2022
BOG BOTS MAKE IT
TO StATE
While we were in Houston Texas during the Final day of the competition. We were notified that we had accumulated enough points through the year that we gained the opportunity to compete in the Minnesota High School League Robotics Tournament at the Minnesota State College in Minneapolis, MN!!
So once we got back from our cross country trip on April 23rd we had until our departure date for stat of May 6th 2022, to do repairs and adjustments to our bot for its next BIG SHOW! So once we finished our adjustments to the bot, we held an assembly for our school in the big gym on Friday. Before loading up and heading down to Minneapolis, MN to load in for the event that evening. during the assembly, our head coach, talked about what we have done this season, our stats and such, and then we showed a slideshow of our Texas trip. After the assembly the Bog Bots team loaded into the vehicle for the journey South. We received a entire school salute and a fire truck escort and out of Kelliher and on our way to the Cities and our Next big adventure. Before completely leaving the north country we stopped at the Culvers in Bemidji for lunch and a final stretch before hitting the road for the next 3 plus hours of highways and interstates. Before entering the complicated roadways of the cities we stopped at a gas station in Big Lake, MN for a stretch and bathroom break. From there we navigated our way to the Minnesota State College Campuses in Minneapolis, MN. We arrived to the campus while the sun was just entering its sunset phase. This lighting gave us a excellent view of the many historic buildings that we passed on our way to the Williams Arena were the competition was being held. Once we pulled up to the front of the arena, we started unloading and making our way to our pit area in the arena and joined the other 35 teams competing at the State Championship. After load-in, pit setup, robot inspection, robot-field radio connection we reloaded into our vehicle and made our way to Chili's for supper before heading to our hotel in Roseville, MN for a nights sleep.
As a beginning to our State Championship experience, our Head Coach gave our school a slide show review of our trip to FRC Worlds.
Similar to our embarkation to FRC Worlds competition, The Kelliher Volunteer Fire Department gave our team a fire truck escort out of town.
Unlike when we left Early in the morning to catch our plane south for Worlds Champion ship. This time our School could be there to wave us off to state!
After 4hrs of highway and interstate travel, we started to see the skyline of the Twin Cities on the horizon.
Entering the campus of University of Minnesota to set up for the Minnesota High School League Robotics Competition.
The campus of U of M contains several of the oldest buildings in Minneapolis, possibly in Minnesota!
We landed at the MSHL Robotics State Competition!! The first view of our Venue's Arena.
We found where we were to set up our pit, found our spot and raised our banner HIGH in the SKY!! Competition has Officially Started!!!
One of the two Large screens in the pit area that will show the matches to come. Thank You to those who served our Country to make this competition possible.
Saturday, The main day of competition came early. The Opening ceremony for the days events started at 8:15AM. So we had to wake up, eat breakfast, and make it to the MN State Campuses in downtown Minneapolis from Roseville by at least 8:00AM. On our way to our Day we were able to see many of the Twin cities' landmarks and skyline. We made it back to the Williams Arena with enough time to get to our pit, prep the bot and get to the stands for the opening ceremony. The event started with a welcome by yoji shimizu, after that came a few words from the Director of Minnesota State High School League Eric Martens, a applause thank you to referees and volunteers then a parade of the teams competing and their mascot and flags and then an Excellent rendition of the National anthem done by Thomas Sepulveda from team 2052. Our first match was match 5 with alliance partners 4009 (DNA) and 2220 (Blue Twilight). In this match we shot our cargo into the lower port, played defense and was able to transverse climb and when it was all said and done our alliance won the match and we landed ranked 10th of the 35 teams. We had 7 more matches to compete in, along with a concession stand lunch break at 12:30-1:30 PM for the day. Through out these matches our team did very well we were able to climb, deliver cargo, crossed the tarmac and played defense on our competing alliance's key robots. During this competition we were also able to be a top team/alliance player. Where we did our very best in each position and task we were asked to play in to better the alliance's chance for success. At the ending buzzer of our last match, match 44, of the total 48 we ended up with a rank of 27 out of the 36 teams at the event with a record of 4 wins 4 wins 4 losses and zero ties. After match 48 and the alliance selection, we disassembled our pit and packed it into our trailer for the journey home. We then went back in to the arena and watched the semi finals and final matches along with the the award ceremony. After the event wrapped up our team gathered up and headed to our vehicle and to the team fun part of the trip. We started the evening with a meal at Khan's Mongolian Bar-B-Q, which was right across the parking lot from our hotel in Roseville. Khan's Mongolian BBQ was a really nice and interesting place. The Interior was Decorated in an Asian/Mongolian theme with various cultural and artistic decorations from the region complete with TVs displaying sumo wrestling and an Asian version of the Wipeout TV show. The was a select, griddle cook, and enjoy dining experience. Where you either do one bowl or all you can eat, then you go through buffets of different noodles, meats, sauces, vegetables and other toppings. From there you take your bowl to the extremely hot griddles and artisan stir fry cooks who take your creation and cook it right in front of you. With quick and effortless movements they keep your food moving so it doesn't burn but gets fully cooked. Once your creation is done they toss your bowl's contents back into your bowl and had it to you to enjoy. We all were able to sit together in one of the alcove type of rooms off of the main dining room. All of us tried to use our chopsticks to eat our meal but sooner or later we all went back to knife and fork. Once we all had our fill the next part of our evening started. We made our way to the AMC Rosedale 14 Theater for our viewing of Marvel's Doctor Strange The Multiverse of Madness. Once we went through the Curved Glass entrance of the theater we were greeted by the ticket booth and a vast concession counter complete with over 4 Coca Cola touch screen soda dispensers. From the ticket booth we stopped by the concession counter before finding our Dolby Cinema screening room for the 2 HR 6 MIN sowing of the latest Marvel movie. When the crescendo of the film was reached, the credits started to roll and the room lights were relight we made our way back through Curved Glass front of the theater and made our way back to our vehicle and a short nights sleep at our hotel.
On our way back to the U of M for the main event. What will it hold for 6453!? En-route we pass many famous landmarks of the Twin Cities.
Dunwoody College had a booth at the event, where you could gain information, ask questions and win prizes. this little mechanical creation met us at the door and was on display.
Waiting for the pits to open up. So we can prepare for our first match.
This shows the pit area, the practice field elements and the venue its self!! what a place and what an event!
Once through the sea of people, our team enters the pit and gets to the task of getting ready both team mates and the robot.
As a coach or volunteer for 6453 our main job is to assist and mentor the students in our team. Here our Head coach helps prepare the bot for a day of competition.
The event started with a welcome by yoji shimizu, after that came a few words from the Director of Minnesota State High School League Eric Martens Then an applause thank you to referees and volunteers.
The last two parts of the opening ceremony were a parade of the teams competing and their mascot and flags and then an Excellent rendition of the National anthem done by Thomas Sepulveda from team 2052.
Waiting in the que line for our first match at state. Our alliance partners were Team 4009 - Denfeld DNA Robotics, and Team 2220 - Blue Twilight From Eagan, Minnesota.
Sunday Morning came on the heals of an event full Saturday Night. We re-packed our bags, had breakfast, checked out of our rooms and loaded back onto the Vehicle for the journey back to the north woods. Due to road work delay warnings that came across our head coaches phone, we decided to take an alternate route form the route we took to get to our hotel. Though unexpected, this detour gave us a unique view of south central Minnesota. Within just a few turns and a couple of miles we went from a populated, fast paced urban environment to a sparsely populated, slower paced country road environment. Just curvy two lane roads, small towns, trees close to the road, fields and classic farms with big red barns. With this trip being in spring the leaves and grasses were just starting to awaken from a frigid and bleak Minnesota winter. This gave us a lot of postcard/calendrer perfect scenery out our windows. After many miles and spotting several classic cars and pieces of Americana, we were able to rejoin our original route back home, which we traveled without incident. we ended our trip with unloading our trailer and returning our team's pit, supplies, and bot to the robotics room. This trip was a great addition to an already success filled season for 6453.
Our last view of the cities was this sculpture of a rose in in front of our hotel in Roseville, MN.
Just curvy two lane roads, small towns, trees close to the road, fields and classic farms with big red barns. Is what we saw on our detour route back home.