Xmithie

Early Career and Rise with mTw.NA

Xmithie began playing League of Legends in January 2011, quickly reaching the maximum level and entering ranked play. His initial foray into competition was with a team called Soldier Front, formed with other high-ranked players. His competitive break arrived in October 2011 when, after a Go4LoL cup match, he was invited to join APictureOfAGoose as a substitute AD Carry. A significant shift occurred early in 2012 when, due to roster changes for an IEM event, he moved to the jungler position, the role that would define his career.

Shortly after this change, APictureOfAGoose was acquired by the organization mTw, becoming mTw.NA. Xmithie found immediate success with this squad in the online tournament circuit. Throughout 2012, they secured first-place finishes in the Go4LoL Cup #61, multiple CSN playLEGENDS Points Cups, the In2LOL Kickoff NA Tournament, and placed third in the Alienware Arena North America: Winter event. Their playstyle was marked by resilience, often excelling in loser's bracket runs.

A key victory came at the Solomid NA Invitational 3. After an initial loss to Team Dynamic, mTw.NA swept through the loser's bracket, defeating teams like Team SoloMid and Counter Logic Gaming Black. They then faced Team Dynamic again in the grand finals, winning two sets (2-1 and 2-0) to claim the title. This pattern repeated at the National ESL Pro Series Season 3, where mTw.NA placed third in the group stage but won the finals by defeating Team Dignitas 2-0. Xmithie and his team were consistent contenders, also securing second-place finishes at multiple other Solomid Invitationals and a third-place finish at the Leaguecraft ggClassic, proving they could challenge the established top teams of the era.

Championship Success with Counter Logic Gaming

Xmithie's entry into the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) came at the start of the 2015 season when Counter Logic Gaming picked him up to replace Dexter. The 2015 Spring Split saw CLG finish third in the regular season, but they placed 5th-6th in the playoffs after a 0-3 loss to Team Liquid. Xmithie earned recognition as the OP Player once during Week 2 of this split.

The team's potential was fully realized in the 2015 Summer Split. CLG finished the regular season in second place after losing a tiebreaker to Team Liquid, which still earned them a playoff bye. In the playoffs, they defeated Team Impulse 3-0, advancing to the finals against their historic rivals, Team SoloMid. In a dominant performance, Xmithie and CLG defeated TSM 3-0 to win the NA LCS championship. This victory qualified them for the 2015 World Championship. However, just before the international event, CLG announced Xmithie had visa issues and would be replaced by HuHi for the tournament. Despite this setback, Xmithie and CLG continued their success by winning the next split, the 2016 Spring Split, securing his second LCS title.

Transfer to Immortals and World Championships

In May 2017, before the start of the Season 7 Summer Split, Xmithie transferred from CLG to Immortals. His experience helped the team qualify for the Season 7 World Championship. At the global event, Immortals competed in the Group Stage but did not advance further. This period coincided with major structural changes to the North American league, as it moved towards a franchised model. Immortals' performance at Worlds would be their last with this roster under the old system, as the organization was not included in the new franchised LCS.

Dominant Era with Team Liquid

Following the franchising announcement, Team Liquid signed Xmithie as their starting jungler for the 2018 Spring Split on November 22, 2017. He was joined by former Immortals teammates Olleh and Pobelter. This new roster quickly found success. In the 2018 Spring Split finals, Team Liquid defeated 100 Thieves 3-0. A crucial moment in Game 1 featured Xmithie stealing the Baron Nashor from 100 Thieves, a play that helped turn the tide and secure the championship.

Team Liquid maintained their dominance in the 2018 Summer Split. They finished first in the regular season and defeated Cloud 9 in the playoff finals with another 3-0 sweep. This victory won the split and, critically, secured Team Liquid's first-ever spot at the World Championship. At the Season 8 World Championship, the team faced strong opponents in KT Rolster and EDward Gaming and failed to advance past the group stage.

Xmithie's championship pedigree continued unabated into 2019. He was instrumental in helping Team Liquid secure both the Spring and Summer Split titles that year. These victories brought his personal total to six NA LCS championships, a clear marker of his sustained performance across different team environments and meta shifts.

Playstyle and Legacy

Xmithie's career arc traces the evolution of professional League of Legends in North America. He began in the unstructured, tournament-heavy era of 2011-2012, where his team mTw.NA thrived in online competitions, and successfully transitioned into the formalized, split-based LCS. His gameplay was not defined by flashy, high-risk maneuvers but by reliable strategic pathing, objective control, and enabling his teammates. The Baron steal in the 2018 Spring Finals exemplifies his knack for decisive, game-changing plays at critical moments.

He is remembered for his championship success. Winning titles with two different major organizations, CLG and Team Liquid, demonstrates his ability to integrate into and improve various team systems. He was a core component of Team Liquid's transformation into a domestic leading team. Furthermore, as a player who became a naturalized US citizen in 2015, he represented the diverse background of competitors in the region. Xmithie is remembered as a foundational pillar whose steady, intelligent jungling was a key ingredient for every team he played on during his long career.