Following their disastrous run in M6 and their winless campaign in the S15 playoffs, Aurora PH seemed to be in deeper trouble when their star roamer, Renejay Barcarse, left in the offseason. Things were heading that way after starting S16 with a 0-2 loss against the Falcons. However, Aurora PH quickly regrouped and started to dominate. In the center of their resurgence was Dylan “Light” Catipon who took over for Renejay. Light spent most of the time with RSG Philippines where he and current teammate Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto won the MPL PH Season 9 and the MLBB Southeast Asia Cup 2022. After RSG disbanded, Light took his talents to MPL Indonesia where there he helped Bigetron Esports to a top four finish in the regular season.
But now, he’s found his home in Aurora PH and has helped transform them into a totally different team. Their incredible run continued in Week 8 of Season 16, where they secured the top seed, eliminated AP. Bren from playoff contention with a 2-1 victory, then followed it up with a clean 2-0 sweep over Smart Omega. With those wins, Aurora became only the second team in league history to record 13 straight victories, matching ONIC PH’s remarkable streak from Season 14. They can also set a new record in the playoffs as they await the winner of the TWIS and TNC in the play-ins.
Their dominance this season is undeniable, highlighted by an impressive +16 net game win, which includes a 12-4 record against the league’s top contenders. They ranked among the best in most major statistical categories and did so with remarkable precision, also leading the league in limiting opponents’ scoring. Individually, the players shined even brighter. Domengkite led the league in total eliminations and ranked among the top three in KDA, alongside Yue and Demonkite. Meanwhile, Light placed fourth in average assists.
However, if there’s one thing that’s holding this team back, it’s their ability to maintain composure and confidence. In fact, Aurora has found themselves in the lower bracket in each of the last two runs. In MPL Season 14, when they were first formed, they finished fourth in the league with an 8-6 record. When the playoffs came they stepped up their game. After dropping to the lower bracket because of ONIC PH, they managed to grind it out and reach the finals, where they nearly pulled off a massive upset against the same team who had an unstoppable run.
In Season 15, they also had another strong run, finishing with the league’s best record at 12-2 with Renejay making the plays. However, they were once again defeated by ONIC PH in the upper bracket quarterfinals before getting outclassed by the Falcons in the lower bracket, 0-3.
However, these playoffs should be a different story. With Domengkite and Yue getting even better, a tried-and-tested veteran in Edward, and the well-established synergy between Demonkite and Light, Aurora PH is at its best position to win it all.
