There were 20 teams competing, including two from FDSH, two from Southeast Valley High School, one from Humboldt High School and two from Manson Northwest Webster High School.

“It went really well,” said Ed Birkey, Dodger robotics advisor and organizer for the tournament. “It was pretty smooth. I couldn’t do it without the volunteers.”

Many of the volunteers and judges for the event are former Dodger Robotics students, Birkey said.

Each team competed in a series of matches throughout the day. On each side of a match would be an alliance of two teams, which would switch out from match-to-match. After an initial autonomous period where the robots complete tasks they are programmed to do, the drivers take the wireless controllers to take over. Teams transported cones with the robots to certain areas of the 12-foot-by-12-foot arena and on poles of varying heights to score points.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
A robot built by students from Southeast Valley High School places a cone atop a pole during a competition at Fort Dodge Senior High on Saturday.

After the qualification matches, the top eight teams went on to the playoffs in two-team alliances. In the end, Team 13186 — Lactose Intolerance from Grundy Center High School and Team 21311 — Lion Robotics from Clear Lake High School were crowned the champions.

The top teams overall on the day will move onto the super qualifier tournament in Norwalk on Feb. 11, Birkey said.

Team 10185 From the Island of Misfit Robots, a FDSH team, finished sixth overall and will advance to the super qualifier.

Senior Fisher Novencido is part of Team 10185 From the Island of Misfit Robots team.

“He’s been a four-year member of our team,” Birkey said. “He’s always consistent and it’s very deserving of him to have this team move on.”

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Southeast Valley Robotics Team members Oscar Hanson and Creighton Urban control their robot at Saturday's competition, while teammate Emma Sytsma watches from behind.

Team 10185 also received the second-place Innovate Award from the competition.

The 7332 Dodgerbots team finished 16th on Saturday and will not advance in the league.

“Last year they were the Inspire Award winner, which is the highest award you can get, and the first team to advance and they were all seniors,” Birkey said. “So these are all rookies on that team now, so it was a learning experience for them. They did pretty well for a first-year team like that.”

A team from Southeast Valley High school finished fifth and will also continue onto the super qualifier next month.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
The FDSH robotics team, From the Island of Misfit Robots, right, competes in an alliance match during Saturday's tournament.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
From the Island of Misfit Robots, one of the robot teams at FDSH, finished sixth in Saturday's tournament and will move on to the super qualifier next month.