Category: Competition

From April 27th to April 30th, Texas Torque competed in the FIRST World Championships in St. Louis. We were thrilled to attend the event for the sixth year running, having qualified with our Regional Chairman’s Award at the Alamo Regional.

One rather long bus ride, a mild delay due to a tornado warning, and a healthy dose of team bonding later, the team arrived in St. Louis, Missouri and, along with some 900 other FIRST teams, took the city by storm. We split our time between work and play as we scouted matches and explored the city. The Edward Jones Dome was a mecca of scientific knowledge and excitement, and all members of Texas Torque greatly enjoyed reveling in the sights and sounds of the Championship.

In the qualification matches, we were able to practice with and adjust our shooter, allowing us to fine-tune our shot and practice aiming for the high goals. We finished qualifications in the 48th position and were selected by the third seeded alliance, headed by team 67, The HOT Team. The other members of our alliance were team 5172 Gators and team 3481 Bronc Botz, and we very much enjoyed competing with them and The HOT Team during elimination matches.

After a series of intense quarterfinals matches, our alliance advanced to the semifinals of the Newton division, where we were eliminated after two matches against the eventual division champions. Despite this elimination, the team is satisfied with our performance at the 2016 Championship and throughout the 2016 competition season as a whole. Congratulations to the new FIRST Robotics Competition World Champions, team 330 The Beach Bots, team 2481 Roboteers, and team 120 Cleveland’s Team! We would also like to congratulate team 987 High Rollers for their Championship Chairman’s Award and induction into the FRC Hall of Fame.

We are extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to compete in this year’s FIRST Championship and look forward to the adventures ahead!

From April 21st through 25th, Texas Torque traveled up to St. Louis, Missouri for the FIRST World Championships. The team was excited to attend the championship event for the fifth year in a row, having qualified for the championship this year by winning an Engineering Inspiration Award at the Bayou Regional.

After a fourteen-hour bus ride, Texas Torque team members divided their time between work and play, taking time out of their busy schedules to enjoy the city in the midst of competition responsibilities. We were glad to see FIRST take St. Louis by storm; in every restaurant and attraction, another FIRST Robotics Competition team could be found leaving their mark. The Edwards Dome itself was bustling with 600 FRC teams preparing their robots for inspection, running practice matches, and generally enjoying the sights, sounds, and attractions of the FIRST World Championship.

The much-anticipated qualification rounds began with excitement. Texas Torque earned a high score average for the first three matches, but as the day continued our score dropped and Texas Torque ended up ranking 54th out of 76 teams. Every member of the team was thrilled to play with and against some of the best teams in the world.

Upon alliance selection, Texas Torque was chosen to be a part of the 7th seeded alliance, which consisted of FRC Team 364 (Miracle Workerz), FRC Team 494 (Martians), and FRC Team 245 (Adambots). The elimination matches were easily the most intense matches we had played during the 2015 season. In our first match in quarterfinals, we ended with a score of 84, and after a riveting final match against the 1st seeded alliance, our alliance could not bring its average back up and was eliminated with a score of 138.50.

Overall, the team is ecstatic with their performance at the World Championship. We would like to congratulate FRC Team 118, FRC Team 1678, and FRC Team 1671 for their inspiring play on the field and their new status as the FIRST Robotics Competition World Champions. We would also like to congratulate FRC Team 597, the Wolverines, for their induction into the FIRST Hall of Fame and their sustained influence on the FIRST community. Many thanks to our alliance partners for a fantastic run and to all of the hardworking individuals and organizations that made this Championship possible.