By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Houston — Up against the worlds best high school robotics teams, the Goodrich Martians Team #494 delivered a stellar performance.
On April 16-20, the Goodrich High School Robotics teams traveled to Texas to compete in the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship.
The Martians Team #494 and More Martians Team #70 were among 600 teams from around the world that competed at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.
“This has been another successful and exciting season for FIRST Robotics at Goodrich, said Jay TenBrink, Team 494 drive coach. The students, mentors, and parents put in many long hours of hard work, and it has paid off. We are very proud of each and every one of these kids.”
In Houston the teams were divided into eight divisions and competed in qualifying matches for two days. The top eight seeded teams formed alliances with three other teams to compete in the playoffs on April 19.
The Martians Team #494, was selected by the sixth seeded team and won the Daly Division Championship. The winners of all eight divisions then went on to compete on the Einstein field for title of World Champions.
The Daly Division, which included The Martians Team #494 alliance went on to finish as semifinalists, just one win away from the finals. In addition to the Martians Team #494, the Daly Division alliance was including teams from Stoney Creek, Ontario, (the alliance captain), Sydney Australia and San Diego, Calif.
“It’s always a little sad to have to say goodbye to our graduating seniors, but that is tempered by the new students that will join us for the next season,” said Jenny McKenzie, Team #70 drive coach.
The Martians Team #494 are no strangers to the Einstein championship field. In 2003 the Martians were World Finalist in Houston, in 2004 they were World Champions in Atlanta and in 2018 they were
World Quarterfinalists in Detroit.
The Martian teams will soon begin preparing for their off-season competitions, community outreach, recruitment activities, and preparations for the 2026 competition season.