Fragster covers the teams representing the League Championship Series (LCS) of North America, which will play as host for the 2022 League of Legends World Championship.
Cloud9
When it comes to Worlds, there are a few guarantees that fans easily identify: Korea and China dominating, EU following not far behind, and North America being best represented by C9. Representing the hosts as the reigning LCS champion, C9 is appearing in their ninth overall Worlds after sweeping 100 Thieves 3-0 in the summer playoffs grand finals.
They initially formulated a predominantly Korean roster through the help of LS that featured signing top laner Summit, support Winsome, ADC Berserker. Not only that, through Summit’s arrival, C9 moved Fudge to the mid-lane to field an unorthodox lineup.
Despite various obstacles that fell their way, such as the dismissal of LS less than two weeks into the regular season and the team parting ways with Summit following the spring split, C9 readjusted their squad further, which then paved the way for the return of mid-laner Jensen to the team and Zven, who role-swapped to become their newest starting support.
That set the stage for the summer split where despite going 11-8 and entering playoffs as the fifth seed, C9 stormed through the bracket, beating the likes of a stubborn Counter Logic Gaming, defending champions Evil Geniuses, and 100 Thieves to qualify for the world championship.
For the first time since 2013, Cloud9 are the #LCS Summer Champions! #C9WIN pic.twitter.com/AJdY9IGMVl
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) September 11, 2022
Succeeding through sheer adversity is a theme that has followed C9 for all of 2022, and as the year nears its conclusion, what better to cap it off than with an encore of epic proportions.
100 Thieves
If there was any sentiment that 100T’s 2021 LCS summer split victory was a one-off event, this season may as well have decimated the last remnants of it. Consecutive runner-up placements in both the spring and summer split subsequently earned 100T their second consecutive trip to Worlds and third overall in its history.
Among this year’s LCS delegation, 100T is the only team to have qualified for the event without making a single change to their lineup from last season. The renowned bot lane duo of FBI and Huhi is still in top form even in their third year of partnership having garnered All-Pro selections in both splits.
The same can be said for starting jungler Closer and top laner Ssumday, whose contribution kept 100T well in the running in their hunt for a second LCS crown. Not to be outdone, mid-laner Abbedagge is still manning the mid-lane as his play helped him gain four Player of the Game award throughout the summer split, which was tied for third-most in the league.
In addition to an esteemed coaching staff led by Reapered, 100T looks to fully realize the global heist that had eluded them the year prior. Running it back with the same team has fared well for some in their quest for ultimate glory and 100T hopes such a result happens on their end as well.
Evil Geniuses
Of the three teams representing NA for this competition, none have become so beloved as Evil Geniuses. Two years since the team returned to the LCS, the team had yet to make considerable noise in the scene even after sporting big names within its ranks.
That led to the team taking a different approach to rebuild their roster, scouting and signing NA-born prospects such as Danny and Jojopyun to play in the LCS. Additionally, EG signed LEC MVP Inspired as their new starting jungler and veteran support Vulcan to partner with Danny in the bot lane.
Though a layer of uncertainty hovered around Danny and Jojopyun over whether they could cut it on NA’s big stage, EG went guns blazing, capturing their first-ever LCS crown in the spring split. In the summer split, the team nearly went back-to-back, only to then fall to 100T in the lower bracket finals in playoffs.
Despite Danny stepping away from competition, there’s still reason to believe his replacement Kaori can fill in seamlessly with the team for Worlds. As someone who was called up to the main roster with little to prepare, he still managed to impress in spite of the pressure that was mounted on him, standing toe-to-toe with the region’s best during the LCS championship playoffs.
Header: Riot Games/LCS via ESPAT