Team CGC Trading Cards Placed Top 4 in the Pokémon Milwaukee Regional Championships!

Team CGC Trading Cards dominated the competition at the Pokémon Milwaukee Regional Championships, with two team members in the Top 4, one in the Top 8 and another in the Top 24! Facing 1112 competitors over June 2-4, the team was at the height of their game with remarkable placings.  

Representing Team CGC Trading Cards, Caleb Gedemer placed 2nd (13/2/3), Azul Garcia Griego placed 4th (12/3/2), Grant Manley placed 6th (11/3/2), Daniel Altavilla placed 19th (10/2/3) and Kidd Starck placed 594th (3/3/1).

The team decided to forge ahead with their Lost Zone Box deck going into the Milwaukee Regionals, based on previous successes. This deck composition may change at the upcoming North America International Championships, due to the new Paldea Evolved set becoming tournament legal, but it is likely to remain the same at the Fresno Regional tournament.

The Milwaukee Regionals was an overall triumph for the team, but it was not without its challenges. Azul and Grant competed against each other in the Top 8, and then Azul played opposite Caleb in the Top 4. This led to the team eliminating each other from positions, but it was still an amazing feat to be in that position at the top, nonetheless. This was also Kidd Starck’s first competition back after a few absences, so competition was fierce, but we cannot wait to see how he does at the next competition.  

Reflecting on the personal importance of the Milwaukee Regionals and the team’s success, Caleb Gedemer shared: “Wisconsin Regionals is a special time each year for me especially, since the homecoming typically represents a moment to cap-off the season with a big finish in my home state. The team's placements of me in 2nd, Azul 4th, Grant 6th and Daniel 19th were incredibly satisfying. Had Daniel won his win-and-in match in the final Swiss round, the squad would have beaten its season record of three placements in the Top 8, topping it with four. Tying the feat is still awesome, and now it's on to the next one in Fresno for the final Regionals of the year.”

Left to Right: Azul Garcia Griego, Kidd Starck, Caleb Gedemer, Grant Manley and Daniel Altavilla.

Team CGC Trading Cards was assembled by Danny Oesterreich in 2022, and is comprised of seasoned players Daniel Altavilla, Azul Garcia Griego, Caleb Gedemer, Kidd Starck and Grant Manley. The team will compete next at the Fresno Regional Championships, at the Fresno Event and Convention Center, in Fresno, California on June 10-11. This will be the last regional championship for the 2023 season.

Please join us in wishing the team the best of luck throughout the season and keep an eye out for new updates on the team’s performance by following their Instagram @teamCGCcards and the CGC Trading Cards social channels, @CGCcards. You can also watch the events live on the Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels to see players do battle.

To learn more about the formation of Team CGC Trading Cards, click here.