MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — The Lake Area Technical College Esports team will compete for the NJCAAE Call of Duty Warzone 2v2 National Championship at 5 p.m. Friday, facing USC Sumter in a best-of-five series. This marks the program’s first national championship appearance since it launched five years ago, according to Lake Area Technical College.

LATC’s Warzone roster features Jose Del Angel of Milbank, S.D., Garrison Steele of Alden, Minn., and Mason Anthony of Nicollet, Minn. The team secured its finals berth after a one-loss regular season, a Region 13 Championship, and a semifinal win over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. After dropping the second match, Coach Bryce LeBlanc urged Del Angel and Steele to “win and move on or lose and go home,” and the duo responded with a strong final-round performance.

The championship run reflects rapid growth within LATC Esports, which has expanded from a small club to more than 30 students competing in nine titles across two collegiate leagues. Teams have participated in multiple LAN events this season, including the Midwest Clash in Chicago and a CCL playoff hosted by Dakota State University.

Players said the season has been both competitive and meaningful. Del Angel said reaching the national finals has been a highlight, noting his focus on communication and aggressive play. Steele added that his 10 eliminations in last week’s semifinal were a memorable moment in his final year with the program.

LATC Esports is coached by LeBlanc and Levi Olson, both former collegiate players. LeBlanc said this fall marked the program’s strongest season yet, with four regional qualifiers, one regional champion, three national qualifiers and the upcoming championship appearance.

Supporters can watch Friday’s match in person at the LATC Esports Lab beginning at 3:30 p.m., or online at twitch.tv/latcesports.