Cedar Bots continue to work on improving as season progresses
HARTINGTON — Students with the Cedar Catholic High School robotics program continue to work on improving their skills as their season progresses.
The Cedar Bots had three teams compete on Nov. 19 at East High School in Sioux City, Iowa, during a 22-squad regular-season meet in the Magnetic League, with the following results: -Senior Jay Steffen and sophomore Brett Stevens, 11th.
-Seniors Spencer Albers and Jack Stevens, 14th. -Senior Alex Christensen and sophomore Christian Fiscus, 17th.
“We did have one match for (Jay Steffen and Brett Stevens) in which they attained the highest round score of 115 points that any of our teams have reached so far this year,” said Cedar Catholic science instructor Lowell Brown, the lead mentor for the Hartington school’s robotics program.
“We did experience numerous mechanical problems with the robots in the later rounds, which resulted in poor qualification matches as the day went on,” he said.
Brown previously explained the 2022-23 season’s robotics challenge, which is titled “PowerPlay,” that his high school students have been taking on for their meets.
“The premise is to complete a circuit to allow energy to move as you place your markers to provide a complete current,” he said. “We are using the same parts from last year designed for this year’s competition.”
Brown noted the demands of the robotics season’s competitions coupled with the success of the Cedar football team reaching the state title game put robotics on the back burner for three students.
“My only hope is that we will be able to field complete teams the rest of this season,” he said. “I have been pleasantly surprised how well the teams have performed short-handed.”
For the Cedar Bots, Christensen and Fiscus make up one team. Steffen and Brett Stevens are on another. Albers and Jack Stevens are on the third.
Sophomore Nicholas Coleman is an alternate who can go to any team at anytime as needed.
The Cedar Bots’ season kicked off on Oct. 29 in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, and was followed by the Nov. 19 competition in Sioux City.
Cedar Catholic’s last regular-season robotics meet has been set for Dec. 17 in Hinton, Iowa.
The Magnetic League Tournament has been scheduled for Jan. 7 at Central Lyon High School in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
The Magnetic League used to be called the Northwest Iowa League and is a part of the FIRST Tech Challenge – Iowa organization.
“Our next major hurdle will be the programming – autonomous – portion of the competitions,” Brown said. “We have managed to score points during this part of the competition, but all team members know we will have to improve. Our driving skills also need to be improved. I feel very positive for our team performances because of the students’ determination and continuing work ethic to ‘get better.’”