Bellefontaine City Schools students competed in the Ohio State VEX Robotics Championship at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton over the weekend.
Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14, 58 middle school teams competed in 8 qualification matches that created rankings for a bracketed tournament.
Bellefontaine Team 7865F Banana Boys ended the qualification rounds with a 7-1 record and 4th place ranking.
Team 7865B It’s Whatever finished in 11th with a 6-2 record, and 7865X X Force placed 35th with a 4-4 record.
Banana Boys (7865F) picked their BMS teammate It’s Whatever (7865B) to compete in the tournament. With a third place seed, this alliance swept their first two matches (29-16, 23-3) but were defeated by the #2 alliance in the semifinals.
Banana Boys and It’s Whatever both advanced to the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, from May 9-11.
Banana Boys members are Jackson Maus, Beckett Kessler, Jackson Lynch, and Gavin Gibson. It’s Whatever team members include Charlie Moreland, Greyson Huffman, Max Miranda, and Chloe O’Chocke.
It’s Whatever also earned the Innovate Award, which recognizes a unique or creative aspect of their robot and/or programming. This is another World-qualifying award.
X Force members include Christian Sterling, Chandler Herne and Landon Severt.
Saturday, March 15, the high school championship began with more than 100 teams.
Teams 9185C Carnage, 9185T Terminator, and 9185V Venom represented BHS well.
In the Raptor Division, Carnage went 6-2 and finished in 12th place.
Venom had a record of 3-5 and placed 40th.
In the Nighthawk Division, Terminator was 6-2 and finished in 10th place.
On Sunday, Carnage chose an alliance partner from Mt. Vernon High School, but was defeated in the first round of the tournament.
Terminator picked an ally from North Union High School, then won their first round match (33-24) but were defeated in the quarterfinals (19-14).
All six teams showcased their dedication, focus, and creative problem-solving skills through all of their matches and represented Bellefontaine with pride.
The high school team includes: Trinity Fout, Hayden Maus, Lorenz Henry, Will Gates, Steven Fulmer, Jay Tuttle, Jacob Lynch, Shota Bello, Cody Robb, Brody Miranda, Andy McDonald, Graham Trittschuh, Haydon Argabright, Alex Kavanaugh, Dalton Frazier, Marek Frazier, Alex Sandoval, Mason Swisher, Will Myers, and Fletcher Roberts.
The BMS teams are coached by Jordan Reser, while the BHS teams are coached by Micah Woolf.
