Local robotics teams dominate at state championship – Midland Daily News

The robot from Midland High's Team 5509 delivering a gear during competition.

The robot from Midland High's Team 5509 delivering a gear during competition.

Dow High's Team 2619 with the State Consumer's Energy Division championship banner.

Dow High's Team 2619 with the State Consumer's Energy Division championship banner.

Calvary Baptist Academy's Team 6753 drive team and robot.

Calvary Baptist Academy's Team 6753 drive team and robot.

Local robotics teams dominate at state championship

Several local robotics teams soared in the Michigan FIRST Robotics State Championship April 13-15 at Saginaw Valley State University.

Of the 450 FIRST robotics teams in Michigan, 160 qualified to compete at the state level. Among these teams were H. H. Dow Highs Team 2619 The Charge, Midland Highs Team 5509 Like A Boss, Bullock Creek Highs Team 3770 BlitzCreek, Freeland Highs Team 5166 Fabricators, Calvary Baptist Academys Team 6753 RoboKings and Bay City Westerns Team 5603 Rise of the Warrior Bots.

The teams were divided into four different fields of 40 teams, with each being named after the major sponsors of the event: Consumers Energy, Dow Chemical, DTE Energy and Ford.

On the Consumers Energy Field, Calvary Baptist finished ranked 11th out of 40 and was selected for playoffs by Flints Team 1506 Metal Muscle and Brightons Team 4362 Gems, making it to semifinals.

Dow High finished ranked 21st out of 40 and was selected for playoffs by Gladstones Team 4391 Bravebots and Zeelands Team 85 B. O. B. (Built on Brains). Dow Highs alliance went on to win six out of its seven elimination matches to be crowned the Consumers Energy State Division Champions. Dow Highs alliance then moved on to the overall State Championship final field to play the winners of the other three fields, but fell short of the ultimate state title in the semifinals.

In the DTE Energy Division, Bullock Creek finished ranked 2nd out of 40, placing them as the captain of the second seeded alliance. They selected Fremonts Team 1918 NC Gears and Fennvilles Team 5173 Robohawks to join them in the playoffs. Midland High finished ranked 3rd place out of 40, placing them as the captain of the third seeded alliance. They selected Cantons Team 4405 The Atoms Family and Rochesters Team 201 The FEDS to join them in playoffs. Both alliances advanced through the quarterfinals into the semifinals, which pitted the two area teams against each other. In a set of close matches, the Midland High alliance claimed victory, advancing to the finals.

The Midland High alliance won its first match, but its opponents gained a narrow victory in the second match to force a tiebreaker. Due to a last second penalty, the Midland High alliance fell, becoming the DTE Energy Division finalists.

In addition to its playoff performance, Bullock Creek was awarded the Excellence in Engineering award by the judges on the DTE Energy Field. The award celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature.

Calvary Baptist was awarded the Rookie Inspiration award by the judges on the Consumers Energy Field. This award celebrates a rookie teams outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school as well as in their community.

The Freeland Fabricators team also competed in the DTE Energy Division, where it received the Pit Safety recognition award. Bay City Westerns team competed in the Ford Division where it won the Team Spirit Award, which celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership & teamwork.

Dow High student Michael Most was also recognized as a FIRST Deans List finalist, the first Dow High student to ever receive this honor. The Deans List celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary. Most will have the opportunity to interview for the FIRST Deans List award at the FIRST Championship along with winners from events all across the world.

Of the local teams that attended the state championship, Dow High, Bullock Creek, Midland High, Calvary Baptist and Freeland qualified to compete at the FIRST World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri.

Its a really big surprise that our rookie team is able to go to Worlds and I hope to have as much fun as I did at States and do my best during the competitions, Aaron Heydenburg, member of Calvary Baptists first-year team, said.

Bullock Creeks team captain & senior drive team member, Connor Stark, added, My favorite part of States was being an Alliance Captain. Im looking forward to showing off our robot and seeing other robots from around the World.

The 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition game is called FIRST Steamworks. In this steampunk-themed competition, two alliances of three robots each prepare to take flight by scoring balls to build steam pressure, gather gears to start rotors and climb rope to board onto the airships at the end of each match.

More information regarding the teams and FIRST can be found at http://www.firstinmichigan.org

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Local robotics teams dominate at state championship - Midland Daily News