Demacia Division - Week Two Game Summary
Team ShadowFrost versus CB Masquerade: Team ShadowFrost wins 2-0 - A strong and consistent effort by Team ShadowFrost in both games helped them to secure this series. Game One clearly could have gone both ways and that speaks to the ability of both teams. Quite frankly, I think the Game Two draft by Team ShadowFrost was a masterpiece in regards to team composition for, as soon as they had the lead, it was dooming CB Masquerade to the meat grinder. I appreciate the unorthodox pick of Cassiopeia top by CB Masquerade as well by CB Dolly - anything to shake things up and not simply roll over should be commended. SG Jak continues to deliver strong performances game in and game out. Special shoutout to Kaos Squid - while people may look at the Rumble in Game Two, the Kennen in Game One was pivotal and a necessary piece in that victory in the end.
Conduit Esports Goblins versus Hyperion Gaming Heretics: Conduit Esports Goblins wins 2-0. This series was a statement by Conduit Esports Goblins that the top tier in this Division consists of them and CB Shield right now. While Game Two was very close indeed between these two teams. Hyperion clearly showed that they can hang and could have forced a decisive third game between these teams if a teamfight or two went differently. There’s no doubt that I feel this series could be vastly different if these two teams meet in the playoffs down the road. Beastieric123’s Ashe was a constant thorn in the side of Hyperion Gaming Heretics. Special shoutout to gvgnumber1 who was able to effectively contain and eventually get the upper hand in the midlane matchup.
CB Shield versus TE Genesis: CB Shield wins 2-0 - It’s hard to focus on this series from the side of TE Genesis. It’s best to just move forward beyond this week and show the talent present on this roster. CB Shield undoubtedly dominated in the jungle and botlane and were able to cruise to a relatively painless series. They remain, in my eyes, one of the best teams in the League and nothing that occurred this week changes that. Right3ous was a bright light in game two on Gnar for TE Genesis that did as much as could be expected of them. Special shoutout to Afkboulder for their exceptional support play on Renata and Rakan, doing exactly what a toptier support does in a series.
Piltover Pokes versus RCG Abyssal Nightmare: Piltover Pokes wins 2-1. A fantastic series between two very close teams. Game Three was a bit of a disappointment given how strong the other two games were but that may just speak of the quiet strength that Piltover Pokes has. When you win practically everywhere, life can be sweet. This series was turned on its head due to the change in who won botlane. Sunbird’s Xayah continued to be a force to be reckoned with and a high priority throughout the series until they lost on it. Nikolai K keeps on performing admirably on strong initiate champions like Jarvan and Zac. RCG Abyssal Nightmare faces a critical matchup this week versus Hyperion that could have substantial playoff implications. Piltover Pokes has had an impressive two weeks thus far. Special shoutout to Lyranea whose Nami was dominant in the two games that Piltover Pokes won.
Demacia Division Power Rankings
CB Shield - No reason to move them a single spot. Until they face Conduit Esports Goblins, it is unlikely anything could shake them from here.
Conduit Esports Goblins - Given how the Division is two weeks in, it feels like them and CB Shield are heavy favorites for a playoff spot. They haven’t stumbled yet.
Hyperion Gaming Heretics - Far from their best week and they could have easily dropped down the Rankings. This week will reveal a lot about this team.
Piltover Pokes - Piltover Pokes has had a strong first two weeks and, though they face CB Shield, I think respect should be put on their name.
Team ShadowFrost - If they can give Goblins everything they can handle, then this is a playoff team. A strong win this week is what you like to see.
RCG Abyssal Nightmare - Took Piltover Pokes to three games and, if they win this week, I truly believe that they have the inside track on a playoff spot.
TE Genesis - Most teams have a singular series victory in their books. Genesis unfortunately ran into CB Shield this week. This week will be significant for them in their quest to turn it around. If they lose, it will be hard to secure a playoff spot.
CB Masquerade - Unfortunately, Team ShadowFrost is a likely competitor for a playoff spot and, without a series win, they slip down here for now.
Demacia Division Week Three Predictions
TE Genesis 2-1 CB Masquerade.
Hyperion Gaming Heretics 2-1 RCG Abyssal Nightmare
CB Shield 2-0 Piltover Pokes
Conduit Esports Goblins 2-1 Team ShadowFrost
Series to Watch:
TE Genesis versus CB Masquerade - I feel like it is unfair to call a Week Three game a “Must Win” but, with three weeks in the books, one team is going to be 0-3 and basically beginning their playoffs. Urgency will be the name of the game for these two teams. CB Masquerade will look to a strong effort from SG Jak in order to win and turn their season around. TE Genesis was a team that I still have faith in and, as they faced one of the presumptive favorites, I don’t fault them for not winning a series yet. That being said, now is the time for them to start showing what their identity as a team is. With various roster changes on a weekly basis on TE Genesis, this is my series to focus on in this Division.
Ionia Division - Week Two Game Summary
Mystic Cats Gold versus TE Eternity - Mystic Cats Gold wins 2-1: Mystic Cats Gold continues to quietly impress me on a weekly basis and, in a good way, always question my Power Rankings in this Division. Two close games in Games Two and Three indicate a strong series where players stepped up when necessary. Coach Eggboi picking the Akshan mid was a fantastic choice that paid off in spades. TE Eternity showed resilience but came up a bit short. If they can continue to improve, they could still do some damage in this Division. Special shoutout to the botlane of Mystic Cats Gold, Bloo17 and Squintz, were the deciding factor in this series in my eyes.
Going Ghost versus TE Phantasm - Going Ghost wins 2-1. Going Ghost was given all that they could handle versus TE Phantasm who, perhaps, deserved a better fate. I deeply enjoy looking at TE Phantasm’s drafts as there is both strategy and unpredictability in how they go about assembling their teams. They appear confident in a variety of styles and took a game off of Going Ghost, pushing them to the limit. The solo lanes of TE Phantasm were crucial in their Game Two victory. That being said, Going Ghost was ultimately able to eke out a series victory as Belesaurus was able to be a menace in the ADC role the entire series. While Going Ghost’s roster did change this week a bit, their results did not and full credit to them. We’ll see if they can continue to perform at this high level if the heat is turned up. Shoutout to Killgar for two powerful games on the Aurelion Sol as well for TE Phantasm did not seem to have an answer.
Literal Monkeys versus Mythical Esports Hydra - Literal Monkeys wins 2-1. Literal Monkeys built off their strong start in Game One in order to secure a three game series victory against Mythical Esports Hydra. The fact that this series was a full three games speaks to the strengths of both of these teams. 19nakedcowboys was able to get up close and personal with Mythical Esports Hydra with multiple games on Maokai and a game on Rakan. iEnders continues to be a force to be reckoned with as they had relatively good scorelines even in the two losses. While I would not call them an overt win condition, they always seem to turn in a good performance. Unfortunately for Mythical Esports Hydra, they just could not get anything done toplane in their two losses and FVR Stubby ran rampant in Games One and Three. Special shoutout to Antion who matched iEnders at the very least and arguably outperformed them over the series.
Conduit Esports Spark versus Degenerates Esports Eternal - Conduit Esports Spark wins 2-0. A strong showing by Conduit Esports Spark here who likely did not have the Week One result they were hoping to have. Bouncing back like this in a convincing fashion makes me feel like Week One was the exception and not the norm. Batman0308 in the jungle was simply able to exert their will over Rich which made it hard for Degenerates Esports Eternal to gain any traction during the series. As they are undergoing multiple changes and roleswaps, I commend them for not resting on their laurels. I expect them to come out guns blazing this week and perhaps even upset TE Phantasm - but I’ll need to see it first. Special shoutout to Skwigg who took on KyloRyski’s Yorick and Trundle with his champions and not only survived but thrived in the toplane.
Ionia Division Power Rankings
Going Ghost - Took care of business against a very good TE Phantasm team, a little stumble doesn’t change their position.
Conduit Esports Spark - Convincing bounceback has me feeling that this team’s veterans know how to adjust.
Literal Monkeys - Every time I count this team out, they remind me to never do so. I fear I’m jinxing them by putting them this high but we’ll find out.
TE Phantasm - Faced a hard Going Ghost team, likely to shoot right back up the Power Rankings next week.
Mystic Cats Gold - Quietly a stronger team than I likely gave them credit for, they fight to the very end.
Mythical Esports Hydra - Stuck in a bit of limbo for this week. I expect their series with Conduit Esports Spark to be an indicator of where things sit in this Division.
TE Eternity - They seem on the verge of a breakout but, if they lose this week, it’ll be hard for them to rebound and secure a playoff spot.
Degenerate Esports Eternal - Still looking for their footing two weeks in with substantial roleswaps and changes.
Ionia Division Week Three Predictions
Going Ghost 2-1 TE Eternity
TE Phantasm 2-0 Degenerates Esports Eternal
Conduit Esports Spark 2-1 Mythical Esports Hydra
Literal Monkeys 2-1 Mystic Cats Gold
Series to Watch:
Conduit Esports Spark versus Mythical Esports Hydra: While there were multiple potential selections for the series to watch, I am going for a series featuring two teams that are looking to solidify their grasp on a playoff spot and, perhaps, put themselves clearly in the top echelon of teams in this Division. As previously stated by me on a seemingly weekly basis, I feel this Division is a bit of a crucible where there are no easy weeks and that any team, even now, should fairly have playoff ambitions. Every week is crucial and every win is necessary. With Conduit Esports Spark surging, can Mythical Esports Hydra throw a wrench into their plans?
Noxus Division - Week Two Game Summary
Clown Gaming It versus TD Embrace - - TD Embrace wins 2-1. - Will not discuss any Clown Gaming It series here.
The Epidemic versus TPO Goats - The Epidemic wins 2-0. While both of the games were relatively close, The Epidemic rebounded this week and secured a strong victory. SingularBread was able to affect the map substantially in both games of the series. Teelos on Swain was the stuff of nightmares and caused headaches for the Goats. The roleswap of The Epidemic’s solo laners worked out. That being said, Downfall was a bright spot for TPO Goats and their botlane will continue to be relied upon this week by TPO Goats to guide them to their first win. For being 0-2 thus far, TPO Goats continues to appear strong and solid. I feel like I’ll be talking about an “upset” in the coming weeks that wasn’t truly an upset. Special shoutout to Teelos again as his Swain and Syndra were dominant in both games and were exactly what The Epidemic needed in order to secure the series.
DZG Arcadia versus !rawr - DZG Arcadia wins 2-1. !rawr continues to be a team that you have no clue what to expect when it comes to them. This was epitomized in Game One, where DZG’s BaegopaQc had a dominant performance as Olaf that wasn’t enough as !rawr won. Naturally, DZG Arcadia came back to sweep the series and adjust. DokiFTW roleswaps along with Moowy in Game Three which ends up being a decisive victory by DZG Arcadia. Do not try to understand !rawr, just accept them. That being said, DZG Arcadia took advantage and did not fall into the trap !rawr was potentially laying for them. Surged and Tsuki had fantastic games all throughout the series. Special highlight to Tsuki whose play on Irelia and Yone were major factors in DZG Arcadia turning around the series.
TDS Knights versus Slurp Squad - TDS Knights wins 2-0. Game One was, simply put, a shellacking by TDS Knights. NotSoDark on Jinx destroyed everyone in their path and the rest of the Knights were able to position themselves to take advantage of every misstep that Slurp Squad had. Slurp Squad was able to adapt a bit between games but the result ended up the same once more. TDS Knights looks like an early juggernaut in this Division and a heavy favorite to do some damage in the playoffs. While Swedish Pancakes had a dominant series along with the rest of the Knights, I have to give a special shoutout to NotSoDark, who almost had thirty kills in this two game series. That’s nothing short of astonishing.
Ionia Division Power Rankings
TDS Knights - Exceptionally hard to knock a team that continues to deliver strong and dominating performances plus they have not dropped a game.
TD Embrace - Unlucky first week most likely, hard to hit them too hard in the Power Rankings for a three game series. Bounced back in a big way in Week Two and showed they are absolutely one of the top teams in this Division.
DZG Arcadia - Two weeks, two wins. Results speak for themselves but they have been pushed to the limit both series. Will that continue this week?
!rawr - !rawr always makes you wonder what will come next. Was DZG Arcadia a sleeper team in this Division all along?
The Epidemic - A quiet climb for The Epidemic. The middle of the Division is unsettled. I’m putting them below !rawr to light a fire under them.
Slurp Squad - While I think we haven’t seen the best of Slurp Squad yet, they do need to win a game or series in the coming weeks.
TPO Goats - They are currently in a difficult position and ran into a hot team in The Epidemic.
Ionia Division Week Three Predictions
Will not predict Clown Gaming It versus DZG Arcadia
The Epidemic 2-1 !rawr
TD Embrace 2-0 Slurp Squad
TDS Knights 2-1 TPO Goats
Series to Watch:
The Epidemic versus !rawr - SingularBread versus DokiFTW. This is the sort of magical matchup we only get a few times a year potentially. !rawr continues to always be an enigma in the sense that I don’t ever feel like any prediction I ever have for them will be correct. The roleswap that The Epidemic did paid dividends and generated results in Week Two. I have my eyes on the midlane matchup between Moowy and Teelos as well - both players have shown the ability to take control of a game if resources are sent their way so look to the junglers to try to get their midlaner ahead. !rawr did not have a bad Week Two and this matchup could influence playoff spots in this division. I feel like this series will go the distance.
Freljord Week Two Summary
TD Bootleg Ibiza versus CN Craw Daddies - TD Bootleg Ibiza wins 2-0. I dislike that I feel like I am not giving TD Bootleg Ibiza their proper due for a strong two game sweep over CN Craw Daddies. They did well in Game One and Game Two was nearly perfection. The sort of game that you dream of in Champion Select. Nothing went right for CN Craw Daddies in Game Two as they lost everywhere and lost convincingly at that. Best to just erase that from one’s memory and move on. The difference that Adishawn and chj were able to have over the course of the series meant every small gain was magnified throughout the game. With some recent roster changes for CN Craw Daddies, it’s entirely possible that we’ll see a revitalized team going forward. Special shoutout to Rigamortus this week as they absolutely obliterated CN Craw Daddies on pressure and presence in the games.
Titan Mnemosyne versus Conduit Esports Sussers - Titan Mnemosyne wins 2-0. First of all, I need to state that Titan Mnemosyne deserved this win and credit to them for coming out with a dominant performance. Two very convincing victories after an unfortunate Week One surely turns the narrative about this team and what they are capable of. Dawnie was able to not only be a powerful threat of their own in the jungle but was also able to punish olenoname as well. DeezyG of the Sussers seemed to have a relatively good series and minimized their own mistakes but perhaps the walls crumbled around them. I do not wish to throw any shade against the Sussers as I feel they can do better than this as they do have high peaks but this was a week that reflected their deep valleys as well. I am not that worried about them but I will not deny this is the sort of week that gets remembered weeks down the road or at the next stumble. Special shoutout to GC Stonkeykong69 who was well aware of what they needed to do midlane throughout the series and executed it nearly to perfection.
CB Hydra versus Clinical - CB Hydra wins 2-0: Beware, my worst pun of the split thus far is incoming - CB Hydra’s victory versus their opponents this week was, dare I say, clinical. This is not to say again that there were not bright spots as Fastbeyondlight continued to have another strong showing this week and Bunnykiller96’s Mordekaiser was effective in Game Two. Still, CB Hydra was able to effectively best them in two games. Again, it is difficult to say too many negative things about Clinical as they now know what the bar is in regards to where they need to be down the road. Special shoutout to Wupong for shoving Zeri down Clinical’s throats for two straight games with impressive scorelines.
Conduit Esports Ghost versus Nameless Asylum - Conduit Esports Ghost wins 2-0: While it is not fair to punish Nameless Asylum for a second week where an issue arose (eSub ban losses both games), these instances sadly make it difficult to know and assess how good this team is. They gave Conduit Esports Ghost a run for their money in Game Two and the combination of I am Deo and UbeyChayChay clearly threatened taking this series to a third and deciding game. Conduit Esports Ghost handled Nameless Asylum in the end and their path definitely gets bumpier this upcoming week with a date with CB Hydra on the agenda. Full credit to them for doing what needed to be done this week. Special shoutout to Merciful Crow for two games on dominant and effective Aurelion Sol play versus I am Deo.
Freljord Power Rankings
CB Hydra - Will remain here for another week, though Conduit Esports Ghost should present a substantial challenge.
Conduit Esports Ghost - No change, date with CB Hydra looms large on how this Division’s end result will be.
TD Bootleg Ibiza - They can’t climb just yet, but their strong and reliable gameplay has them knocking on the top tier of this Division for good reason.
Titan Mnemosyne - A sizable shift deserves a sizable jump. This roster could do some serious damage if people underestimate them once more.
Conduit Esports Sussers - I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect them to have that result in Week Two. Hard to get a read on them now.
Clinical - Slight drop but that’s okay. They have a good chance to get back on track this week.
CN Craw Daddies - Not a poor team by any stretch, just haven’t been able to generate the momentum they need yet this split.
Nameless Asylum - While they deserve a better fate than they have had the last two weeks, they’ll need to dig deep to climb out of the unfortunate hole they are in.
Ionia Division Week Three Predictions
CB Hydra 2-1 Conduit Esports Ghost
Titan Mnemosyne 2-1 Nameless Asylum
Clinical 2-1 CN Craw Daddies
TD Bootleg Ibiza 2-1 Conduit Esports Sussers
Series to Watch:
Conduit Esports Ghost versus CB Hydra - Rather hard to not circle this one as the matchup of the week across the League. This could easily be a series that has a rematch down the road with far bigger implications - and that’s with me believing that this series will go the distance and ultimately decide first place in the division. If you’ve been noticing my Power Rankings throughout the split, this is the first time I’d argue two top-five teams are going at it. I do not want to make any further predictions other than it going the distance - let the results speak for themselves in the end. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say next week about it.
Overall Power Rankings
CB Shield - Nothing shaking them out of here right now.
CB Hydra - Another strong week, no change, well deserved for this team to be near the top.
Going Ghost - Two weeks, two wins. They are among the cream of the crop in this League.
Conduit Esports Ghost - Continued success and dominance make them convincing a top five team at least.
TDS Knights - Waiting patiently for any team to stumble even a bit. Every week they show up and make a strong statement.
TD Bootleg Ibiza - Slight adjustment down but not from a particularly poor showing. Still very strong.
Conduit Esports Goblins - Beating Hyperion put a lot of separation between them and almost every other team in their Division.
TD Embrace- Continued strong plays, taken to the limit both weeks. This team is strong and keeps improving.
Literal Monkeys - They always just find a way to win. Strong team compositions that punish unsuspecting teams.
DZG Arcadia - Although they had some instability, their results speak for themselves. Inside track for playoffs right now.
Honorable Mention: TE Phantasm - Cannot ding them too much for taking Going Ghost to the limit. We’ll see a more clearer picture of them this week.
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