*Editor's Note: We've shaken things up here at ESEAnews TF2, with three brand new writers for each TF2 division. Starting this week, Rick of High Rollers Gaming TF2 will be taking over the weekly IM Power Rankings - and soon, he'll even get to post it from his own account! Enjoy!
Written by: Erick "Rick" Hewson*
(ESEAnews) - After an interesting week 4 on badlands, the top teams really showed they can play at full potential, with a few exciting matches. Week 5 should really show what these teams are mad of as team that had a relatively easy schedule are going to be fighting for the top 5 spots.
Teams such as Wolth pack play Leviathan gaming and High Rollers gaming, which should both be good matches, and another team that has been under the radar, Juanetic gaming, plays the top teams in Red Flag and Leviathan Gaming. This week will show how the top teams fair against each other, and which ones will come out on top
Matches of the Week:
Red Flag v Avoided
Stay Classy v Kinetic
Wolth Pack v Leviathan Gaming
ESEA TF2 SEASON 9 INTERMEDIATE POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 5
TEAM
RANK
COMMENTS
? Dead Dazzle
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
1.
Avoided with an 8-0 record is looking very strong right now, with wins over every top team besides red flag, which they play this week. If avoided can keep up the way they are playing, they should have an easy win over Red Flag on warmfront, a map that really caters to organized mids and strong presence, two aspects that avoided has a strong suit in.
Avoided will keep their #1 seed and may be the A51 of season 9.
? Dead Flag
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
2.
Red Flag has seriously shown that they can adapt, and conquer, at the beginning of the season Red Flag has picked up REP on pocket, to replace blank who left for x6, in my mind and probably the minds of others, this was a significant loss of both calling and leading ability, and essentially the core of their team. Red Flag really kept up the scrimming and are performing extremely well in matches. Their team dynamic is formed, and REP on pocket is working wonderfully.
Red Flag also has the perfect opportunity to prove their competence- avoided on warmfront. I am unsure of how well Red Flag performs on warmfront, but they need to be playing their best to have any chance at beating aV on what to seems to be “their” map.
? Leviathan Gaming
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
3.
Alongside with Red Flag, this was one of those sleeper teams who didn’t seem too strong preseason and the beginning weeks, but has really built up their momentum and their confidence as a team. They have this week to play a strong team in Wolth Pack, but I believe Loronix and friends will be much more prepared for their match, and should win.
The expected win over incestual princesses will leave this team with a respectable 8-2 record.
? High_Rollers_Gaming TF2
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
4.
(formerly 20MT)
High Rollers comes into week 5 with 3 losses, all to the teams above them in the power ranking, a unfortunate issue with the ESEA client caused their match against aV to essentially be a FFL, but High Rollers gaming genuinely lost to Red Flag on badlands, with their full roster just showing how competitive IM is right now, if High Rollers doesn’t get back to the norm with their starting six, and give the kind of devotion the top 3 teams are exercising they may stay at #4 spot for the rest of the season.
Playing Wolth Pack and Kinetic Gaming, if High Roller’s don’t clean up their act they could end up with an ugly 5-5 record by the end of this week.
? Wolth Pack
East
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
5.
Week 5 is going to be essential to Wolth Pack’s power ranking this season as they combat Leviathan Gaming and High Rollers gaming, both strong teams that could leave Wolth Pack in the lower half of IM.
Wolth Pack has the player skill and the experience, they just need to put it into action in matches, and this is the perfect week for them to show they are top IM material.
? THERES STILL HOPE
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
6.
Kinetic is another one of those teams stuck in the upper/middle part of IM and this week will really show whether they are meant to be a top IM team, playing both High Rollers gaming and Stay Classy, if kinetic doesn’t stay on the ball, they risk dropping into lower half IM for good, Stay Classy is a very strong team and we will see how they play on warmfront, a map that caters to Stay Classy’s strengths.
If Kinetic wants to remain competitive they need to win both these matches.
? Sinners Truck Problems
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
7.
Juanetic Gaming has been one of those teams with a respectable record, but only playing 1/3 of the top Teams, these next weeks will either make or break Juanetic. Juanetic has yet to play Leviathan Gaming, High Rollers gaming, and Red Flag.
If Juanetic can consistently scrim and continue to perform well, some of these upcoming matches may be in their favor, giving them an enormous boost in the power rankings.
? Kermits bastard Son
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
8.
Stay Classy really needs to remain competitive these next couples of weeks, as they play several teams that are fighting for the same upper/middle IM spot they are. They play Kinetic gaming this week and that win or loss will set the stage for Stay Classy’s match against Wolth Pack, another team fighting for the same spot.
? The Five Dollar Club
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
9.
Mayhem really is making a name for themselves, although they have a 3-6 record, their matches have been very close, with Wolth pack barely beating them 4-3 on badlands, and Leviathan gaming only beating them by a margin of 5-4 on badlands. To be honest Gremaud, their teams demo has been going huge in almost all of their matches, and is a large part of why these games are so close, Mayhem’s team cohesion just isn’t strong enough to seal the deal in such close matches.
I would like to see Mayhem step up and dethrone some of these teams ranked much higher than them, but only if they can work better as a team.
? Pinball Wizards
Central
0-0-0 (.000)
Streak N/A
10.
Pinball wizards with a 4-4 record have proven that they are a perfect middle IM team, better than the average IM team, but nowhere near good enough to compete at the top level. They play Red Flag, Avoided, and Stay Classy in the next few weeks, and I have a feeling their record will be suffering.
Originally published on ESEA on 7/28/2011, 11:43 AM by 1rK-.
Archived from ESEA TF2 IM Week 5 Power Rankings as part of tf2esports.com's preservation of ESEA's TF2 coverage. All rights remain with the original author and ESEA; reposted for historical reference.