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Two robotics teams from the Perris Union High School District represented their schools on one of the largest stages in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) competition, earning strong finishes and bringing home judged awards at the recent FTC Western Edge Premier Event in Long Beach.
The Bison Bots from Liberty High School and the Machine Kings from Heritage High School were among 88 teams invited to compete at the premier-level event held at the Long Beach Convention Center. Teams from across the United States and around the world gathered to compete, collaborate, and showcase their engineering skills. The competition was divided into two divisions, with the Bison Bots competing in the Sea Division and the Machine Kings competing in the Sand Division.
The Western Edge Premier Event serves as one of the highest levels of competition outside of the FIRST Championship, bringing together elite teams that have demonstrated excellence throughout the robotics season.
The Machine Kings (FTC Team 6371) delivered an impressive performance throughout qualification matches in the Sand Division. The Heritage High School team finished with a 7-3 record and placed 18th out of 44 teams in their division. Their strong performance throughout the tournament demonstrated the team’s ability to compete with some of the top robotics programs from around the world.
In addition to their success on the competition field, the Machine Kings were recognized during the awards ceremony with the Third Place Think Award. The Think Award celebrates teams that excel in the engineering design process through planning, testing, iteration, problem-solving, and documentation. Judges recognize teams that effectively communicate their engineering journey and demonstrate a deep understanding of the design decisions that led to their robot’s success.
For Heritage High School lead coach Richard Santana, the event represented the culmination of months of hard work and dedication.
“I am forever grateful to the dedicated volunteers who made The Western Edge Premier Event possible,” Santana said. “The event gave our students a truly unforgettable opportunity to compete against talented young people from around the world. It took countless hours and many long days of hard work and preparation, but the experience was absolutely worth every bit of the stress, struggle, and effort.”
Students also appreciated the opportunity to compete on a global stage.
“The event was really nice and a very amazing experience,” said Julian Garcia, a builder for the Machine Kings. “It was really unlike anything I’d expect coming from a robotics competition. It was fun to see teams from around the world and communicate with them. I am proud of the fact that everything we all worked for finally paid off, because in the beginning I joined robotics for events like this.”
The Bison Bots (FTC Team 20331) entered the tournament with momentum, opening competition with a 339-286 victory that produced the third-highest score recorded in the Sea Division on the opening day of competition. After the first three qualification matches, the Liberty High School team held a 2-1 record and ranked 16th out of 44 teams in their division.
The second day of competition presented a difficult schedule. Due to the random nature of FTC match assignments, the Bison Bots faced several of the highest-ranked teams in the division while often being paired with lower-ranked alliance partners. Despite the challenging matchups, the team continued to compete with determination and resilience throughout the event.
The Bison Bots finished qualification play with a 4-6 record and placed 28th out of 44 teams in the Sea Division. Although they were not selected for the playoff rounds, the team’s efforts beyond robot performance earned recognition from tournament judges. During the awards ceremony, the Bison Bots received the Third Place Connect Award.
The Connect Award recognizes teams that actively engage with professionals and organizations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Teams are evaluated on their ability to build meaningful relationships within the engineering and technology community, develop plans for team growth, and provide opportunities for students to learn from industry professionals.
For Connor Donaghe, driver for the Bison Bots, the experience was about much more than wins and losses.
“Being at Western Edge was such an enriching experience to attend,” Donaghe said. “Me and my team were able to see some of the best robots and matches being played, something which was incomparable to the other events we have attended. The event may have not gone in our favor, but it was still an overall excellent experience. FTC overall, especially this season, has been a great experience to be a part of, being able to accomplish things that seemed completely out of reach, and I’m so glad I was able to participate in FTC.”
While rankings and awards are important measures of success, the accomplishments of both teams highlight the broader mission of FIRST Tech Challenge: Inspiring students to become the next generation of innovators, engineers, and problem-solvers.
The Machine Kings’ Think Award recognized excellence in engineering design and documentation, while the Bison Bots’ Connect Award highlighted the importance of outreach, networking, and engagement within the STEM community. Together, these achievements showcase the diverse skills students develop through competitive robotics.
The success of both teams reflects the dedication of the students, coaches, mentors, families, and school communities that support robotics programs throughout the Perris Union High School District. By competing against some of the best teams in the world and earning judged awards at one of the most prestigious FTC events in the western United States, both the Machine Kings and Bison Bots demonstrated that PUHSD students can compete and succeed on a global stage.
As another robotics season comes to a close, both teams return home with valuable experience, lasting memories, and recognition for the countless hours they invested throughout the year. More importantly, they leave with new skills, new connections, and the confidence that comes from accomplishing goals that once seemed out of reach.
