with a strong performance in Mario Kart.
For junior Miller Banse, the esports team gives him an opportunity to play on a team that he otherwise wouldn’t have.
“I have a condition called HLHS, hypoplastic left heart syndrome,” Banse said. “I can’t participate in any other physical sports.”
Banse finds esports a great opportunity to showcase his skills.
“With me not being able to compete in any other sports, this is a great place to come and show off what I’ve learned,” he said.
Esports at ADM is treated as a varsity sport, not just casual gaming.
“It’s not just video games,” Banse said. “During the matches, it gets pretty tense.”
Like other sports at ADM, esports requires dedication and practice. Practice is taken seriously, starting promptly at 4 p.m.
“Practice starts at 4, not 4:01,” said ADM head coach Chris Hatchitt.
The Mario Kart squad has its own drills, focusing on shortcuts, map courses, turns, passes and object uses.
ADM’s Mario Kart team boasts a 6-0 record this season, demonstrating their commitment and skill.
“We come in every single day and put in the work,” Banse said.
ADM will compete in separate 4-versus-4 races against schools from across Iowa, earning points based on race placements. ADM has already qualified for the state tournament next week in Marshalltown, joining other central Iowa programs like Gilbert and Ames.
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