John Bapst Robotics Teams Compete at State Championship

John Bapst sent five robotics teams to the state championship competition on Thursday and Friday, March 5–6, where they represented the school with creativity, determination, and impressive technical skill.

Team 2142K – “Ty Fighter”
Despite being the smallest robot at the competition, Team 2142K packed a major punch. The rookie drive team of Asher Phillips, Anna McClury, and Joy Zinke drew frequent praise from judges and spectators for their outstanding defensive strategy. They consistently blocked and pushed robots up to ten times their size and weight, showcasing both skill and determination.

Team 2142X – “Mechanica”
Mechanica faced a challenging match schedule and battled hard throughout the day with great heart. Although they were unable to advance from the qualification rounds to eliminations, the team showed tremendous potential and determination. Their future in the program looks very bright.

Team 2142Z – “The Guppies”
After a difficult start to the competition, The Guppies found their rhythm and finished the day strong, winning several matches. Their late surge demonstrated strong teamwork and adaptability, and they are already looking ahead to next season with renewed focus and energy.

Team 2142B – “Plow King”
Plow King had an unforgettable day at states. Senior Daniel Green competed as a solo team of one after being added from the waitlist at the last minute on Monday. With his oversized stuffed rooster serving as his drive team companion, Daniel won most of his matches on his own and advanced to the elimination rounds. It was a memorable and fitting exclamation point to his four years in robotics.

Team 2142S – “The Snugglemuffins”
The Snugglemuffins faced an unusually tough set of matchups and several bouts of bad luck throughout the day. Their autonomous driving program was hindered by an unexpected challenge—the referees’ shirt color closely matched a field element, confusing the robot’s vision sensor and causing it to misidentify key waypoints. Despite these obstacles, the team persevered and delivered an outstanding performance. They earned 2nd place in the Individual Skills Competition and received the prestigious Think Award, which recognizes excellence in programming, engineering documentation, interviews, and overall performance.

Thanks to their strong ranking, the Snugglemuffins have been selected to represent Maine at the World Championship in St. Louis this April.

Congratulations to all of our robotics teams on a fantastic season and on representing John Bapst with innovation, resilience, and pride.