No one could have guessed that the most exciting match going into Week 4 would be Cloud9 versus FlyQuest. Cloud9 are currently maintaining a hold on best in NA, but everyone expected it to be Team Liquid or Echo Fox that gave them their toughest match. No one would have thought that the misfit team of FlyQuest would be the ones nearly taking them down, but after decimating 100 Thieves, that’s where they are.

Who knew how big a difference a mid-laner could make? We’ve seen teams throughout the years orbit around mid-laners like Faker, Bjergsen, and Jensen, but FlyQuest are an entirely different team with Fly at the helm. Previously unable to play due to visa issues, Week 4 was Fly’s first official games with his team, and he did not disappoint

Against C9, he played Taliyah the way she was designed, creating a constant threat and global presence that they could never relax around. He was an instrumental part in numerous ganks, including the one that got first blood and first turret, and he often exerted his presence into the top lane and wherever his team was threatened.But the story of FlyQuest doesn’t stop at Fly.

Every single member of FlyQuest stepped up in Week 4. Flame soloed Licrorice in the top-lane, the all-star rookie that took even Huni head on; AnDa was a never ending threat getting first blood and first turret and keeping C9 always on the defensive; and while Jayj from Flyquest Academy was filling in for Stunt, the bot lane also rose to the challenge.

At nearly 30 minutes into the match, the game was 1-7 in FlyQuest’s favor and there was seemingly nothing C9 could do. However, C9 might have best strategic minds of any team, and they quickly changed their strategy to focus on finding picks.

C9 crawled back into the game by inches. It wasn’t one decisive battle at Baron or one misstep from FlyQuest that cinched it, but slow, methodical plays from C9. They played defensive and thoughtfully and they found picks where they could, slowly getting kill after kill with the help of Svenskeren on Skarner. Ultimately, it was these small plays on individual members of FlyQuest that led C9 to an amazing victory.