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Lexington group wins LEGO® robotics championship at WKU

WKU hosted 40 teams for the Kentucky FIRST® LEGO® League State Robotics Championship on Jan. 25. (WKU photo by Clinton Lewis)

“Automaticus Rex,” a homeschool group from Lexington, was named the overall winner in the Kentucky FIRST® LEGO® League State Robotics Championship on Jan. 25.

The competition at WKU’s Diddle Arena featured 40 teams with about 290 participants. The theme of this year’s event was “Nature’s Fury™,” which called for teams to research and explore the topic of natural disasters.

Award winners are as follows:

First Place: “Automaticus Rex,” a homeschool group from Lexington. Team members are David Gedney, Joseph Gedney, Philippe Bischel and Damien Lopez. Coached by Stephen Gedney, Carolyn Gedney and Pat Bischel.
Second Place: “Robocats Red Storm” from Whitefield Academy in Louisville. Team members are Erica Fletcher, Noah Janssen, Olivia Janssen, Reagan Marx, Patrick Marx, Nicholas Recktenwald, Robbie Thomasson, Ryan Thomasson and Cian Toole. Coached by Robert Toole and Brad Janssen.

First Place: “Brainy Bots” from Gray Middle School in Union. Team members are Will Henry Richards, Ken Ryumae, Alex Wilson, Oliver Lawal, Zach St. Hillaire, Tanner Schmidt and Willis Dickman. Coached by Karen Cheser and Masaru Ryumae.
Second Place: “Pilot Pride” from Fulton County Elementary School in Hickman. Team members are Mia Amberg, Caleb Collins, Hailee Edgin, Anna Grace Johnson, Karlie Smith and Tanner Williams. Coached by Brenda Mahan and Tiffany Ray.

The theme of this year’s competition was “Nature’s Fury™,” which called for teams to research and explore the topic of natural disasters. (WKU photo by Clinton Lewis)

First Place: “Conner Bot Squad” from Conner Middle School in Hebron. Team members are Camron Kezele, Brewer Vega, Caleb Brown, Morgan Baumann, McKenzie Weber, Emily Patterson, Michael Klein, Bryce Bornhorn, Jackson Stone and Cameron Delph. Coached by Dan Wagner.
Second Place: “St. Mary Circuit Breakers” from St. Mary School System in Paducah. Team members are Josh King, William Seay, Gabe Russell, Ethan Barnett, Ian Cole-Carlo, Ryan Chua and Robert Bosh. Coached by Jeff Seay and Lynn King.

First Place: “Potter Gray Panthers” from Potter Gray Elementary School in Bowling Green. Team members are Logan Atkerson, Joseph Coffey, Reed Hensley, Anne Jefferson, Ross Millet, Thomas Tinius, Truman Tinius and Parker Wiggins. Coached by Carrie Koedyker and John Atkerson.
Second Place: “Robocats Yellow Fire” from Whitefield Academy in Louisville. Team members are Andrew Harrison, Garrett Haseker, Ryan Cipkowski, Jacob Matallana, Tahlon Lambdin and Julia Jones. Coached by Maria Alvarez and Gabriel Frankel.

First Place: “Robocats Red Storm” from Whitefield Academy in Louisville. Team members are Erica Fletcher, Noah Janssen, Olivia Janssen, Reagan Marx, Patrick Marx, Nicholas Recktenwald, Robbie Thomasson, Ryan Thomasson and Cian Toole. Coached by Robert Toole and Brad Janssen.
Second Place: “Automaticus Rex.” a homeschool group from Lexington. Team members are David Gedney, Joseph Gedney, Philippe Bischel and Damien Lopez. Coached by Stephen Gedney, Carolyn Gedney and Pat Bischel.

First Place: “Bullitt Blizzards,” a homeschool/community group from Mt. Washington. Team members are Eli Dalton, Ryan Dalton, Lilly Mooney, Ethan Pyles, Hannah Pyles, Caryn Thomas and Tyler Thomas. Coached by Sharon Pyles and Terry Thomas.
Second Place: “Operation Build,” a homeschool group from Prospect. Team members are Sierra Kumher, Heather Baltas, Joey Benver, Jillian Moody, Kelan Moody and Sophia Goldberg. Coached by Aly Goldberg and Chris Baltas.

First Place: “Glasgow Gladiators – Blue Team” from Glasgow Middle School in Glasgow. Team members are Alyssa Baker, Addie Johnson, Jasmine Smith, Lily Moseley, Caleb Jones, Mason Reid, Payne Flatt, Michael Crimmins and Jansen Dakin. Coached by Michael Hildreth and Brittany Kingrey.
Second Place: “Jesus Freaks,” a homeschool group from Louisville. Team members are Stewart Thompson, Hudson Thompson, Nicholas Page, Gabriel Page, Ethan Aldridge and Garrett LaForest. Coached by Scott Thompson and Chris Page.

First Place: “Jet Team,” a neighborhood team from Smithfield. Team members are Noah Anderson, Aiden McCloy, Alexander McFarland, Andrew Nevins and Zachary Wingert. Coached by Ladina Wingert and Nathan Anderson.
Second Place: “Team Idea Club,” a neighborhood team from Louisville. Team members are Lucas Nofsinger, Leah Nofsinger, Sam Wilkerson, Conor Blackburn, Quint Radeker, Henry Conklin, Gwen Reardon, Nathan Stiles and Christopher Keller. Coached by Tammy Nofsinger and Jason Wilkerson.

First Place: “We’ve Got the Minds” from New Haven Elementary School in Walton. Team members are Kathryn McLagan, Ross Hargett, Matthew Marlette, Lily Stephens, Maddie Johnson, Alex Huff, Bria Patel, Amber White, Will Gooch and Landen Huey. Coached by Amy McLagan and Karen Hargett.
Second Place: “FSMS Robotcats” from Franklin-Simpson Middle School in Franklin. Team members are Meadow Hall, Lizzy Weems, Natalie Mcabee, Katie Hollingsworth, Christopher Eitel, Hunter Graves, Hunter Mayhew, Jatavian Muirhead, Seyan Perry and Taylor Keith. Coached by Matt Staggs and Pam Rolland.

First Place: “LEGO Legends,” a homeschool group from Lawrenceburg. Team members are Brandon Gowan, Andrew Gowan, Emily Adams, Eric Adams, Isaac Adams, Quetzal Velasco, Rio Velasco, Zach Wentz and Owen Wentz. Coached by Kelli Gowan.
Second Place: “HCPL3,” a group sponsored by the Henderson County Public Library in Henderson. Team members are Jacob Goldie, Paxton Pritchett, Thomas Fleming, Ethan Mushrush, Bryce Butler and Cole Fogle. Coached by Michelle Chappell and Essy Day.

First Place: “Audubon Elementary” from Audubon Elementary School in Owensboro. Team members are Trey Nally, Gabrielle Parson, Gracie Jennings and Koki Kato. Coached by Allison Plemmons and Andrea Head
Second Place: “Catlettsburg Creators” from Catlettsburg Elementary School in Catlettsburg. Team members are Gracie Clevenger, Will Prater, Carson Johnson, Hayden Salyers, Jackson Childers, Sawyer Alley and Colby Winters. Coached by Terry Spurlock and Rhonda Salisbury.

“Longbranch Wildfires” from Longbranch Elementary School in Florence. Team members are Niko Heister, Will Lortz, Makenna Franks, Benjamin Spicher, Chloe Spitzer, Padraic Day and Jonathan Klayer. Coached by Cathy Stavros and Justin Kilgore.

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