The Baldwin esports Super Smash Bros. team defeated the Somerset Area High School Golden Eagles 3-1 on Wednesday, earning a spot in the playoffs.

“We treated this game like a must-win,” Coach Nathan Elias said. “While there was some chance we could have snuck in with a loss, our odds were not great.”

There was a lot of pressure to win the match, and Elias was impressed with how the team was able to keep calm despite the stress.

“There were many last-stock games that were a hit for either team,” Elias said. “We consistently found the clutch opportunity to win the games throughout the match.”

Zach Czapko and Christian Hritz stood out in the match. 

“They both took nail-biter sets that went down to the last stock that eventually made the difference in the match,” Elias said. “Without their clutch performances, we likely would not have won.”

The team can still work on varying their playstyles to make it harder for the opponents to adapt mid-match, Elias said. Baldwin’s first playoff game will probably be on Monday, he said.