Following Team Liquid’s early exit from the recently concluded MSC, Teddy found himself at the center of online criticism, with many pointing to his performance as a major reason behind the team’s disappointing run.
That noise only grew louder after Liquid’s opening match of Season 18, where the Cavalry surrendered a reverse sweep to Team Falcons following a crucial mispositioning from Teddy. Yet despite the mounting pressure, the 20‑year‑old gold laner let his play speak for itself. When Week 2 arrived, the young gold laner responded in the best way possible, powering Team Liquid to a perfect 2‑0 run.
Teddy Sparks Team Liquid Sweep vs. AP.Bren
Going up against AP.Bren on Day 1, Teddy immediately made his mark. The Cavalry came out firing in Game 1, completely dismantling their opponents on their way to a dominant 17‑2 victory. Teddy provided the firepower with a flawless 7‑0‑5 performance on Clint.
His impact was just as crucial in Game 2. Despite TLPH falling behind early, the young gold laner came through, making the right plays to help his team turn the game around and secure the 2‑0 sweep against the Bees.
Clutch Against Aurora Gaming
While Teddy impressed against AP.Bren, he took things to another level against Aurora Gaming the following day.
The Cavalry struck first in Game 1, building a 5K gold lead and an 8‑3 kill score within the first nine minutes. Teddy pushed Liquid’s advantage further with a double kill. Yet, just as TLPH pressed their advantage during an 11‑minute siege, RORA answered with a stunning four‑man wipe to swing the momentum. Though Teddy survived the fightback and TLPH kept their economic lead, Aurora was officially back in the game.
That momentum, however, was short‑lived. Just as Aurora seemed to take control of the next Lord fight, Jaypee delivered the ultimate game‑changer on Marcel—stealing the Lord all on his own to swing the game right back into Team Liquid’s hands.
The game came down to the 21‑minute Lord fight, and that was when Teddy took center stage. Flawlessly positioned, he unleashed massive damage onto the backline, melting down Light before quickly turning his attention to Nathzz. With Nathzz low on health and forced to retreat, Teddy finished him off to secure the double kill. With RORA’s frontline down, TLPH comfortably secured the Lord and locked in the Game 1 win.
Game 2 proved just as intense, featuring a tight, back‑and‑forth battle where Aurora held a slight edge through the first 10 minutes. However, the Cavalry quickly turned the tables in subsequent skirmishes, building a 5K gold lead by the 16‑minute mark.
Later in the game, Teddy put on another clutch performance. Staying comfortably out of harm’s way, he rained down uninterrupted damage to shred through Koyl’s HP, allowing Sanford to finish the enemy jungler. Teddy was simply too lethal at that point, dealing massive damage to take down two more members of Aurora and seal the game—and the series—for Liquid.
Proving His Worth with Team Liquid
Though Jaypee earned MVP honors for his superb playmaking and game‑changing impact from the utility roam, Teddy was equally instrumental in the victory. He was untouchable throughout the series, finishing with a total of 12‑0‑11 KDA across the two games while brilliantly anchoring the Cavalry in team fights.
There’s no denying Teddy had his struggles recently, but those are hardly unexpected for a young player in just his second season with the team. This week, he showed exactly why the Cavalry kept believing in him—delivering when it mattered and proving he’s someone they can count on. With plenty of room to learn, adapt, and sharpen his skills, Teddy could soon emerge as another devastating weapon in Team Liquid’s arsenal.
