LCCC Esports Advances Two to National Final; Xander Taylor Claims Championship

November 19, 2025 - - Lorain County Community College Esports delivered an impressive showing in last night's NJCAAE Hearthstone DIII Opt-In Tournament, sending two players to the national championship match after strong semifinal performances. Both Veronica Gibson (Sandusky, Ohio/Trinity HS) and Xander Taylor (Elyria, Ohio/Huron HS) earned semifinal victories to secure an all-LCCC title matchup, capping a dominant postseason run for the Commodores.

In the semifinals, No. 3 seed Veronica Gibson (Sandusky, Ohio/Trinity HS)) defeated No. 10 seed Matt Walsh of Finger Lakes Community College, 3–1. On the opposite side of the bracket, No. 1 seed Xander Taylor (Elyria, Ohio/Huron HS) battled through a tight contest with No. 4 seed Rylan Roach of Three Rivers College, earning a 3–2 win to advance.

The championship round featured a highly anticipated LCCC vs. LCCC matchup. Coming into the title match, both players were nearly even in total matches played over the course of the season, with Taylor earning five wins to Gibson's four in head-to-head meetings.

Taylor secured the national title with a 3–1 victory over Gibson, closing out the tournament with another strong performance and completing an undefeated postseason run.

LCCC emerges from the event with both the national champion and the national runner-up, marking one of the strongest single-tournament showings in program history.

With his win on Tuesday, Xander Taylor becomes the second LCCC Esports player to claim an NJCAAE Tournament Championship, following Robert Rogers (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview HS), who won the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Division II Championship in 2024.

Next Up:

LCCC will look to capture another championship this Friday as the Commodores advance to the NJCAAE Division III Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3v3 Crew Battle Playoff semifinals. The team is set to face Heartland Community College with a trip to the national championship match on the line.