HOT Robotics Team Turns Up The Heat at the Milford District

The heat was turned up last weekend at Milford High School as the HOT Team hosted the Milford District FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) event for the second time. With a total of forty teams attending the event, the air was buzzing with energy and the competition was on!

Teams have spent the past six weeks designing, building, programming, and testing a robot to take on the challenge and have put their robots to the test in the second week of the competition season.

The HOT Team entered the event determined to redeem themselves from a loss at last year’s event and weren’t disappointed! At the end of the qualification matches, the HOT Team was ranked first with ten wins and two losses. Moving on to the elimination matches, the HOT Team picked two teams to join their alliance and assist them in the elimination events: team 3707, the Brighton Technodogs; and team 5562, Laker Logistics. Advancing through the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals, the alliance won with a six to one record and the highest score of any alliance achieved during the tournament! All in all, the HOT Team earned 73 qualifying points toward qualifying for the state tournament.

After the matches, teams listened carefully as an announcer read off the decision of the event’s judges on what awards went to what teams. The HOT Team was ecstatic to be awarded the Quality Award, which celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication. Previously in the season, the HOT Team had nominated two members, Alyssa Hagan from the International Academy West (IA) and Zachary Blanchard from Milford High School, for the Dean’s List Award which celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary. The thrilled cheers of the team filled the gym when it was revealed that HOT Team member Alyssa Hagan had been selected as the district finalist for this award.

You can see the HOT Team again at the Lincoln District event on March 21-23 as they continue to compete and are sure to turn up the heat again!