VALDOSTA— The Lowndes High School esports team, known as the “Valhalla Vroomers,” made school history by taking home its first-ever state esports championship in December.

The Valhalla Vroomers, composed of Zay Taylor, Grant Brooks, Tucker Smith, and Jakob Walker, demonstrated the Vikings’ potential with a powerful run through the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game brackets. The school’s secondary team, “Fjord Fjusion,” consisting of Adiel Rodriguez, Lokesh Tammisetty, Kavan Parker, and Daren Horner, had a similarly successful run in the tournament.

At the head of the teams is Head Coach Taylor Payne, who has been leading the program since 2020, coinciding with the addition of Nintendo titles like Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, and Splatoon to the competitive lineup.

The season was not without challenges for the young athletes. Weather disruptions forced several schools to take default wins, but Lowndes High tried to compete whenever possible to get as many points as possible.

Coach Payne stated that the school’s support has been a significant factor in the team’s success. Before heading to the state playoffs, the administration organized a massive sendoff as the athletes boarded the bus.

Due to their tournament runs, the two teams played against one another to determine which would advance to the finals. After a close game, the Valhalla Vroomers advanced to the last game. The championship match against Brookwood High School was intense, but Lowndes secured the win after dominating the races. 

Looking ahead, the team has its sights set on the national PlayVS Cup, where it will face some of the best high school teams in the country. The team that fell in the semi-finals, Fjord Fjusion, now shoots to win the Spring championship to join its sister team in Nationals. With only one senior graduating and backups ready to step up, the future looks bright for the program.

Beyond the trophies and accolades, Coach Payne believes the program makes a difference in students’ lives. 

“What we’ve been trying to advocate for is that there is a lot of team building and social skills within,” stated coach Payne. “We have some kids who struggle with social interaction with other people, and having this has really helped them overall to work on some of these things.”