Parker Robotics Wins Second Consecutive State Championship

On Saturday, February 22, Parker’s robotics team 3507 Robotheosis competed at the Illinois State Tournament in Elgin. This FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) season started with more than 200 Illinois teams. The 44 remaining teams competed for the title of state champion and a ticket to advance to the World Championship in Detroit.

During February Recess, the team constructed a competition field at a team member’s house; throughout the week, they practiced, made improvements, documented their progress, wrote programs for the robot and prepared presentations.

At the State Championships, Parker’s team started off strong. Within their first two matches, they achieved the two highest scores in their division. Overall, they won four of their five qualification matches and scored well enough to earn a second place qualification rank in their division.

Following Qualification Matches, teams entered Alliance Selection. The top four teams each chose two partners to play with them during the best of three Elimination Rounds. Robotheosis was selected by the number-one-ranked team, 10635 Unknown Element from Batavia. Joining them was team 6199, Trial N’ Terror out of Barrington, to complete the alliance.

In the division Semi-Finals, Robotheosis’ alliance secured their first two matches with ease. They advanced to the Division Finals, winning two closely contested matches to advance to the Illinois State Finals.

Robotheosis’s alliance lost the first match in the State Finals. With the championship on the line, the alliance came back to win match number two by a score of 119 to 116! In the tiebreaking third and final match, Robotheosis and Unknown Element worked together to narrowly pull out a nail-biting 120 to 119 win. This victory clinched the second consecutive Illinois State Championship for Robotheosis.

The State Championship win means that 3507 Robotheosis will head to the FIRST World Championship in Detroit April 29–May 2. More than 6,600 teams in more than 110 countries competed this season in the FIRST Tech Challenge, but Robotheosis will be one of just 144 teams attending the World Championships in Detroit.

Congratulations team!

Keep up with Robotheosis on their Twitter, @fwprobotics. And be sure to check out the FIRST Championships website in April to see them compete in Detroit!

To see 3507’s winning alliance compete, check some of their amazing finals matches:
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Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.