Saline Hornets Sting at State Robotic Competition

Photo by Heather Finch

This weekend, all four Saline Middle School robotics teams competed at the Michigan FIRST Tech Challenge State Championships, facing top teams from across the state and earning impressive results. Three teams competed in Muskegon at Trinity Health Arena, while one team represented Saline at a separate championship location.

Teams H.I.V.E., CyBugs, and Hornet Hackers traveled to Muskegon, where competition was intense throughout the weekend. Team H.I.V.E. earned second place for the Innovate Award, which recognizes creativity and originality in robot design. Judges noted the team’s inventive approach and strong engineering process, highlighting their ability to think beyond standard solutions.

CyBugs also had a successful run, advancing to the playoff rounds after a series of challenging matches. Their performance earned them a qualification to a Premier Event, an international-level competition that brings together top FIRST Tech Challenge teams from around the world. The achievement reflects both technical skill and strong teamwork on the competition field.

Hornet Hackers capped off the Muskegon event by earning second place for the Inspire Award, the most prestigious award in the FIRST Tech Challenge program. The Inspire Award recognizes a team that excels in all areas of robotics, including robot design and performance, communication with judges, engineering documentation, leadership, and community outreach. This honor qualified the team for an international Premier Event.

Coach Ian VanSchooten praised his team’s efforts, saying, “I’m incredibly proud of the hard work the team put into designing and building the robot, honing their skills competing as a team, and writing and practicing speeches to give to the judges. Despite some initial setbacks, they acted with grace and professionalism, learned a few lessons, and had a lot of fun. In the end, those are the most important things.”

Meanwhile, Team S.W.A.R.M. competed in the Southeast Championship at Grand Blanc High School. They advanced to the playoff rounds and earned first place for the Control Award, which recognizes excellence in advanced programming, sensor integration, and autonomous robot control. Their performance secured them a qualification to the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Houston, Texas for the second year in a row. Together, these accomplishments reflect the dedication, collaboration, and innovation within Saline’s robotics program. Congratulations to all four teams on an outstanding season and for proudly representing Saline at the state and international level.