On Saturday, December 7th, four teams, MOB, Scarsdale Robotics, Suffern, and RoboRaiders, qualified for the state championships at the FTC (First Tech Challenge) regional qualifiers, hosted at John Jay High School in East Fishkill.
John Jay Cross River’s robotics teams: Leftovers, Screw-Ups, MOB (Mechanical Operations Bureau), and Vulkan, joined 34 other teams from across the region to compete. For many of these students, the event wasn’t just about testing their robots against tough competition, it was about getting one step closer to their dream of reaching the World Championship. To make it there, teams must first win at states.
After 10 grueling hours of matches, MOB and Scarsdale Robotics secured their spots by winning on the field, while Suffern and RoboRaiders earned theirs by receiving the Inspire Award. All four teams are now focused on the MVCC Utica Championship, just one step away from Worlds, while other teams work hard to qualify at the next event in January.
The competition began bright and early, with teams arriving at 7:30 a.m. to prepare their robots, practice on test fields, and strategize; it was also a chance for competitors to talk and get a feel for each other’s strengths. FTC judges conducted interviews during this time, asking about each team’s robot design, problem-solving approaches, and values.
By 10:00 a.m., the opening ceremony introduced the day’s matches. Teams played five matches, each one with a different alliance partner. Their goal was simple: score as high as possible, win their matches, and make it into the playoffs. From there, six alliances, each made up of two teams, competed in elimination rounds to determine which alliance would qualify for states.
John Jay Cross River teams 20203 Vulkan and 10949 MOB both made it to the playoffs. Vulkan, allied with Team 8397 Beta, reached the finals, showcasing teamwork and skill. MOB, paired with Team 12331 Scarsdale Robotics, won their final matches, earning a well-deserved spot at the state championship.
The day ended with the awards ceremony, where teams were recognized for their accomplishments. John Jay’s Screw-Ups earned 2nd place in the Design Award, showing their creative engineering, while MOB got 1st place in the Innovate Award for their unique ideas. MOB qualified for States as a result. The Inspire Award, given to teams that show excellence across all areas of competition, went to RoboRaiders and Suffern, securing their place at states.
John Jay-EF High School, with the help from Team 16700 Jaybots, hosted the event which wasn’t just about competition. It was also about collaboration and sportsmanship. As John Jay robotics teacher Mr. Peter says, “The thing that I was most proud of was the gracious professionalism that everyone present exhibited during the competition.”
