Cranberry Robotics goes to states

Cranberry Robotics Goes to States

On March 9, 2019, nine VEX Robotics teams, two senior high teams competing in the EDR competition and seven junior high teams competing in the IQ competition, traveled to Pittsburgh to compete in the Western Pennsylvania State Competition for VEX. 

Students from Cranberry  were to play against teams from all over the western side of the state and each other. Dozens of competition hardened bots were prepared to face off for their chance to go to the World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

Going into it, the junior high students were obviously tired, but they were bright eyed and bushy tailed once we entered the gymnasium where the games would begin. 

Many of the teams felt underprepared, especially the RoboCops team, and considered themselves underdogs. On the other hand, the A-Team was regarded to be the best prepared and most likely to win.

As the competition continued, none of the IQ teams managed to qualify for states, but “The No Shows” managed to win not one, but two awards: the Create Award and the Design Award.

As for the senior high, they were awake for most of the trip blasting music and telling stories to hype each other up for the day. When they arrived, they got straight to business and made any adjustments to their programing and robots that they felt they needed. 

Both “Tech Support” and “The Fab Four” felt confident in each other and themselves, but unfortunately the “Tech Support’s” bot broke mid competition causing them to not make the playoffs. 

The “Fab Four” managed to clinch a seat in the playoffs but lost in the quarter finals, extinguishing Cranberry’s chance to go to World’s until next year. 

Alex Best, the only senior to go to the competition, said, “It’s a bummer that we didn’t make it, but I believe that next year you guys can make it to World’s! I believe that we have an incredible program, and I also believe in you guys.”