Academy of Richmond County Gaming Team Makes Waves as National Runner-Up

Students from the Academy of Richmond County won second place at the 2025 PlayVS Cup National Championship. Each member of the Street Fighter 6 team won $3,000 in scholarship funds.

In a fierce final match, Musketeer Strike battled but lost 2-6 against the Science Academy of South Texas. This achievement caps an outstanding season for the school's competitive gaming squad.

"Team Musketeer has become a beacon of innovation, resilience, and student achievement—not just in Georgia, but now on a national scale. These victories were made possible through student dedication, strategic coaching, and the unwavering belief that public school esports programs can thrive even with limited resources," said Israel Butler, Esports coach, engineering and technology teacher, Academy of Richmond County, to WRDW.

The players also won the GHSA A-3A State Championship in Rocket League last fall, and they placed 33rd nationwide in the PlayVS Cup Rocket League tournament. This past spring saw them take the PlayVS Eastern Division crown in Street Fighter 6. Their College Football 25 squad scored second in divisional rankings last autumn.