Montgomery Catholic Robotics Team Wins State Tournament Two Years in a Row

For the fifth year in a row, the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School RoboKnights represented our school at the VEX Robotics State Competition. For the second year in a row, one high school team, “Happy Little Accidents” competed and won the title of State Tournament Champion.

Coach Vicki Petters credits their success to methodical building, testing, and programming. “This team has been focused on testing and adjusting all season long,” said Petters, of the team who won one of only two in-person tournaments in the River Region this year. “They began this season not knowing if there would be a State tournament, but prepared themselves for every opportunity to compete.”

Montgomery Catholic Robotics Team Wins State Tournament Two Years in a Row 1
Aidan Cochran and Hunter Dailey
The VEX Robotics challenge this year is called “Change Up,” and like in previous challenges, two alliances of two robots face each other on the playing field. The teams are tasked with using their robots to either shoot blue or red balls into the top of goals or pull balls out of the bottom of the goals to change which color ball is on top. Like in previous challenges, robots can score additional points by demonstrating autonomous programs in the first 15 seconds of each round. The remaining minute and 45 seconds are driver-controlled and allow the teams to demonstrate not only their designs but also their skills at operating their robots.

Unlike in previous years, the COVID pandemic challenged the Vex Game Design Committee to develop a way for teams to compete remotely. “Happy Little Accidents” quickly mastered this remote format, helping them win the State Tournament from their home field.

Happy Little Accidents is comprised of senior and VEX Worlds alumni Aidan Cochran, and 9th grader Hunter Dailey. The team will be competing in the Worlds tournament in this remote format from May 20-22, 2021.

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