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Sentinels Dominate Cloud9, Win HCS Kansas City 2022

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Sentinels Dominate Cloud9, Win HCS Kansas City 2022

Sentinels return to glory following a win at HCS Kansas City 2022.

Not many knew what to expect heading into the HCS’ visit to Kansas City. OpTic Gaming was scorching hot following an online win over Cloud9. All eyes were on these two teams throughout the week, with many believing this matchup to headline the tournament. Cloud9 sought to win its third consecutive LAN, while OpTic hoped to earn its first following the addition of Matthew “FormaL” Piper. 

However, a relatively unexpected squad entered the conversation. Everyone seemed to forget about two-time Halo World Champions — Sentinels. Snakebite, LethuL, Frosty and Royal2 relish in the underdog role, ultimately finding themselves in the Finals with a chance to win their first Halo Infinite Major and $140K USD. 

Let’s see how the tournament paths played out for Cloud9 and Sentinels before the two teams went head-to-head in the Grand Finals. 

Tale of the Tape: Sentinels vs. Cloud9

Sentinels enjoyed the luxuries of Winners Bracket throughout the weekend. The roster exited Group D with a 4-0 series record and a 12-3 map count. Frosty and company then overcame Quadrant (3-2), Cloud9 (3-1) and OpTic Gaming (3-2) en route to a Grand Finals appearance. It was not easy, but Sentinels displayed a true champion-worthy mentality the entire way. 

Cloud9 dominated Group A without dropping a single series or map, which fans have come to expect out of such a talented roster. C9 defeated FaZe Clan 3-0 before falling to Sentinels in Winners Semi-Finals. The team churned out back-to-back-to-back 3-0 victories over Pioneers, eUnited and OpTic Gaming to set up a rematch against Sentinels. 

Sentinels Reclaim the Throne

Sentinels against Cloud9 had all the makings of a marathon finish at HCS Kansas City 2022. Apart from OpTic Gaming, these two teams looked head-and-shoulders above the rest. What unfolded is challenging to fathom, considering Cloud9’s past LAN performances. Sentinels showed no fear from the driver's seat following Cloud9’s impressive Losers Bracket run. 

The two-time World Champs established a quick 2-0 series lead, winning Oddball Recharge 2-0 and Slayer Streets 50-43. If anyone could overcome this deficit, Cloud9 would be the roster. Unfortunately, Sentinels suffocated the HCS Raleigh and Anaheim Champions. Frosty’s incredible gun skills helped lead the team to a 5-3 win on CTF Aquarius before an emphatic 250-85 victory on Streets Stronghold. 

Cloud9 merely had no answer for what Sentinels brought to the table. The Champions concluded with Frosty (3rd), SnakeBite (6th) and Royal 2 (9th) inside the top-ten tournament kill-to-death ratio category. That slaying power mixed with confidence allowed Sentinels to reclaim their spot on top of competitive Halo. 

Final Standings

  • 1st: Sentinels ($140,000)
  • 2nd: Cloud9 ($84,000)
  • 3rd: OpTic Gaming ($42,000)
  • 4th: eUnited ($21,000)
  • 5th-6th: FaZe Clan/Pioneers ($11,200 each)
  • 7th-8th: Acend/Quadrant ($7,000 each)
  • 9th-12th: G2 Esports/Fnatic/XSET/G1 ($3,150 each)
  • 13th-16th: EasternMediaGG/Complexity Gaming/Spacestation/PIT Knights ($2,100 each)

The Halo Championship Series heads to DreamHack Valencia in July for the Regional Finals. Check back with ESTNN for all the latest Halo Infinite HCS news!