Look Sports Media – Mason "Lake" Sanderson’s meteoric rise in the North American Counter-Strike scene last July with M80 was undeniable. His aggressive playstyle quickly established him as a top talent, a rare breed in a region not known for consistently producing new stars. However, the first season of 2025 presented a different challenge: a Tier 1 scene that had adapted to his tactics. Despite M80’s struggles, their BLAST Open London playoff berth showcased both improved team synergy, particularly with Jadan "HexT" Postma, and Lake’s return to peak form, highlighted by victories against NaVi and fnatic. looksports.media spoke exclusively with Lake about his performance, the state of NA CS, the Wildcard debacle, and M80’s potential to become the American team.
Lake attributed his improved consistency to a newfound dedication to a structured schedule, a change he credits to his coach, Rory. He also acknowledged the crucial role of teammate Elias "s1n," who helps temper Lake’s sometimes overly aggressive tendencies. "He reins me in," Lake explained, "pulling back on the leash a bit." This strategic balance, combined with a rigorous pre-match routine including extensive deathmatching, has significantly enhanced his in-game performance.
While acknowledging that opponents now study his demos, Lake maintains his aggressive style is integral to his gameplay. He draws inspiration not from specific players, but from a wide array of sources, including clips from various tiers of play and content creators like NartOutHere.
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On the state of NA CS, Lake delivered a scathing assessment: "It’s probably worse than it ever has been." He pointed to the departure of Complexity, the dwindling talent pool, and the struggles of other teams like Wildcard and ex-coL as evidence of a declining scene. He believes the accessibility of other games, particularly those with less "intense" themes, contributes to the problem. He also highlighted the lack of a robust collegiate scene for CS in North America.
Lake’s assessment of Wildcard’s management was equally blunt: "Honestly, the whole thing is a shitshow." He refrained from detailed commentary on their roster moves but acknowledged their significant negative impact.
Despite the bleak outlook, Lake expressed optimism about M80’s potential to become the leading NA team, stating, "I’d say we’re by far the best NA team at the moment." He sees M80 as the team to carry the mantle for North American Counter-Strike, especially with the departure of Team Liquid to Europe. Winning a Tier 1 event remains his ultimate goal, a dream fueled by his childhood memory of Cloud9’s victory at the 2018 ELeague Boston Major.
Darragh Harbinson, Senior Editor
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