OpTic outlast Thieves in CDL Major 4 grand final

OpTic Texas avenged an upper-bracket final loss to the Los Angeles Thieves, pulling off a 4-3 comeback victory in the best-of-seven grand final of the Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major on Sunday in Nanterre, France.

With the victory, OpTic received $150,000 and 100 CDL points.

Earlier Sunday, OpTic swept the host Paris Gentle Mates 3-0 in the lower-bracket final after falling 3-0 to Los Angeles in the upper-bracket final. Paris had edged FaZe Vegas 3-2 in the lower-bracket semifinal.

The 12 Call of Duty League teams played five qualifying matches apiece to determine seeding for the fourth major of the season, with a $365,000 prize pool. All matches were best-of-five until the best-of-seven grand final.

In a wild grand final, OpTic opened with a 250-95 victory on Den Hardpoint, but Los Angeles rebounded to take a 2-1 lead with wins on Sake Search and Destroy (6-4) and Scar Overload (7-3). OpTic pulled even on Scar Hardpoint (250-243), only to see Los Angeles regain the lead with a 6-2 triumph on Den Search and Destroy. Pushed to the brink, OpTic prevailed 4-3 on Gridlock Overload, then secured the title with a 6-1 victory on Gridlock Search and Destroy.

Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro paced OpTic with 133 kills and a plus-6 kills-deaths differential while teammate Brandon "Dashy" Otell of Canada compiled 128 kills and a plus-21 K-D differential. For Los Angeles, Tyler "aBeZy" Pharris matched Cuevas-Castro with 133 kills while posting a plus-10 K-D differential.

In the upper-bracket final, Los Angeles opened with a victory on Den Hardpoint (250-181), then pulled out 6-5 wins on Raid Search and Destroy and Scar Overload to sweep OpTic. Pharris posted 65 kills and a plus-8 K-D differential to lead Los Angeles. Cuyler "Huke" Garland led OpTic with 71 kills and a plus-13 K-D differential.

In the lower-bracket final, OpTic opened with a 250-247 squeaker on Scar Hardpoint, followed by a 6-2 victory on Hacienda Search and Destroy and a 3-2 triumph on Scar Overload to eliminate Paris.

Paris fell behind in the lower-bracket semifinal against Vegas, which opened with a 250-172 win on Sake Hardpoint. The Gentle Mates then posted back-to-back wins on Gridlock Search & Destroy (6-5) and Exposure Overload (5-4). Vegas forced a decisive fifth game by prevailing 250-125 on Scar Hardpoint, but Paris advanced with a 6-2 victory on Fringe Search and Destroy.

Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major prize pool (Money winnings, CDL points)

1. $150,000, 100 -- OpTic Texas

2. $90,000, 75 -- Los Angeles Thieves

3. $50,000, 60 -- Paris Gentle Mates

4. $30,000, 45 -- FaZe Vegas

5-6. $15,000, 30 -- G2 Minnesota, Toronto KOI

7-8. $7,500, 15 -- Boston Breach, Miami Heretics

9-12. no money, no points -- Carolina Royal Ravens, Cloud9 New York, Riyadh Falcons, Vancouver Surge

--Field Level Media