Welcome back to the FIM Event Previews, there are 5 Michigan Districts this week and I’ll be doing a preview for all the FIM events, every week this season. Next up is an event that’s been around since the very beginning of FIM, the only difference being that it’s now split into two separate events. Which is of course…
Kettering 1 District
Last Year’s Winners (1506-5460-8728)
Favorites:
Most events I preview are rather easy to find the favorites of, but Kettering 1 was both the easiest it’s ever been and possibly the most difficult it’s ever been. Starting with the easy, it’s team 5460- Strike Zone. They of course were not only the winner of last year’s Kettering 1 district and the year before that, they are the current runner’s up for the World Championship. Just two wins away, or an even closer 2 points away from a tiebreaker match; that’s how close they were to being the first Michigan alliance captain to win the championship since 2018; and if you’re talking about when there is only a single unified championship, they would be the first in modern FRC history. So yeah, I think they’re the number one favorite. The second one was incredibly hard because what do I value more, the previous year’s event results, or legacy and history outside of last year? This was a tough decision between 1506 and 33 until… a little team known as 27-Team RUSH came back after a year off from Kettering, and dropped a very impressive robot reveal video the other day. Rush’s season ended in heartbreak last year as most people assumed they were locks for World Champion’s after alliance selection, but from this reveal video i don’t think we will be seeing the type of robot of last season. They were the third robot on that alliance, and at least from what i’ve seen, this robot might be closer in competitiveness to their 2022 robot, that of course won the Michigan State Championship and was #6 on FUNs Top 25 that year. My bet is that 27 will come through and try to repeat the results of 2022s Kettering 1, reuniting with 5460 and taking home a gold medal.
Challengers:
Now that of course leaves the two teams that i was originally considering for the second favorite slot, 1506-Metal Muscle and 33-Killer Bees. Starting with last year’s Kettering 1 winning alliance captain 1506, I would say they had their best season in history last year, winning both of their districts as well as the coveted State Championship. Sadly they couldn’t translate this success into Worlds, but still a phenomenal season for the Kettering home team. Only losing a singular match at last year’s Kettering 1, who’s to say Metal Muscle can’t do it again as they go for two in a row. Now on to 33, who missed the mark last year breaking quite a few long standing streaks. Before last season, and ignoring the shortened 2020 season, 33 had won a district every year since 2011, and had walked away with at least 1 blue banner every year since 2008. As expected they still found on the field success, finishing as Finalists in the Archimedes Division last year, as well as finishing top 5 at every Michigan event they attended. Going bannerless last year was a real low point for the bees, but as one of the longest standing teams in Michigan, I am sure they can bounce back; but Kettering being the most competitive its been in a long time, they will have their work cut out for them, with their next chance not being until week 4.
Contenders:
70 - More Martians
245 - Adambots
Dark Horse:
3668 - TroBots
5660 - Symmetrical Chaos
Outside Looking In:
4779 - RoboSapiens
5084 - Team FridgeBot
3618 - Petoskey Paladins
7166 - Red Thunder Robotics
Cinderella Stories:
6610 - Robot Roll Call
1 - The Juggernauts
Kettering is definitely the event to watch on Friday and Saturday of the three possible days of week 1 action, and I happen to be lucky enough to be there in person. Good luck to all the teams, not just at Kettering 1, but all teams who decided on the hardest week to play in, Week 1.
Next is the Battle Creek Event Preview, releasing tomorrow (hopefully).