Tournament Log

At the 2025 Millburn Push Back Competition, rookie Team 4611S arrived with nerves, excitement, and zero expectations — except maybe to just not break anything.

Qualifications

From the very first match, we made a statement. Our autonomous program, simple but rock-solid, scored one block every time. Not flashy, not high scoring, but consistent — and in VEX, consistency counts.

• Each auton hit its single block perfectly.
• Drivers cycled efficiently, placing blocks in goals and snagging zone points.
• Every match ended with a win.

By the end of qualifications, rookie 4611S had gone undefeated, finishing 6th out of 63 teams — a jaw-dropping result for our first competition.

Elimination Rounds

Elimination was tougher. Against more experienced teams with optimized auton routines and aggressive strategies, we faced challenges:

• Our single-block auton, though reliable, wasn’t enough to counter opponents scoring 7+ blocks and winning AWPs.
• Defensive play and fast cycles from veteran teams outpaced our rookie coordination.

We fought hard but ultimately lost in the first elimination round. Still, for a rookie squad, this was far from a failure — it was proof that we could hold our own under pressure and execute cleanly every time.

Takeaways

The story of 4611S at Millburn wasn’t about winning trophies, although we won the VEX V5 Middle School Excellence Award. It was about rookie confidence (going 6–0 in qualifiers), auton mastery, and competing with the top tier.

January 2026 - February 2026

At this invitational, skills scores were as important as match wins. High skills scores define a team's potential independent of alliance dynamics.

League #1 (Weeks 1–2)

Team 4611S started off steady. We played 4 matches, winning 3, showing early consistency. In driver skills, we scored a solid 20 points, establishing a baseline. The bot performed reliably, and we utilized this league to iron out minor bugs.

League #2 (Weeks 3–4)

Performance ramped up. We went 3–0 in matches and set a personal record of 81 points in a single match. Skills scores jumped to 34 (driver) and 20 (auton), reflecting improved precision. We finished our "Ruiguan" front-back bot setup during this time.

League #3 (Weeks 5–6)

The bot’s debut in League #3 was spectacular. We opened with an 81–16 victory, setting a record winning margin of 55 points. Auton routines hit 2 out of 3 attempts, scoring 3 balls. We went 3–0 in matches, dominating this portion of the competition.

Eliminations

Team 4611S chose team 4611A as our alliance partner. In the first elimination match, we shocked the field by knocking out the third-strongest alliance. In the finals, we narrowly missed the championship, losing 33–35 by a single block to the top-seeded team.

Takeaways

• Remarkable growth over six weeks, improving from a baseline to dominating matches.
• Consistent skills improvement reflecting precision and reliability.
• A finals loss by one block proved we are one of the most strategically sound rookie teams.

Victory in New Jersey: The Triple Crown Triumph of Team 4611S

The road to the VEX Robotics World Championship is paved with technical precision, strategic alliances, and the resilience to overcome mid-tournament hurdles. For Team 4611S, the New Jersey State Championship was not just another competition; it was a definitive masterclass in excellence. By the end of the event, the team had secured their spot in St. Louis, standing tall as the Triple Crown winners—a rare feat that signals a program firing on all cylinders.

The Qualification Grind and Strategic Alliances

The journey began with a grueling qualification round where Team 4611S faced a field of the state’s most elite competitors. They finished with a strong 6-2 record, securing the 3rd seed overall. While the record was impressive, the "lows" of the day came from a lack of consistency in their autonomous routines. In a game where the first fifteen seconds often dictate the flow of the match, an inconsistent "auton" can be a massive liability.

However, 4611S proved that championship-caliber teams adapt rather than fold. Entering the elimination bracket, they formed a powerhouse "family" alliance with their sister team, 4611D. This partnership proved to be the decisive factor. The inherent chemistry and shared design philosophy between the two sister teams allowed for seamless coordination on the field, ultimately propelling them through the bracket to win the Finals and claim the state title.

Dominating the Skills Rankings

Beyond head-to-head match play, Team 4611S demonstrated their individual technical prowess in the Skills Challenge. Despite the autonomous struggles noted during qualifications, they managed to put together a solid 15-point autonomous run. They followed this with a dominant 51-point driver-controlled performance, totaling 66 points. This combined score earned them the title of Skills Champion, proving that when the pressure is on and the clock is ticking, their driver’s precision is second to none.

The Ultimate Honor: The Excellence Award

The crowning achievement of the weekend was being named the Excellence Award winners. In the world of competitive robotics, this is the highest honor a team can receive. It signifies that 4611S wasn't just the fastest or strongest on the field, but also the most well-rounded. The award recognizes:

• High rankings in both Qualifications and Skills.
• A professional, high-quality Engineering Notebook.
• Strong interview performances and team conduct.

By winning the Tournament, Skills, and Excellence, 4611S achieved the coveted Triple Crown, a testament to their dedication across every facet of the sport.

Looking Ahead: Destination St. Louis

With the New Jersey State Championship trophy in hand, Team 4611S has officially punched their ticket to the World Championship in St. Louis. While the victory was sweet, the team knows that the global stage requires even higher levels of reliability. The primary focus heading into Worlds will undoubtedly be refining those autonomous programs to ensure they are as "bulletproof" as their driving. If they can bridge the gap between their inconsistent autons and their championship-level driving, Team 4611S will be a formidable threat on the world stage.