Racing for Four: Creek Wood's Esports Dynasty!

This week, Creek Wood High School's Unified Mario Kart team is racing for its fourth consecutive national title through PlayVS. With an undefeated season behind them and a community cheering them on, the Redhawks are once again showing what is possible through scholastic esports.

A Program Built From the Ground Up

Over the past few years, a handful of new sports have started making their way into Dickson County schools. Creek Wood High School went a step further and built something from the ground up: its own Esports program.

For those who may not be familiar, Esports is competitive video gaming. And before you move on, know this: these students are competing at the national level, building real skills, and putting Creek Wood on the map in a way that is hard to ignore.

Chasing a Fourth Straight National Title

This week, Creek Wood's Unified Mario Kart team will race for their fourth consecutive national title through PlayVS, the nation's leading high school esports platform. With an undefeated 8-0 season, they are heading into the championship as a dynasty.

The community is welcome to come cheer the Redhawks on.

Unified Esports Means Something Bigger

The Unified team is made up of students with and without disabilities competing side by side, reflecting the spirit of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools model.

While Esports is not yet an official Special Olympics competitive sport, Creek Wood is actively working to change that. Last year, the team sponsored Tennessee's very first Special Olympics Pilot Esports Competition, introducing the concept to surrounding districts and laying the groundwork for what they hope will become a fully recognized Unified sport in the near future.

Creek Wood did not just show up to win. They showed up to open doors.

Landon Sawyer's Impact

One of the students at the heart of that mission is Landon Sawyer, a junior who has been a cornerstone of the program since his freshman year and has served as team captain for the past four seasons.

Last year, Landon was nominated by his head coach as one of the Tennessean's Students of the Week, where it was noted that his contributions have "redefined what is possible through esports."

Known for his infectious humor, relentless drive, and ability to unite his teammates, Landon has been described as the heart and soul of Creek Wood Esports. He even took his story to YouTube, putting a face and a voice to what Unified Esports looks like at the high school level.

A Full Team Effort

The Unified team is not the only squad that showed up this playoff season. Across multiple game titles, Creek Wood competitors gave everything they had.

Madden: Daylin Rougemont stepped into the bracket and left it all on the table in Round 1.

Mario Kart Varsity: Josh Caldwell, Matthew Swett, Eric Hildebrandt, and Landon Sawyer pushed through Round 2 with grit and heart.

TNTAEL Smash Bros: Jae Swett, Ryan Dolbare, and Jaidyn Jackson played a match that the Creek Wood community can be proud of.

Their seasons may have ended, but the effort they gave is exactly what this program is built on.

More Than a Club

Creek Wood Esports is more than a club. It is a place where students with a range of backgrounds and abilities find competition, community, and purpose.

Under the direction of Coach and CTE Mechatronics Instructor Yvonne B. Schlangen, the program has grown into something few expected when it started, and it is not slowing down.

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