The Becker High School Robotics Team learned last week that they had qualified for a position in the Minnesota State High School League/FIRST Robotics competition Sat., May 17 at Williams Arena on the U. of M. campus in Minneapolis, according to team marketing director Emily Knudsen.
The team met with students at Becker Intermediate School Wednesday during their 8 a.m. “Team Rock” weekly student body meeting. The team answered questions from the enthusiastic group, and demonstrated “Betsy”, one of the “TwinBots” they built to develop ideas for the competition season. A slide show accompanied the presentation, but the robot, complete with its bright blue L.E.D. “competition” light bar and ball-throwing catapult was the star of the show.
The presentation team included Knudsen, robot “pilot” Zach Kerzman, Collin Hanowski, Ryan Swanson, Alex Kolbinger and Cole Anderson, all of whom fielded questions from the audience. The team concluded their program by driving the robot out of the gymnasium and into the hallway, where the departing students could get a good look at it.
State Robotics Meet
Team Captain Ryan Swanson said that the team learned last Tuesday they had posted enough points to qualify for the upcoming state robotics meet. The “Coalition of Independent Students #4607” finished in 21st place out of nearly 200 teams competing, making the field for the state meet with relative ease.
The team robots will be transported to Williams Arena Fri., May 16 for the official “load-in” and inspection prior to the state competition.
Opening ceremonies are set for 8:30 a.m. Sat., May 17, with match competition to follow immediately. The top four teams will select their alliance teammates at 2:45 p.m., and the playoffs leading to the final competition will run from 3:15-4:40 p.m., organizers said. The awards ceremony is set for 4:30 p.m.
