Cloud9 win the 2022 LCS Summer Split

After a tumultuous 2022 season, Cloud9 are your LCS Summer champions.

Cloud9’s 2022 LCS year ends victoriously

Cloud9 started the year as the team to watch for multiple reasons. A high-profile coaching signing in Nick “LS” De Cesare brought much-needed enthusiasm into the LCS competition. The massive influence and knowledge he had garnered in his time as a caster, analyst and streamer in Korea meant that things were about to change. Despite getting sacked after kicking off the season with a 4-0 record, citing cultural and systematic differences, his mark was made on Cloud9.

He brought in the 2022 LCS Spring MVP, top laner Park “Summit” Woo-tae, and T1 Challengers bot laner Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol. The team floundered in the spring playoffs and decided to make some changes heading into summer. Assistant coach Max Waldo took over after LS left, Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami went back to the top lane, Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen rejoined in the mid lane and bot laner Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen role swapped to support. This roster was brimming with talent, sometimes overlapping in positions, but they all sacrificed for the common goal. And after this dominant showing of sweeping 100 Thieves, they would all agree it was worth it.

Game one

C9 came with full throttle to the floor. LS had blessed C9 with a bot laner coming from the developmental ranks of the world’s most storied franchise in League. Coming to the LCS after playing behind legendary Korean bot laners like Teddy and Gumayushi, nobody knew what to expect of Berserker. But his talent, mechanical prowess, and knowledge of matchups were on full display last night, as well as the entire year. The hyper-aggressive Zeri was enabled by the Nocturne jungle which paired up nicely with the Kennen and LeBlanc solo lanes. 

Game two

The second game was another masterful performance by the C9 coaching staff. Mid laner Jensen pulled out his Zilean, en route to his first LCS title as a member of Cloud9 in his second stint with the team. The top side of 100 Thieves stood no chance against the double support team composition C9 ran, and jungler Blaber always found engages on key targets with his Wukong.

Game three

Berserker’s Sivir was the nail in the coffin for 100 Thieves in game three. Finishing the game with a 13-1-7 scoreline, and a 47 KDA throughout the series. The game was even in the first 15 minutes, but then C9’s team fighting secured them every neutral objective until the game ended. For the first time since 2013, Cloud9 won the summer split. After taking a break for the spring split, mid laner Jensen came back, qualifying for his eighth Worlds appearance, which is a record. Bot laner Zven who has had a long and successful career, was demoted to the Academy roster when Berserker arrived. But his experience and expertise were much needed in the summer when C9 couldn’t upgrade the support role. In his exit interview, he hinted that his future role and team are not yet decided, as he and the rest of the team are preparing for the World Championship kicking off in less than three weeks.

Header: Riot Games