Esports: Preseason Rankings Released
AURORA – To celebrate the start of the fall sports and activities season, the Colorado High School Activities Association is publishing its preseason poll ranking the top esport programs you should keep an eye on this upcoming season. Below are 10 esports programs you should keep an eye on this season.
The fall esports season includes League of Legends, Rocket League, and, starting this season, Splatoon 3.
Please know that CHSAA will ONLY be doing a preseason coaches poll and all fall sports and activities will be included. Throughout the season, CHSAA will publicize the Seedings Index as a weekly ranking for the sports that have a Seedings Index (field hockey, flag football, football, boys soccer, softball and girls volleyball). These rankings will go live once there are enough games played to populate a ranking (approx. week 3 or 4 for most sports).
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry Creek |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain |
| 3 | Valor Christian |
| 4 | Ponderosa |
| 5 | Mountain Vista |
| 6 | Highlands Ranch |
| 7 | Pueblo West |
| 8 | Centaurus |
| 9 | Chaparral |
| 10 | Cherokee Trail |
Also receiving votes: Grandview, Arvada West, Bear Creek, Legend, Castle View, Fort Collins, Chatfield, Lakewood, STEM School Highlands Ranch, Vista Peak Prep, Columbine, George Washington, Thunderridge, Brighton, Rock Canyon, Regis Jesuit, Denver North, Poudre, Wray, Highland, Douglas County, Arvada, Overland, Smoky Hill, Alameda, Platte Valley, Vail Mountain, Dayspring Christian Academy, Rangeview, Westminster, Berthoud, Jefferson, Clear Creek.
Voted as the top-two esports programs to watch this season, Cherry Creek and Rocky Mountain have both already claimed two esports state championships each. Cherry Creek won the Rocket League state championship in 2022 and the League of Legends state championship in 2023, while Rocky Mountain owns two spring esports championships (one in Super Smash Bros. and the other in Mario Kart). Valor Christian, the reigning Rocket League state champion, lands at No. 3, as the Eagles look to defend their crown. Ponderosa was voted the No. 4 program to watch, despite only reaching the first round of last year’s League of Legends state championship tournament. Mountain Vista, the No. 5 program to watch, is coming off a tremendous spring season, where the Golden Eagles earned the No. 1 seed in Super Smash Bros., and advanced all the way to the semifinals. Highlands Ranch earns the No. 6 spot on the watchlist, thanks to a second-round exit in Rocket League and advancing two of their League of Legends teams to the playoffs last season. Pueblo West, the defending champion in Mario Kart, appears on the rankings right after Highlands Ranch. Centaurus has yet to win a state championship, but the program had an impressive fall in 2023, with a team reaching the second round of the League of Legends state championship tournament, and another reaching the quarterfinals of the Rocket League state championship tournament. The No. 9 team, Chaparral, also had an impressive fall season last year, as it earned the No. 1 seed in the Rocket League state championship tournament and advanced all the way to the semifinals, where the Wolverines fell to Valor Christian. Finally, Cherokee Trail earns the final spot on the watchlist, after reaching the League of Legends state championship final and the Rocket League quarterfinals a season ago.
