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+---
+title: "NA League 2026 Event #5 (Regular Season Week 3)"
+date: 2026-05-05
+author:
+   - name: YELLOW
+     link: https://sendou.ink/u/great-hero-yellow
+---
+
+#### *FTWin is in this one*
+
+<img width="1200" height="675" alt="NAL2026-r3e5" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bdd0ea0d-f398-4cff-9321-6b2e8f75dbcc" />
+
+On Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, the fifth event of the Splatoon 3 North American League—week 3 of the Regular Season—saw the arrival of two storied top-level Competitive Splatoon teams: FTWin and Crush Soda. 
+
+Both teams had been absent in the NA League 2026 so far to focus on the Global Gauntlet 1\. While FTWin was present under the same name in the 2025 NA League, Crush Soda (abbreviated as CS) was playing as Five. Between then and now, both teams traded a few players, with FTWin’s Hexen going to Crush Soda, and Five’s Soulja going to FTWin for 2026\. FTWin also swapped out Shak for Burstie. 
+
+FTWin and CS placed 2nd and 3rd in the Ladder Round, respectively. FTWin advanced to the Top Cut as the second seed, but due to complications with the invitation process, CS, who should have been the third seed, was removed from the Top Cut roster, leading to Lovely (whose score was tied with 37 handsome boys’ score) participating.
+
+This is the full roster of teams in Top Cut for Event \#5: 
+
+1. Milky Way  
+2. FTWin  
+3. Hypernova  
+4. FORFEIT  
+5. Healbook  
+6. Duck Motif  
+7. 37 handsome boys  
+8. Lovely
+
+With Zach, Mellana, and Chaedr running the commentary panel, and CzarDB on the spectator camera, the action captured on stream can be found recapped below\!
+
+## **Winner’s Quarterfinals: Hypernova vs. Duck Motif (3–1)**
+
+Winner’s Quarterfinals is between two household names in the top level scene, Hypernova and Duck Motif. Both are no strangers to the NA League or the Top Cut stream, being frequent participants in both seasons so far.  
+
+Game one began with Splat Zones at Crableg Capital. Duck Motif claimed the zone first and started to lock out, keeping the game in their control for about a minute. Hypernova was able to stop them at 23, taking the zone. Both teams traded the zone a few more times, but Hypernova came from behind to come out on top, knocking out with over a minute and a half remaining. 
+
+Rainmaker at Undertow Spillway saw Hypernova wipe out Duck Motif in the first 30 seconds and clear the first checkpoint afterward. Duck Motif more than recovered, bringing the Rainmaker to 6 points to knockout. Hypernova responded by taking the right path protected by an Ink Vac, but was stopped one point from the lead. However, in the process, they wiped out Duck Motif, letting them take the lead to win, 99–94. 
+
+The classic Tower Control at Inkblot Art Academy choice was up next. Hypernova took the first checkpoint a minute and a half in, thanks to Super Chumps and a Big Bubbler. The run ended in a delayed wipeout, letting Duck Motif get all the way to 23\. In the last 30 seconds, they cleared the third checkpoint. Duck Motif won, 89–43 after a brief overtime.
+
+Game four was Clam Blitz at Museum d’Alfonsino. The first chunk of the game was primarily both teams bomb spamming, trying to feel out the battlefield. It took three minutes before any baskets opened; Hypernova wiped out Duck Motif to score first. Duck Motif scored next, but couldn’t pass Hypernova’s lead, even in overtime, leading to Hypernova’s third win, 44-29. 
+
+<img width="1000" height="562" alt="WQF_CBmuseum" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/09fd10f4-0853-47e6-ad25-5ea087d7fdec" />
+
+*Duck Motif’s Kai, so close to scoring in overtime, running right into HENLO and Flingking, who would stop the push before the overtime clock ran out.*
+
+## **Winner’s Semifinals \- Milky Way vs. Healbook (3–1)**
+
+Milky Way, having gone 3–0 against Lovely, and Healbook, who went 3–1 against FORFEIT, met next in the Winner’s Semifinals. The fourth match in Winner’s Quarterfinals, FTWin vs. 37 handsome boys, ended in a 3–0 shutout for FTWin. 
+
+Predictably, Milky Way chose Splat Zones as the mode; Healbook chose Urchin Underpass as the stage. Milky Way took the zone first, but before 30 seconds had passed in the game, Healbook was in the lead. They moved up to lock out, akin to an impassable wall, giving Milky Way no chance to earn any more points, and went all the way to the knockout less than two minutes in. 
+
+Game two was Rainmaker at Museum d’Alfonsino. Halfway through the game, Healbook cleared the first checkpoint, finding the opportunity to run it to 35\. With a minute and a half left, Milky Way wiped out Healbook, giving them space to build enough momentum to take the lead by two points, which set the final score of the game, 67–65. 
+
+Manta Maria returned to the Top Cut stream for Tower Control. The scores were fairly even after both teams cleared the first checkpoint. It wasn’t until the last minute and a half when Milky Way was able to get through the second checkpoint and drive through the third, extending the lead too far for Healbook to catch up to even in overtime, 95–22. 
+
+Game four, Clam Blitz at Shipshape Cargo Co., saw Milky Way scoring already in the first minute. In a second push a minute later, their score went to 16 remaining. Milky Way scored a third time, ending the run one point to KO. In overtime, they scored again to end the game immediately, 99–0. 
+
+<img width="1200" height="192" alt="WSF_clamsstonks" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2466a8e7-539f-49d3-8f0c-1e023a7d744d" />
+
+**“It’s what the kids call ‘stonks’ these days, Zach. This is Clams Stonks.”**
+
+*- Mellana, in response to Milky Way having 24 clams.*
+
+## **Winner’s Finals \- Milky Way vs. FTWin (1–3)**
+
+FTWin finally sets foot in the Splatoon 3 North American League 2026, and they appear on stream for the first time against Milky Way. In the 2025 League, both teams had clashed in Grand Finals multiple times, each having won against the other at least once.
+
+The teams went to Splat Zones at Museum d’Alfonsino. Milky Way brought their score to 58 in the first minute, but FTWin took the zone for just a few ticks to apply a penalty to them. FTWin took the zone again after splatting two players on Milky Way with one Splat Bomb, and gained the lead. They were stopped at one point to KO, but Milky Way expended too many resources, resulting in FTWin getting their knockout win. 
+
+Turf War at Hagglefish Market saw both teams with a Snipewriter 5H and Slosher, and a REEF-LUX 450 variant. FTWin was the first team at the Danger\! disadvantage, but had enough time to recover. Milky Way, meanwhile, didn’t, as they started staggering respawns, then wiped out in the final minute. Judd and Lil Judd revealed FTWin’s winning score, 50.7%–44.4%. 
+
+Game three was Tower Control at Inkblot Art Academy. Milky Way passed the first checkpoint almost a minute and a half into the game. They were making sure FTWin had no chance to gain momentum. FTWin was able to clear their first checkpoint in the last 10 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to win; the game settled at 45–27, to Milky Way.
+
+<img width="1000" height="562" alt="WF_TCinkblot" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d4a85651-2cdb-41f1-a0e6-75495d410613" />
+
+*Something you don’t see every day: locked into a close-range 1v1, Burstie’s Crab Tank rolls over ice before returning to applying pressure on Milky Way.*
+
+Rainmaker at Manta Maria wrapped up the set. Both teams bided their time to move the Rainmaker, waiting until FTWin was wiped out before it moved at all, but it took another minute still until Milky Way got their checkpoint. In the last 20 seconds, an Ink Vac escorted FTWin to the lead, and they sealed their 76–37 win in overtime with an Ultra Stamp throw from \[K\]yo, wiping out Milky Way.
+
+## **Loser’s Finals \- Milky Way vs. FORFEIT (3–0)**
+
+In Loser’s Semifinals, FORFEIT went 3–1 against Healbook, advancing to take on the challenge of fighting for the right to go to Grand Finals against FTWin. 
+
+Game one was Splat Zones at Museum d’Alfonsino. Milky Way took the lead to 36 before being briefly delayed by FORFEIT, but ultimately won the game in a knockout with a minute and a half to spare. 
+
+Game two was Tower Control at Inkblot Art Academy. Ending two minutes exactly from the start, Milky Way gave no quarter and no points to FORFEIT. They cleared the first two checkpoints in about one minute, and spent the second minute with some slight detractions before clearing the third checkpoint and knocking out.
+
+Game three was Rainmaker at Scorch Gorge. This game made it all the way to overtime, with Milky Way ending up in the lead in the last 25 seconds. They shut down the Rainmaker in overtime to win, 75–36, and return to FTWin in Grand Finals.
+
+## **Grand Finals: FTWin vs. Milky Way (2–3)**
+
+Milky Way’s first time in the Loser’s Bracket in the NA League 2026 saw them fight their way back to Grand Finals regardless. As one would expect from these two titan teams, the road to the end would be a long—and close—one. 
+
+The set started with Rainmaker at Manta Maria. FTWin took a dominant start, with the first checkpoint cleared in 30 seconds, then ran the Rainmaker to 27, forty seconds later. Milky Way was able to get a checkpoint in the latter half of the game, but only turned into FTWin increasing their lead. The game ended 80–37 for FTWin. 
+
+<img width="1000" height="562" alt="GF_RMmantamaria" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b0fcfcb1-8766-42c5-84d0-fbd68522b631" />
+
+*As the clock reaches 0:00, ice is just one step away from grabbing the Rainmaker, resulting in no overtime for Milky Way.*
+
+Turf War showed up second, at Hagglefish Market. FTWin’s luck reversed, finding themselves on the struggling end. They had the Danger\! marker overhead more than once and kept going down in droves, even wiped out in the final six seconds. The game went to Milky Way, 60.4%–34.3%.
+
+Game three was Tower Control at Urchin Underpass. FTWin was able to fend off Milky Way better this time, but still ended up down in pairs frequently. Milky Way spent the bulk of the game keeping the tower moving forward; FTWin did get their first checkpoint, with 40 seconds to go, but were wiped out. Even with overtime, the game still ended in Milky Way’s favor, 63–38.
+
+Inkblot Art Academy showed up, but for Clam Blitz. Milky Way brought a defensive double Big Bubbler comp, but their defense wasn’t enough to stop FTWin from taking their score from 100 to 33 in one push. Milky Way responded by scoring, but only to 80\. FTWin was hoarding the “clam economy” for most of the game, holding three Power Clams at one point in the last minute. FTWin tied the set after winning 67–39.
+
+Game five. Splat Zones at Undertow Spillway. Both teams traded the zone and lead in the first minute. FTWin had the first lead breakaway, finally being stopped at 24 by a Crab Tank. They didn’t let Milky Way get far, but following another Crab Tank vs. Crab Tank fight, Milky Way reclaimed the zones and took the lead back in the last 30 seconds, wiping out FTWin and narrowly beating the clock for a knockout. 
+
+Resulting in a Grand Finals Reset\!
+
+## **Grand Finals Reset: FTWin vs. Milky Way (1–3)**
+
+For the third time, the teams went to Rainmaker at Manta Maria. FTWin moved the Rainmaker first, but Milky Way cleared the first checkpoint of the game. Milky Way continued driving forward, getting all the way to 1 point to KO at the three-minute mark. FTWin struggled to get out of their spawn, and even in overtime, they were forced to retreat, losing 32–99. 
+
+MakoMart finally appeared for the first time on stream, for Clam Blitz. Early in the game, FTWin went down three players, but Milky Way didn’t have enough clams to score, and it would take both teams another two minutes before anyone did score. Milky Way scored first, to 71\. FTWin responded by scoring to 62\. As seconds ticked down, Milky Way tied the game, then threw a few more in, for a 47–38 win.
+
+Game three went back to Museum d’Alfonsino for Turf War. Both teams focused on splatting, consistently finding themselves down half of their team, especially in the last minute. Milky Way, less than 20 seconds to go, had the Danger\! sign overhead, and even as FTWin lost players at the end, they couldn’t ink enough to recover, leading to FTWin staying alive in the set with a 53.6%–43.4% victory.
+
+Tower Control at Crableg Capital followed Turf War. FTWin moved the tower two points. Then Milky Way moved it one point. FTWin moved it one point further. A very slow opening, which FTWin would pick up by riding through checkpoint one; their push eventually stopped at 50\. 
+
+<img width="1000" height="562" alt="GFR_TCcrableg" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5b508532-fb44-4c1e-813a-433d14989252" />
+
+*Too fast to see in the moment, queue’s ride on the tower was stopped abruptly by an Autobomb, which hit Milky Way’s Big Bubbler and exploded.* 
+
+During Milky Way’s push, they one-upped FTWin, getting their first checkpoint, then the lead, just to 42\. FTWin kept the tower pushing into Milky Way’s side of the map, but couldn’t stay on it to press the lead. In the last three seconds, they were wiped out, ending the set on a high note for Milky Way, 58-50. 
+
+<img width="1000" height="562" alt="r3e5_finalbracket" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d8332678-c78a-4be9-bfc1-71a7cf442fb0" />
+
+Next week, the stakes will return, higher than ever. Can any team stop Milky Way from a four-week streak as the NA League Regular Season winners? Will Crush Soda rightfully make their Top Cut debut? When will Moonlight come back? 
+
+Show up to watch the action unfold\! 
+
+Original Posting Date: May 5, 2026 at [Splatoon Stronghold](https://www.splatoonstronghold.com/news/na-league-2026-e5-rs3).
+
+Written and formatted for publication by [YELLOW](https://bsky.app/profile/great-hero-yellow.bsky.social).