Unified Esports: Smoky Hill Repeats as State Champions in Mario Kart

LAKEWOOD – History was made again as Smoky Hill High School was the first program to win consecutive unified esports state championships for Colorado.

With a final game score of 146-88, the Smoky Hill Buffaloes – Zachary Thomason, Reese Nuwawsh, Alfonzo Carson, Flynn Latta, and Jrew Blessitt – won 2-0 in a best-of-three competition of Mario Kart.

“This team is everything to me,” Smoky Hill head coach Stephanie Sturm said. “I look around and I’m so proud of every one of these kids. I have the strongest connections with some of these athletes and partners, and to have them take on this win and just give everything they can to that, to the courses, the virtual courses, is awesome to see, and I’m just very proud of every single one of them.”

Hosted at Localhost, Thursday’s Unified Esports State Championships was a battle between Grand River Academy – an activities-only CHSAA member school – and the 2025 defending champions, Smoky Hill High School.

“[The partners] communication was still strong, and it’s just an amazing experience to be able to be back-to-back champs of the CHSAA State Championship title,” said Stephanie Sturm.

This marked the first state championship appearance for Grand River. The Raptors’ esports team members included – Hunter Kolenc, Stance Seely, Robynn Cobb, Alexcis Murphy, and Jamie Fortenberry – who are bringing home the school’s first runner-up title in any activity.

Smoky Hill’s Alfonzo Carson spoke of the pride he felt when being crowned champions after the difficult final course of Rainbow Road. “Happy,” is what he had to say about the relief of the competition ending with Smoky Hill on top.

Thursday’s event signaled CHSAA’s second year crowning a unified esports state champion, with Smoky Hill repeating as champions in familiar fashion.