Scoring efficiently in this game is entirely dependent upon ball control. Teams will want to be in possession of the balls for as much of the match as possible so as to maximize opportunities to score. Teams that lose control of the ball for long periods of time will not do as well as those with methodical, repeatable scoring mechanisms.
Catapults hurdle faster than many arms might, but they impart a lot more energy unto the ball, making it considerably more time consuming and challenging to grab it again soon after. Arms and lifts, on the other hand, ought to balance potentially longer hurdle times with better efficiency in repossessing the balls. There is one catapult I've seen so far that effectively mitigates the problems with grabbing the ball -- 118. How and why I think that's true is left as an exercise to the reader.
Teams that cannot hurdle will only be effective if they can possess the trackball -- not herd it -- and release it from their grasp in short, controlled bursts as it crosses the finish line. Anyone that's kicking the ball down the field and chasing after it is wasting precious time.
Also, I largely think that running laps is a waste of time. One robot on each alliance ought to be running defense. Reducing the efficacy of a hurdler is much easier and much more effective than running a lap, both in terms of time required and its effect on the final score.