News

Groveport Madison High School has a new state champion! Our Esports program brought home the 2026 OHSAA-sanctioned title in Fortnite.

Esports competition, short for electronic sports, has been growing in popularity and recognition over the last 15 years. In Ohio, it is a sanctioned sport of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). There are around 150 member schools in Ohio, divided into four regions. The top six teams, twenty-four total, made their way to tournament play this February.

Groveport Madison competed at the Central Southeast Regional on February 21 at Ohio University. They picked up the regional win, and moved on to state competition. There were three rounds of gameplay, and GMHS won all three rounds.

“It was an incredible accomplishment by our team and I am very proud of them,” says Head Coach Scott Wilson.

The team won by the largest margin in the history of the Esports Ohio State Tournament. No player dropped at any point, another unprecedented feat at the state level.

The Groveport Madison esports program was founded by teachers Coach Scott Wilson and Ben Weinhold in 2021. Coach Wilson was already busy as a girls and boys tennis coach for the school when he noticed a unique need:

“I had students in my classes who I could tell wanted to be a part of something but might not have had the skills needed to play football, basketball, volleyball etc. I wanted to make available an opportunity for those students to be a part of something and also compete.“

Coach Wilson adds that support from Deputy Superintendent Paul Smathers, who was principal at Groveport Madison High School at the time, and the district’s Technology Department, especially Technology Coordinator Juan Cordova, was integral to launching the esports program and ensuring the equipment met competition standards.

The program continues to receive support from school administration, especially GMHS Principal Jeff Altman, "This win showcases the talents our kids have. I am incredibly proud of our students and educators. They have been working hard on their craft for months and it all paid off. Cruisers are bringing home hardware to the community of Groveport Madison!"

Esports provides students with a place to belong and compete while also opening doors for future success. Class of 2025 senior Christian Alvarez played varsity for Fortnite, and received a scholarship from Marietta College to join its Esports team, where he currently competes.

This season, Groveport Madison competed at the varsity level in Fortnite, coached by Scott Wilson, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, coached by Trent Wilcoxin. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team competed in the regional tournament and finished third place. At the club level, teams also competed in Marvel Rivals, coached by Ben Weinhold, and Chess, coached by David Hecht.

While Groveport Madison teams have competed in postseason tournaments before, this marks the first regional and state title in esports competition for the district. The season began in September and concluded with this historic championship win.

Members of the 2026 State Championship esports team are Hernan Dorado, Santiago Contreras, Sebastian Contreras, Nate Yerian, and Apollo Taylor.