Sheffield student claims eSports National Championship
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It was a big deal when EA Sports brought back a college football video game last summer. People who had not touched a controller in years were out getting new consoles for a taste of nostalgia.
But it was also the chance for a new generation to get its first taste of the video game franchise. And Sheffield High School student Jack Vallejo made the most of his relatively short time playing the game.
Keep reading to learn more about Vallejo’s national accomplishment + Sheffield’s eSports team.
National Champion
You may think of video games as just a fun hobby but Jack Vallejo certainly put the work in to get to where he is today.
According to an article from DevX, Vallejo said he practiced around 600 hours to prepare for his championship run and it certainly paid off.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to win nationally when I started but then after I played the first game, I knew I was going to win.”
~ Jack Vallejo via DevX
Vallejo, playing as Alabama, won the first game of the national tournament, 100-35. You can see why he had the confidence to move forward.
In total, he won 12 games across the qualifying round and the 64-team single-elimination tournament. And his toughest test came in the championship against a student from Scottsbluff (Nebraska) Senior High School.
“It was my closest match of the year. With 48 seconds left, I threw a pick six and he went up by one — that was the only time he led in the game — but I kicked a field goal and won it.”
~ Jack Vallejo via Times Daily
Sheffield High School eSports
ESports continues to grow across the country including right here in Alabama. The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) had six official state championships in the fall of 2024 for games including:
- NBA2K – Eufaula High School
- Rocket League – Bob Jones High School
- Super Smash Bros. – Hoover High School
- Splatoon 3 – Hazel Green High School
- Mario Kart – Auburn High School
- Madden – Bob Jones High School
Sheffield had around 18 kids for the semester, competing in Super Smash Brothers, Rocket League and, of course, EA Sports College Football.
The school is expected to work in a new space for the eSports program in future construction projects at the school.
“It’s not weird; it’s actually fun. It’s just like every other sport … you’re just not outside, you’re on the stick. You’re still competing with other people.”
~ Jack Vallejo via Times Daily
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