Esports duo caps regular season with 10-match winning streak, clinches playoff spot

The fall collegiate season of Esports is wrapping up for Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), but the Call of Duty Gunfight team is not ready to be done yet. The team of J.T. Lucius and Konner Allendorf finished their regular season with a 10-1 record, putting them at the top of the standings and locked into a playoff spot.

After losing their first game of the season to Amarillo College, Lucius and Allendorf have rattled off 10 match wins in a row. The duo is 31-7 overall and is three games clear of second place in the win column.

"We figured we'd be middle of the pack," Allendorf said, "but we didn't expect to be at the top."

"We thought we could up the team from last year," Lucius added, "but this is amazing!"

The most surprising part about this sophomore tandem is that neither competed on the Call of Duty team in the 2024-2025 season. They had only played non-competitively together as friends, but approached Head Coach Verrick Foust about the possibility.

"J.T. and Konner expressed interest in playing after our last team competed in the spring semester," Coach Foust said. "They're on an incredible winning streak, which is an amazing achievement considering there are more than 170 colleges we compete against. I'm extremely proud of their hard work and dedication, and I know this confidence has carried over into every area of their college experience."

Lucius and Allendorf both credit their communication as a key factor in their success. Knowing each other's playing styles and strengths helped them reach postseason play, but there are goals they want to accomplish before the fall season ends.
"We want to keep being the top team," Lucius said.

The Cougars' Call of Duty Gunfight postseason run starts Thursday, Nov. 13, at 5 pm against Herkimer County Community College. Catch the first round action livestream at youtube.com/@niccesports.