Robotics Team Competes in FIRST Robotics Regional

Team 1836: The MilkenKnights opened their season with a strong showing at the Arizona North FIRST Robotics Competition Regional in Flagstaff March 7-9. For only the fourth time in the team’s 13 seasons, they made the playoffs in their first event. This year’s game, Power UP, challenged robots to score points by collecting power cubes (fabric covered milk crates) and placing them in various locations. Team member Jared Hasen-Klein ’18 revealed that the team prepared for the tournament by identifying and concentrating on one aspect of the game. “Focusing on one thing allowed us to perfect it and stand out at the competition,” explained Hasen-Klein. That one thing was placing the power cubes in the low locations (called the Switch and Exchange). Because the team completed the design for their robot, Veto, earlier than usual this season, they had ample time for drive practice before the competition.

 

Practice matches were held on Thursday, and the team’s robot was one of the only ones ready to compete in those practice matches. Qualification matches took place on Friday and Saturday morning, and at the conclusion, the team was ranked 9th out of 60 teams. During the playoff draft, they declined an invitation to join the 4th seed alliance so that they could captain their own 7th seed alliance. It was only the second time in the team’s history that they have been alliance captains. Facing the 2nd seed alliance in the quarterfinals, they lost the first match but won the second.

Of special note, in quarterfinal matches two and three, when the robot was running in autonomous mode — which runs off its code and sensors on board, as opposed to being operated by joysticks and controllers —  it was able to score three cubes. Only one other team accomplished this. One of the biggest highlights of the event came in the quarterfinal tiebreaker, when they stole two cubes away from Team 1011's robot. (Watch the match here) They narrowly lost in the tiebreaker, and the 2nd seed alliance went on claim 2nd place in the tournament.

 

“The team made all the right moves at the event and everyone is very proud of the performance,” said Hasen-Klein.

 

“This was the best performance the team has ever had at their first competition of a season,” remarked Robotics Manager Stephan Shapiro.

 

The MilkenKnights compete again March 22-24 at the Orange County Regional. The competition is free and open to the public. Come out and cheer them on. Qualification matches will be all day Friday and Saturday Morning, with playoff matches Saturday afternoon. You can also catch all the action on the livestream here.