B-B-E robotics is in Grand Forks! Ready to shine! (UPDATES, VIDEOS**)

Note: this blog post has received numerous updates throughout the day. Video has also been added from Grand Forks.

The B-B-E Resistance Robotics team arrived in Grand Forks on Wednesday night for the F.I.R.S.T. Great Northern Regional competition.

As of Thursday night, a total of 56 teams were registered. The first qualification match starts at 8:55 a.m. this morning (Friday). B-B-E's team has their first match in the second overall match, which is set to begin at 9:06 a.m. Their second match is set for approximately 10:39 a.m., and their third match is set for around 11:28 a.m.

More to come later this morning. On my way up Interstate 94 and 29, I will make at least one stop to update this blog post with results from their first and possibly second matches. It is unlikely that I will arrive in time to watch the second match in person.

The official Great Northern Regional robotics website can be found here: https://frcnorthland.org. The match results page can be found here: http://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2024/NDGF/qualifications.

**Here's a video recorded a little over a week ago, on Wednesday the 28th, at B-B-E high school's CTE lab:


I've got a small robotics article added to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website...it includes a video from the February 27 practice session at the high school's CTE lab. The robot was working remarkably well that week: https://shorturl.at/mU356.

FRIDAY morning updates...
The luster came off of the day when B-B-E's robot failed to move in their first qualification match. Their blue alliance lost the match 75-27. It was a frustrating turn of events, after they had a great run through the practice sessions yesterday in Grand Forks.

**Match two update: B-B-E's robot underperformed throughout the entire match, and when it was over, their red alliance trailed by a wide margin. For a reason I did not understand, the match will actually get to be replayed at a later time today. On the master list, this is the 14th qualification match out of 84 total. B-B-E's Red Alliance included teams from Stillwater and Litchfield.

B-B-E's third qualification match will be in a Red Alliance with teams from Cando, North Dakota and Annandale. I'm estimating that this match should start at 11:38 a.m. The qualification matches are running about 7 to 8 minutes later from the original schedule.

Match No. 3 results: B-B-E's third match of the day started at 11:45. After the autonomous period (using artificial intelligence) was complete, B-B-E's Red Alliance had a small 14-12 lead. After that, their alliance got lit up, and they lost by a final score of 79-29. Ouch. Officially, B-B-E's record so far is 0-2. Their next match is set for approximately 13:52 this afternoon.

**UPDATE: B-B-E's second qualification match will get replayed at about 12:20. After that it is lunch time! I will be in the Alerus Center the rest of the afternoon.

Official results for B-B-E's second qualification match: (this was the replayed match) B-B-E's Red Alliance trailed 24-14 after the autonomous period was complete. From there it got worse, and B-B-E's robot failed for most of the tele-op (driver control) period. Their alliance lost by a wide 69-33 margin, sending their record to 0-3 in the regional. It was a very tough morning for B-B-E Resistance Robotics. They have the afternoon with three matches to redeem themselves.

Match No. 4 outcome: B-B-E's Blue Alliance, which included teams from Rolla, North Dakota and Ashby, lost 56-25. They trailed 17-12 after the autonomous period ended.

**Here's a video featuring the drive team heading out to the competition floor at Alerus Center this afternoon:

*Match No. 5 outcome: B-B-E's robot functioned properly and was able to shoot two game pieces after their Blue Alliance held a 22-19 lead after the autonomous period. Overall, it was great progress compared to the morning! An Ethernet cable became unplugged during the first minute of the tele-op period. Their Blue Alliance lost by a score of 60-31. One other team member in their alliance, Cambridge-Isanti, suffered a similar robot malfunction. The third team of their alliance was from Moorhead.

The fifth and final match of Friday will start at about 4:40 p.m.

Final match of Friday...the outcome: B-B-E's robotics team finished the day strong in spite of their alliance losing the match by a 79-53 score. I'll get a post-match interview with Coach Reed Adrian posted in a new blog post later tonight after I arrive at my family's hotel room in Fargo! That's 75 miles away right now...I am proud of our robotics team for hanging together through rough circumstances!! Tomorrow, the sun will rise on a new day!!! ##GRATEFUL


I'll circle back to this in tonight's blog post, but I wanted to quick mention that Braham's girls' basketball team will play for the state tournament tonight when they take on Walker-Hackensack-Akeley in the Section 5A championship. The Bombers and Wolves square off at Halenbeck Hall on the campus of SCSU with tip-off at approximately 7:45 p.m. Braham destroyed top-seeded Ogilvie 90-62 in the Sub-Section 5A-East championship on Wednesday night. Of course, it makes you wonder just how badly the Jaguars would have likely beaten Ogilvie if they had come out on top last Saturday against Braham. That's the world of sports! It can sometimes be a game of inches. In tonight's Section 3A finals, Minneota faces Southwest Christian of Edgerton for a state berth.