There are 5 Michigan districts this week and I’ll take a look at each event, as well as rank each event. This is Rank 4 for 2023 Week 3, Belleville.
Belleville District
Last Year Winners (4362-33-1025)
Favorites: Belleville is a very top loaded event, as four of my personal top 25 are playing here this week, but it is also the first event this season where I believe last year’s winners will repeat. Last year’s Winners, 4362-CSPA Gems and 33-Killer Bees are in the Driver’s seat to receive their first banners of the season. As both fell to 3rd at Milford and Kettering 1 respectively, but uniting could help turn the tide. 4362, who I have ranked at 12th in Michigan, has a great robot, but partnering with Team Rush who had issues all weekend, as well as falling apart in the losers bracket final would limit their success; losing to a more team oriented and consistent 5 Seed. Whereas 33 may have some regrets after turning down a second seeded partnership with 70 at Kettering in order to form their own alliance, which would fall to that very same 70 led 2 Seed. Speaking of which, my third Favorite for Belleville is 3668-Trobots. 3668, was 70’s chosen partner at Kettering 1 and despite having a mecanum drive and being 70’s second choice after a failed 33 pick, I actually have them rated higher than 33 on my ranking, 20th. Trobots is a team that will have to prove themselves, as they are looking at an absolute juggernaut of a 1 seed with established history, but so far they’re 1-1 against the bees in playoffs, after getting the Finalist nod thanks to the new playoff system.
Contenders: The number 1 contender is the remaining top 25 team competing, that shall hope to prove they belong, rather than slide off the list this week, 3656-Dexter Dreadbots. The Dreadbots currently sit at 23rd, after a rank 4 finish at Jackson and a sad exit in 5th, after having to play both the 1 and 2 Seed in the playoffs. The question for them is if their floor pickup will lead them to victory, a rare asset as fast as they are. Floor pickup has not been as prevalent in recent weeks, but could change as the game evolves to week 3, a change they should hope to take advantage of. Next comes a team that had a rather disappointing qualifying at Jackson, given I had them as the undisputed favorite, 1023-Bedford Express. Bedford is looking to make the Finals after a 3rd place Jackson finish as they were starting to make good progress in the playoffs, but as the 1 seed was relegated to the losers bracket, they were a casualty to the comeback of 302-4381-4453-9210. Their singular claw design seems popular among teams across the state, but not amongst the rest of the Belleville field, as they will have to show the strengths of this design. The only team that hasn’t played in 2023 that I can see challenging these teams for the top spot is 5050-Cow Town Robotics. Cow Town ranked 5th at last year’s Belleville, and would later go on to win Woodhaven on their way to a 3rd straight Worlds Appearance. However, I imagine they want a recreation of 2019, rather than 2022, as they were the captains of an Einstein competing alliance.
Dark Horses:
3667-Mecanum Knights-11 at Kettering 2, 6 Seed Pick 1, Finalist
7174-Charger Robotics-7 at Wayne State, 5 Seed Captain, 5th
Playoff Teams to Make a Jump:
4405-The Atoms Family
5090-TorqueNados-18 at Jackson, 3 Seed Pick 2, 5th
6615-Bellevillains (Home Team)
8423-Next Express-31 at Jackson, 2 Seed Pick 2, 3rd
Prediction:
1 Seed 4362-33 v 2 Seed 3668-3656
Next up is Rank 3, Traverse City.
Coming Tomorrow.