Tahoma High School robotics team, Bear Metal, competed in the Pacific Northwest District Competition on March 17 and 18. Out of 12 matches, the team lost two and qualified to compete in the Pacific Northwest District Championships at Eastern Washington University the second weekend in April.

Every year, each team has an objective they have to complete with its robot. This year, the objective was applying a 19th century aesthetic to 21st technology. Robots have to gather oversized gears and whiffle balls from the field and deliver them to an airship, with the goal of earning points and making the airship ready for flight.

During the first day of competition, the team was undefeated, winning nine matches. During the qualifying rounds on the second day, things got a little tougher and the team ended up losing two matches.

The team had some help during the playoffs, where teams got alliances. Bear Metal was with the Auburn High School team and St. George School from Spokane. Bear Metal lost its first match in the quarterfinals but won two matches in a row to advance to the semifinals.

During the weekend closing ceremony, Bear Metal received special recognition from the judges as FIRST Ambassadors, because of the team’s efforts to inform the public about the FIRST robotics competition.

The team will compete one more time in a local competition at Auburn High School on March 1 to April 2, with district championships coming up in April.