Robotics team 4506 finished 31st out of 32 teams at the Maryland For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge (FTC) Championship on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The other JC Robotics team, team 4621, withdrew from the tournament, as only two members could attend.

Members of team 4506 included junior Andy Beain and sophomores Jon Kolson and Austin Schap. The team scored zero qualifying points, or points received for winning a match. They scored 157 ranking points, or points gained during the match.

Despite the loss, Robotics moderator Rebecca Jansing-Kaestner feels positively about the season. “I think it’s been an extremely successful year. Good leadership by the Beains, good teamwork to build our bots, and at two years in, we’re at states,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

The competition was played out on a 12 feet by 12 feet diamond-shaped field, which included two home zones comprised of a platform and a ramp and two protected zones where teams could stack their crates without having them toppled over by their opponents.

The objective is to place racquetballs into crates and stack the crates using the robots. Other ways to earn points include lifting crates and pushing bowling balls into certain areas of the field.

Two alliances of two teams each compete in matches consisting of an autonomous period and a driver-controlled period.

“The idea is that you see what strengths your alliance will have. One match you may be allied with one group, then the next match they may be on the other side,” team mentor Margaret Beain said.

According to Renee Spangler, a team 4506 alliance member in the last match, “[Team 4506] is very professional on the field.”

In general, the team was satisfied with their performance. “It was a very successful season, it just ended abruptly. We came very far for our first year [as a team], ” Schap said.

“I think our strength is the ability to design. We have some really good designs, but our limitation is tools and equipment. Other teams have professionally done metalwork. We’ve had a generous donor, but have done no fundraising. In the future, I’d like to see the team take ownership of fundraising and other managerial things,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

“Our greatest strength is that we work well together and there are only a few of us. Our greatest weakness is that we’re not always together,” Kolson said.

Reflecting on the season, Andy acknowledges the areas that need improvement. “Managing time is probably what we should have done better,” Andy said.

Jansing-Kaestner is looking toward success next year. “In the future years, we’ll be even better,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

Adam Kuester is a News Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.