Tate High Student Wins Regional Esports Championship

Escambia County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- A Tate High School senior is a champion gamer. North-Escambia reports that Gage Coates won the Esports Fall 2025 Madden NFL Central Region Championship, defeating a player from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Coates finished the regular season with a 7-and-1 record and earned the number-two seed in the playoffs. The national league hosted by PlayVS features 32 teams across the country. This is Coates' second regional championship -- he also won last season with a 9-and-1 record. Tate's esports program continues to grow with multiple teams qualifying for playoffs in Super Smash Bros. and Fortnite. The program was made possible through a Department of Defense Education Activity grant.