KCSD robotics teams qualify for world, national tournaments

Mazama qualifies for world competition; Lost River earns national invitational berth

Teams compete at the 2019 Oregon State Robotics Championships.

Teams compete at the 2019 Oregon State Robotics Championships.

 

Mazama Robotics Team of Javier Gonzalez and Brandon Lewis placed 2nd out of 72 teams at state in the highest platinum bracket and qualified for the VEX World Championships.

Two Klamath County School District robotics teams earned top honors and will compete in world and national tournaments this spring – a Mazama team qualified for the VEX World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Lost River team earned a spot at Create US National Vex Robotics Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Mazama team of Javier Gonzalez and Brandon Lewis, first-time competitors, qualified earlier this month by placing second out of 72 teams in the highest bracket at the 2019 Oregon State Robotics Championships. The VEX World tournament hosts 650-plus teams from more than 90 countries.

“The event is the Olympics of robotics and even has a parade of nations to kick off the competition,” said Mazama Robotics Team coach Laura Nickerson. “This is an amazing accomplishment as it is their first year competing.”

The school will take a four-man team to the world championships and team members Adyin Smith and Jon Allison will join Gonzalez and Lewis. (The team is fundraising to travel to the tournament. If a business or individual would like to sponsor them, please contact Laura Nickerson nickersonl@kcsd.k12.or.us)

Lost River’s Team 9391D with first-year students Anabelle Ross, Karla Hernandez, Lucy Huizar, Johan Ayala, Aaron Reyes, and Ronaldo Leon Cobian will travel to the national tournament in Iowa next month. The team took home four trophies and won an excellence award, which earned them the spot at the Create US Invitational. (The team is fundraising to travel to the tournament. If a business or individual would like to sponsor them, please contact Laurie Ross rosslau@kcsd.k12.or.us)

Bonanza Junior-Senior High School took three teams to the 2019 Oregon State Robotics Championships this year. “The state tournament is always a fun event and a great way to end an amazing season,” said Samantha Fields, the school’s robotics coach. “The students worked very hard to improve their robots and they have come a long way.”

Team Highlights

Mazama’s Robotics Team of Markus Patton, Gordon McCreadie and Jake Healy won the Excellence Award (like the MVP) in the 40-team gold bracket. They also placed 2nd in a dramatic one-point loss in the championship match.

Mazama
“It’s been a great season for all of the Mazama teams,” Nickerson said. “I could not be more proud of their effort and accomplishments this season.”

Four of the school’s five teams were new to competition this year, and every team had at least one tournament where members won an award or were recognized.

  • Javier Gonzalez and Brandon Lewis, 2nd out of 72 teams at state in the highest platinum bracket (qualified for worlds).

  • Jake Healey, Gordon McCreadie and Markus Patton won the Excellence Award (like the MVP) in the 40-team gold bracket. They also placed 2nd in a dramatic one-point loss in the championship match.

  • Jon Allison and Aidyn Smith were nominated for a sportsmanship award and competed very well in the gold bracket.

  • Kayden Kappas, Lucy Pena and Asia Scott as well as Geremy Mathews also competed in the platinum bracket and were selected for alliance partners.

Lost River’s Team 9391D -- Lucy Huizar, Aaron Reyes, Anabelle Ross, Ronaldo Leon Cobian, Karla Hernandez and Johan Ayala -- earned a berth at the Create US National VEX Robotics Tournament

Lost River
Lost River’s season was one of growth, said coach Laurie Ross. Of the 22 students participating, 15 were first-year Robotics Team members.

  • Team 9391D (Anabelle Ross, Karla Hernandez, Lucy Huizar, Johan Ayala, Aaron Reyes, and Ronaldo Leon Cobian) took home four trophies to be the winningest first-year team the school has ever had. They earned the spot at the Create US National Vex Robotics Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa,

  • Team 9391 B, made up of first-year students Michael Howard, Abel Alion, Nick Macken, Arath Alvarado-Bravo, and returning seniors Yajaira Cobian, Giselle Cobian, Susi Cobian, and Ximena Lemus-Hernandez, had a consistently successful robot and figured out some programming challenges way above what first year students can usually do, Ross said.

  • Team 9391C, made up of Axel Ramos, Alex Salazar, Dustyn Verley, Victor Alonzo, Reese Addington, and Giovanny Perez took home a sportsmanship trophy at the West Salem tournament.

  • Team 9391A, made up of seniors Brian Abarca, Reynaldo Espinoza, Zach Ross, and Israel Ruedas, won a judge’s award for an incredibly complex robot.

Bonanza’s Robotic Team won the Gold Division Judge’s Award at the state tournament.

Bonanza
Won the Gold Division’s Judges Award: Jacy Wasoski, Chris Eck, Annaleise Bacolas, Chance Solus, Blake Stanley, Dalton Pulsateri, Savannah Jennings, Christin Mosier, and Shani Bareither all competed at the event.