Congrats to Coon Rapids Middle School for taking home the top score of 235. They will have the district trophy to display this year!

Creativity and Competition: A Recap of the 2025 "MASTERPIECE" Tournament

On April 12, 2025, the Anoka-Hennepin Middle School Robotics community gathered for an incredible display of innovation at the annual challenge tournament. This year’s theme, MASTERPIECE, challenged students to explore the intersection of technology and the arts, proving that coding and engineering are just as much about creativity as they are about logic.

Setting the Stage

The competition area was a hub of activity from start to finish. Teams were tasked with programming their robots to navigate a stage-themed mat, delivering artistic sets and managing technical theater elements. It was a day that required not just technical skill, but the ability to adapt under pressure, a trait that was on full display across all six middle schools.

Performance Highlights

The robot game saw some of the highest scores in the history of the event. Team Coon Rapids (CRMS) set the pace early and never looked back, securing the first-place spot with a staggering 235 points. The victory earned them the coveted Golden Brick trophy, marking a standout year for the Coon Rapids program.

The competition for the remaining podium spots was incredibly close. Team Things from Northdale Middle School delivered a remarkably consistent performance to take second place with 200 points. They were followed closely by Team Fire Quad from Jackson Middle School, who rounded out the top three with a solid 190-point run.

Beyond the Scoreboard

While the robot game draws the crowds, the heart of the tournament lies in the specialized awards that recognize the "Core Values" of the program:

• The Paul Keeney Inspiration Award: This year’s most prestigious honor went to the GigaGiga Goobers (Northdale). After starting Round 1 with the lowest score in the field, the team showed incredible grit and determination. They spent the day refining their complex Python-based code, nearly doubling their score by the final round and climbing all the way to 4th place.

• Innovation in Coding & Design: The GigaGiga Goobers also took home the top Programming award for their work in Python, while Fire Quad (Jackson) won the Engineering & Design category for their strategy of "slowing down to speed up" --> focusing on accuracy and attachment mechanics over raw speed.

• Teamwork and Persistence: The Untitled Creators (Roosevelt) were recognized for their outstanding communication, while the "IDK" team (Jackson) earned the Persistence Award for successfully re-engineering their motor orientation mid-tournament to overcome late-season technical failures.

Connecting to the Future

The lunch break provided a bridge to the next level of competition. High school mentors from Andover, Coon Rapids, and Blaine brought their massive FRC robots to the gym, giving the middle schoolers a hands-on look at what awaits them in 9th grade. The excitement was palpable as the students realized that the skills they are learning today with LEGO bricks are the exact foundation they need to build 120-pound machines in high school.

Congratulations to all the 2025 competitors, coaches, and families for making this such a memorable "Masterpiece" of a season!