As ECHO jumped out of their seats after completing their bounce-back victory, a cloud of misery shrouded the other side of the stage.
While the Orcas shared a tight embrace, exchanged high fives, and waved goodbye to their rivals, the opposing side could only look on, stunned, as their once-promising season came to another heartbreaking end for the third consecutive time.
After taking their time and squeezing every ounce of courage left inside their bodies, the rest of RSG PH stood up from their seats and waited for the winners to cross the middle of the stage for the post-game pleasantries.
Unlike his teammates, 17-year-old Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo, often described as the most emotional among the Raiders, remained in his seat, pulling down his hoodie in disbelief as the Orcas crossed their side of the stage one by one.
Still, despite the overflowing emotions, Nathzz made sure to extend his hand to their opponents and acknowledge defeat, even sharing a hug with his good friend, Alston “Sanji” Pabico, who played a pivotal role in the series.
As the rest of RSG PH walked down for their final bow, Nathzz, who had to be fetched by their team manager from the stage after their Game 1 loss, finally stood up and followed his teammates, with his head still bowed down, covered by his hoodie.
Assistant coach Theo Eusebio was the first to join the main five on the stage, hugging them one by one before reaching Nathzz, who was at the end of the line and was trying to hide his face from the crowd.
And when Theo finally made his way to the young EXP laner, the dam finally broke.
All the emotions that Nathzz was trying to bottle up suddenly burst. Tears started to fall.
The once towering bundle of joy suddenly curled into a ball, kneeling in the middle of the stage as he tried to deal with the same heart-wrenching feeling he went through last season, and the season before that.
Theo tried his best to comfort Nathzz as John “1rrad” Tuason eventually joined in, trying to calm down the 17-year-old kid, while the rest of the team looked on, struggling to hold back their own tears.
For all its greatness, the MPL PH Season 12 playoffs have also been one of the nastiest, with fans directing hurtful comments toward the players, coaches, and even the league itself.
What transpired at the EVM Convention Center stage on Friday night is a powerful reminder that these figures whom the fans admire – and criticize – are, above all, human.
It was a reminder that these players not only face the challenges of the game but also the weight of their dreams and the hopes of their fans.
It’s in moments like these that we should all take a step back and appreciate the resilience and dedication of these young athletes who pour their hearts and souls into the game they love.
