Warren Harding’s robotics wins third straight regional competition

Staff report

WARREN

Warren G. Harding High School’s robotics Team E.L.I.T.E 48 won the 2019 For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Buckeye Regional competition over 60 other teams. The competition took place from Thursday through Saturday at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland.

The Buckeye Regional victory was the third regional competition in a row for the WGH team, which won the FIRST Midwest regional March 7-9 in Chicago, qualifying it for the FIRST Championship in Detroit, Mich., in April, and the FIRST Greater Pittsburgh competition. This is the first time in the team’s 22-year history that it has won all three regional competitions that it entered, team officials said.

Warren Harding’s Team E.L.I.T.E, alongside the alliance captain, Team 4028, The Beak Squad from Cincinnati, which chose the Warren Harding team and Team 4145, WorBots from Columbus, as allies, were undefeated in the elimination rounds. All three teams are listed as winners of the competition.

The theme of the competition, presented by the Boeing Co., was “DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE,” in which the Warren Harding team joined competing alliances in collecting samples on Planet Primus. A sandstorm limits driver visibility while robots depart their habitat.

With only 2 minutes and 30 seconds until liftoff, the alliances attach hatch panels (plastic discs) to their rocket and cargo ship to hold the most cargo (kick balls). The alliance with the most secured cargo wins.