How FlyQuest climbed to the top of the LCS
FlyQuest recently qualified for its second LCS final in the organization’s history, the first one being in the 2020 LCS Spring Split. But who is FlyQuest and how did they manage to climb to the top in the LCS?
FlyQuest is a team that has been around for several years, but was not among the original LCS teams back in 2013. Since the team joined the league in spring 2017, they have been a middle of the pack organization who never really managed to break through.
That changed this year when FlyQuest qualified for its first LCS final during the spring split, only to lose 0-3 to Cloud9. Even though they lost the final, the organization still proved that they can play among the best teams in North America, and now they have done it again.
Who is FlyQuest?
FlyQuest started its LCS journey in the 2017 NA LCS Spring Split, where former Cloud9 players Hai “Hai” Lam, An “Balls” Le, and Daerek “LemoNation” Hart lead the squad.
The team ended the split in fourth place after losing to Phoenix1 in the third-place match. Overall, the new team of veteran players performed well in its debut split, they didn’t manage to get higher than that.
For the 2018 season, the team revamped its roster by adding players such as top laner Lee “Flame” Ho-jong and bot laner Jason “WildTurtle” Tran to give the squad a bit more firepower. One split later, the former Team SoloMid jungler Lucas “Santorin” Larsen got added as well.
The new FlyQuest squad did not manage to break through the middle of the pack in the standings, but these were some of the original pieces to the team that are still around today.
Going into the 2020 season, Tristan “PowerOfEvil” Schrage was added to the mid lane while Lee “igNar” Dong-geun was picked up from FC Schalke 04 to play in the support position. The two players brought some new aggression and consistency to the team, which suddenly began to accelerate its performance.
How did FlyQuest improve so much?
FlyQuest has gone through many changes since they first joined the LCS and they finally seem to have found the right formula. The team is currently well-rounded with veteran players who have all been in the scene for years.
The team has finally found a solid identity and playstyle, where all players fit in. FlyQuest is now a team who focus on late-game scaling team compositions, but with the ability to play around mid or top lane during the early game. Santorin has been one of the best jungler in the LCS this year, making sure that his lanes get an advantage in almost every game.
PowerOfEvil and WildTurtle have been consistent carries who rarely make mistakes that can decide the outcome of a game. In the top lane, Colin “Solo” Earnest has proven that he is worthy of a spot in the LCS and IgNar has showcased his unique aggressive playstyle through roams and playmaking champions.
FlyQuest will play its second LCS final this year
The hard work has finally paid off for FlyQuest. The last two splits have been a real breakthrough for the team, qualifying for two LCS finals in a row. The organization still needs to win its first trophy and they seem to have a real shot at it this split.
FlyQuest will also make its first international appearance at the 2020 World Championship, where they will get the chance to compete among the best teams in the world.
Before that, FlyQuest will play the 2020 LCS Summer Split final against either TSM or Team Liquid. The final takes place on Sunday, September 6.