Photo: MPL Philippines

By Tiffany Dela Cruz

Dave “Teddyqt” Viaña’s rise to Team Liquid PH’s starting gold lane role wasn’t part of the original plan—but it has quickly become one of the defining stories of the early season.

What began as a sudden roster shake-up turned into an opportunity. Just days before the league’s deadlock, Kiel “OHEB” Soriano stepped away from the team, leaving a crucial void in the gold lane and forcing Team Liquid to scramble for solutions.

The team initially turned to Indonesian import Sultan “AeronnShikii” Muhammad to fill the gap, while also bringing in Kim “Daiki” Sebanes, who was initially signed to be part of the team’s coaching staff. But plans shifted almost immediately.

AeronnShikii was unable to suit up in the opening week due to pending requirements, prompting Daiki to step in as a temporary fix. It was a stopgap that underscored the uncertainty surrounding the role.

Eventually, with the situation unresolved, Team Liquid made a decisive move—calling up Teddyqt, who had already played with the squad during the SIBOL qualifiers for the Asian Games, from Team Liquid Academy to the MPL roster, handing him the starting role in the middle of a turbulent stretch.

Instead of faltering, the team found stability. Behind Teddyqt’s promotion, Team Liquid surged to a 2-0 finish in the second week, extending its run to a perfect 4-0 record as the league’s last unbeaten squad.

For the young gold laner, the transition has been less about pressure and more about embracing the moment.

“‘Yung experience ko po ano, ‘di naman po ako masyadong kinakabahan. ‘Yung experience ko lang is sobrang excited pati masaya lang. Tapos feel ko ‘di ko pa po nalalabas ‘yung laro ko talaga eh,” he said.

Still, Teddyqt admits he is only scratching the surface, continuing to adjust to the stage, the lights, and the weight that comes with playing at the highest level.

“Kasi parang kinakapa ko pa po ‘yung ambiance sa stage and ‘yung environment. Hopefully sa mga susunod na week ano, malabas ko na ‘yung laro ko talaga,” he added.

Even against familiar—and formidable—opponents, he has leaned on the experience of his veteran teammates to settle in and focus on his role.

“Unang una po, excited lang po ako na sila ‘yung makakalaban kasi sila rin po ‘yung nakalaban namin sa SIBOL tapos syempre dahil sa mga veterans ko na teammates, parang nawala ‘yung kaba ko na sila ‘yung kalaban ko. Iniisip ko lang nun bibigay ko lang ‘yung best ko.”