The Edge FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team members (from left) Eddie Noll, Matt Lesch, Joey Self, and Muffin Tanks team members Sam Bradin, coach Heinz Bourquin and Lucas Bourquin drive their robots to a first-place finish at the FTC State Championship held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Feb. 4. The teams advanced to super-regional competition in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in March.(Photo: Submitted)

Four prequalified teams from the Hartland area competed at the 2017 Wisconsin State Championship for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)Tech Challenge (FTC) on Feb.4: The Edge, team 10294, The Knack, team 9956and rookie teams Muffin Tanks, team 11490, and Formal Emus, team 11353.

A total of 24 teams from around Wisconsin met at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to compete in the 2016-17 game Velocity Vortex.

The Velocity Vortex challenge started in September when teams around the world learned the rules of this year's game. Teams design, build and program a robot to complete challenges in the game, played on a 12-foot square field on a soft mat floor. The challenges are worth points during a three-minute match.Alliances of two teams face off in each match, which starts with an autonomous period where robots operate using only preprogrammed instructions, according to the FIRST website atfirstinspires.org.

Each match has two periods of play:the30 second autonomous period, followed by a two-minute driver-controlled period during which drivers attempt to score points by placing particles (small balls) andcap balls (exercise balls), triggering beacons for their alliance or parking the robot on specific parts of the field. The last 30 seconds of the game is the end game, which adds new scoring opportunities.

Students are also required to keep an engineering notebook detailing their design, building and programming process.

The Edge, along with Muffin Tanks won the 2017 FTC State Championship along with their alliance partner, the Supposable Thumbs, team 4106from New Berlin.The Edge will now advance to the North Super-Regionalin Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in March.

The Edge team members are Reagan Zimmerman, Ryan Tabor, Joey Self, Matthew Lesch, Nick Noll, Eddie Noll, Alex Noll and Paul Schlager. They are coached by Kent Tabor, Kirk Noll, Louisa Self, Kevin Self and Debbie Rypkema.

Four Hartland area FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams competed at the 2017 Wisconsin State Championship on Feb. 4 at the Universwity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. FTC rookie team 22490 Muffin Tanks (left), FTC team 10294 The Edge (middle), and FTC team 9956 The Knack (right) are pictured at the state competition. FTC team 11353 Formal Emus also competed.(Photo: Submitted)

The Muffin Tanks team includes Lucas Bourquin, Sam Bradin, Jacob Johnson, Erik Giess, Saniya Saluja, who are coached by Heinz Bourquin and Chris Mehling.

Hartland area students in grades seventhrough 12 interested in robotics can join this program sponsored by FIRST, who also supports FIRST Lego League (FLL) at grade schools and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) at high schools. FTC teams usually have sixto 12 students coached by parents and community volunteers who have an interest in teaching students about technology.

To learn more about FIRST robotics programs visitfirstinspires.org.

FIRST Tech Competition (FTC) team The Edge members (from left) Eddie Noll, Matt Lesch and Joey Self drive their robot and place an exercise ball (cap ball) onto the goal in the final seconds of a game at the FTC State Championship at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Feb. 4. Capping the goal counts for 40 points in the game.(Photo: Submitted)

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Hartland robotics teams take on the FIRST Tech challenge at state competition - LC Sussex Sun