Evan Brower, Evan Rassi, Wesley Hays, Nathan Smith, Taylor Fiedeke and Noah Beckner talk strategy before a match during the elimination rounds.

PLYMOUTH — Wawasee’s Iron Pride Robotics team took the tourney championship and skills championship Saturday, Feb. 8, at Plymouth High School, increasing the season trophy count to 16.

“With two more chances to qualify for state, teams are working and putting in long hours,” said Wawasee’s head coach Jed Wandland. “574C and 574D are qualified and we expect several more of our teams to qualify through skills scores.”

It is predicted high school teams with a skills score of 14 or better will go to state. It is expected 574H, the Wawasee Middle School team will go to state.

574D and 574C conquered in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, crushing the field in the finals round, winning the tournament in the final match with a score of 76-12. 574D also threw down a team-best combined skills score of 132, bringing home the robot skills trophy and elevating their world skills rank to 25th place out of 25,000 teams around the globe.

In competition, it was a good day at Plymouth Saturday. 574G (1-4-1, rank 46) and 574H (2-3-1, rank 36) competed well in the qualification rounds.

Five Iron Pride teams made it through the qualifying rounds and into the elimination bracket, with 574D (6-0-0, rank one) choosing 574C (5-1-0, rank four) for the first seed alliance, 574F (4-2-0, rank 14), chose 574A (2-3-1, rank 34) for the ninth seed alliance and 574B (2-4-0, rank 40) was chosen by a John Glenn team for the 10th seed alliance.

Teams 574F, 574A, and 574B fought in the round of 16 but did not advance.

Tourney results:

574D ­­­— first (6-0-0), first (132 points) robot skills

574C — fourth (5-1-0), second (90 points) robot skills

574F — 14th (4-2-0), 10th (12) robot skills

574A — 34th (2-3-1), 21st (2) robot skills

574H (middle school) — 36th (2-3-1), 12th (9) robot skills

574B — 40th (2-4-0)

574G — 46th (1-4-1), 27th (1) robot skills

Highlights:

574D – team best combined skills score 132, third in state

574F chose 574A for ninth seed in finals

574D chose 574C for first seed

31005A – John Glenn Robotics chose 574B for 10th seed

574H – Set seventh in state skills score

Wawasee’s roster:

574A Amazon — Andrea Mickley and Sydni Ewing

574B Berserker — Vanessa Wright and Bailey Smith

574C Centurion — Evan Rassi, Taylor Fiedeke, Evan Brower

574D Immortal — Noah Beckner, Jack Collins, Wesley Hays, Nathan Smith

574F Barbarian — Jackson Coverstone

574G Iron Knight — Harry Doss

574H Samurai (middle school) — Charlie Krull, Michael Wippel, Alan Warren

What is next:

The next tournament is Saturday, Feb. 15, at Crown Point High School Field House, 1500 S. Main St. Qualification starts at 9:30 a.m., finals at 3:15 p.m., awards and closing ceremonies to follow.