Team Coast: back like the tide
Riot·1/10/2015, 2:53:25 AM·0 votes·4,950 views
When Team Coast was relegated from the NA LCS after the 2014 Spring Split, the organization persevered and continued to compete on a Challenger level. They refused to bow out quietly, cycling through multiple roster combinations, but ultimately struggling to break back in. From Koreans to Europeans to ex-members, it took Coast some time to figure out their optimal lineup and once again qualify for the NA LCS. A couple names on the final roster may look familiar, like Matthew ‘Impaler’ Taylor and Jesse ‘Jesiz’ Le, but Cristian ‘Cris’ Rosales and Brandon ‘DontMashMe’ Phan stand out as players who have battled their way back to the pinnacle of competitive League.
Though Cris’ first venture in the NA LCS had a disheartening ending, he wasn’t ready to turn the page. His time with Velocity gave him a taste of competing against the best, but Cris suddenly found himself out in the cold. From the end of 2013 and throughout 2014, he bounced from various Challenger teams before finally landing with Team Coast.
"I think the biggest thing that has kept me going is the desire to win, and I want to be up there with some of the best teams in NA," Cris said. "I love competing and I’ve worked really hard. It’s been a long road but I’m glad it’s starting to pay off."
His mettle may have been tested at every turn, but Cris has weathered the road to stay in esports. He’ll even have chances to lane against his recent replacement, Kevin ‘Hauntzer’ Yarnell, on Gravity Gaming, but he’s more looking forward to measuring himself against powerhouse top laners Diego ‘Quas’ Ruiz, Darshan ‘Zionspartan’ Upadhyaya, and An ‘Balls’ Le.
In an interview with Team Dignitas, Matthew ‘Impaler’ Taylor, Coast’s jungler, attributes part of their success against Fusion to Cris. “We dropped the Maokai prioritisation and went back to our own style of play to secure the next 3 wins.” His games on Maokai were less than impressive, going 2-8-15 and 3-6-4 in games one and two. But when given the liberty, he helped carry Coast to victory on Rumble, Jarvan IV, and Irelia.
DontMashMe stepped down from his AD carry position on Team Coast during Season 3 and even considered retiring entirely. He felt there was a lack of team dynamic and synergy with his past teams and supports, but now he’s feeling confident about his teammates.
“I've had the pleasure of working with a bunch of the best talent when it comes to NA, but none of the supports come close to the dynamic Sheep and I have. Both inside and outside of game we keep each other motivated and are constantly striving to improve,” Mash said.
“Being away from the LCS made me pretty emotional and I know what it’s like to be anticipating a spot after relegations," Mash said. "I’ve felt the pressure of fighting my way back in. Although this was a hard time for me, it gives me the strength now to work harder than ever before.”
Though he nearly left the scene, Mash decided to continue playing for various Challenger teams like vVv Gaming Red and Curse Academy before returning to Team Coast with its entirely fresh roster. Spending a full season outside of the LCS helped Mash to figure out whether or not he wanted to continue to play competitively.
“What keeps me fighting is my goal to compete with the best and synergize well enough with my team to compete in worlds,” he said. “Keeping my dream alive is something that is worth fighting for and towards every day. I want to show my fans and the other regions how good NA talent can be.”
Some might bask in their victory after an accomplishment like earning their spot in the LCS, but Mash knows exactly what he and his team need to do if they want to see any success.
“We have to find a way to bring our play styles together, communicate effectively, and figure out each team and the way they strategize and play,” Mash said. It’s a daunting task, but it’s not stopping him from dreaming big.
“Our goal is to achieve a spot in the top four NA teams and the end goal is a place in Worlds.”
Photos courtesy of ESL.
Cris: at the top of Coast’s wave
Though Cris’ first venture in the NA LCS had a disheartening ending, he wasn’t ready to turn the page. His time with Velocity gave him a taste of competing against the best, but Cris suddenly found himself out in the cold. From the end of 2013 and throughout 2014, he bounced from various Challenger teams before finally landing with Team Coast.
"I think the biggest thing that has kept me going is the desire to win, and I want to be up there with some of the best teams in NA," Cris said. "I love competing and I’ve worked really hard. It’s been a long road but I’m glad it’s starting to pay off."
His mettle may have been tested at every turn, but Cris has weathered the road to stay in esports. He’ll even have chances to lane against his recent replacement, Kevin ‘Hauntzer’ Yarnell, on Gravity Gaming, but he’s more looking forward to measuring himself against powerhouse top laners Diego ‘Quas’ Ruiz, Darshan ‘Zionspartan’ Upadhyaya, and An ‘Balls’ Le.
In an interview with Team Dignitas, Matthew ‘Impaler’ Taylor, Coast’s jungler, attributes part of their success against Fusion to Cris. “We dropped the Maokai prioritisation and went back to our own style of play to secure the next 3 wins.” His games on Maokai were less than impressive, going 2-8-15 and 3-6-4 in games one and two. But when given the liberty, he helped carry Coast to victory on Rumble, Jarvan IV, and Irelia.
DontMashMe: Back for Blood
DontMashMe stepped down from his AD carry position on Team Coast during Season 3 and even considered retiring entirely. He felt there was a lack of team dynamic and synergy with his past teams and supports, but now he’s feeling confident about his teammates.
“I've had the pleasure of working with a bunch of the best talent when it comes to NA, but none of the supports come close to the dynamic Sheep and I have. Both inside and outside of game we keep each other motivated and are constantly striving to improve,” Mash said.
“Being away from the LCS made me pretty emotional and I know what it’s like to be anticipating a spot after relegations," Mash said. "I’ve felt the pressure of fighting my way back in. Although this was a hard time for me, it gives me the strength now to work harder than ever before.”
Though he nearly left the scene, Mash decided to continue playing for various Challenger teams like vVv Gaming Red and Curse Academy before returning to Team Coast with its entirely fresh roster. Spending a full season outside of the LCS helped Mash to figure out whether or not he wanted to continue to play competitively.
“What keeps me fighting is my goal to compete with the best and synergize well enough with my team to compete in worlds,” he said. “Keeping my dream alive is something that is worth fighting for and towards every day. I want to show my fans and the other regions how good NA talent can be.”
Some might bask in their victory after an accomplishment like earning their spot in the LCS, but Mash knows exactly what he and his team need to do if they want to see any success.
“We have to find a way to bring our play styles together, communicate effectively, and figure out each team and the way they strategize and play,” Mash said. It’s a daunting task, but it’s not stopping him from dreaming big.
“Our goal is to achieve a spot in the top four NA teams and the end goal is a place in Worlds.”
Photos courtesy of ESL.
