Similar to the other thread I made today about teams who have never won an event. I decided to bring back one of my old threads from 2016 and 2019 about teams who haven’t won an event in the post pandemic era but did previously
I also am glad to report every team I listed in the previous threads have now gotten a win so I get to list all new teams.
So for those unaware here are the rules:
You must compete with the team fairly regularly
The team must have won an Official event prior to 2021
The Team can not have won an official event in 2022, 2023, or 2024
Teams must already be signed up to compete in the 2025 season
An official event is one that provides a FIRST Blue Banner (Regional, Distict, District Championship, Division, Subdivision, and Championship)
108 has really come into their own with some new mentors being added to the old guard and a real focus on quality machining. 2022 was a bit rough but 2023 and especially 2024 were some truly beautiful machines. They made the 4th place match at both their events in 2023 and despite an early exit from South Florida this year they would go on to captain the finalist alliance two weeks later at Tallahassee and have a solid showing in the Hopper division. I do think getting their mechanical gremlins worked out sooner would really help them get the win that as alluded them since 2015 if they are able to pull that off 2025 might be their year.
5472 has always been a solid team but I do think that they made a true step up in 2023 with 2 regional finalists and a division finalist performance. While 2024 was not as good they still were a true threat in South Florida and Tallahassee. 5472 has good machining, mechanical principles, driving, practice and scouting. What is holding them back is programing and not having the complex autos needed to be super competitive.
Honorable Mentions: 233 - Better game breakdown would lead to better robot decisions 3932 - They make robots in offseason that if they were the robot who was in season could win so they have the capabilities just need the execution 5842 - More testing and driver practice would help to make the robots more reliable
1574
Tied for all time blue banners in Israel, and dominated the region/district for many years, but haven’t won an event since they beat us at 2019 ISR#1.
For Ontario, the following teams seem like they deserve a win post-2020.
7520 - won an event as a 3rd bot previously, but was a captain this offseason and have been building their skills pretty consistently.
6875 - won 3 banners as a rookie and have built solid robots since, but haven’t been able to keep up with the scoring in their region. They are on track to have a great season in 2025.
772 - Regularly won events until 2018, impact winner many times over. I predict a rise from them in 2025 or 2026 as they find their footing again after mentor turnover.
My votes go to 5801 - CTC Inspire and 2357 - System Meltdown. CTC has been regional finalists every year for the last three years and have always built solid robots. Meltdown has been on the rise for the last few years and this year they ranked 7th (plus a finalist), 1st, and 2nd at their regionals as well as 5th in Archimedes.
2586 Copper Bots - they were Michigan state champions in 2018 but haven’t had a win since. 2022 was close with two finals appearances, one in their states division.
LOVE YOU BROTHA, IDK if you guys got one but 2102 by FAR is my vote here ( to be clear here, they won 2017 but haven’t one a single thing besides woodie flowers finalist in ventura of 23 or something)
Honorable mention: 33 The Killer Bees are on a dry spell by their standards going 2 years without a banner for the first time since '06-07. They don’t actually make the list because they had a very successful 4 banner season in '22, but I’m sure they hope to not be featured in the '25 edition of this thread.
From Minnesota (a LOT of teams need one) but here are a few:
4728 ROCORI Ratcheteers (top 10 in EPAsince covid. Not one banner ever. WTF.)
3926 MPArors (they have been finalists the last 2 years and are an amazing team.)
2823 Automotons ( high ranking in Minnesota for years now)
3130 The ERRORs (they used to qualify consistently, but the Minnesota system keeps tearing them down. They were ranked 15 in epa last year in MN, but didnt qualify for champs)
2470 (consistent playoffs team, top 15 the last two years in EPA)
4539 KAOTIC Robotics
2987 Rogue Robotics
Minnesota needs more events. 5/7 of these teams haven’t been to champs from 2022 onward. Minnesota also is the most unrepresented state at champs. Lets hope the new system fixes some of that
342 is notorious for their accumulation of silver. Let me recount the recent silver:
2024 SCRIW
2023 SCRIW
2023 SCRAP
2023 Peachtree District Championship
2023 PCH Hartsville
2020 Palmetto Regional
Indeed, their last tournament win of any flavor was SCRIW X in 2021. To find the one before that, you have to go all the way back to the 2007 Palmetto Regional, before many of the kids were even born. Beyond due, and thankfully buoyed by their other much-earned blue banners (2024 PCH Charleston Impact and WFFAs in 2022 and 2020).
2815 is consistently churning out better-than-average machines within their means, yet their last blue banner was the 2012 Palmetto Regional when they were still wearing garnet and black. (Well, mostly black that year.) They’re finally getting their awards mojo after a long drought, they have yet to see a district event where they aren’t a captain or a first-round pick, and I think it’s only a matter of time before the planets align for them.
1287 is in much the same boat as 2815, captain or first round pick at every event since the pandemic. And they even snagged silver at PCH Charleston as the captain of Alliance 2, which was as good as anyone was doing against Alliance 1. If you end the 2023 season 34/95 and 2024 15/98, I’m going to say you’re due for a dub pretty soon.
3490 is consistently too good to only have one banner to their name (the 2016 Rocket City Regional). Especially since their off-season performance was there–SCRIW has had 12 past editions, and they were one of two teams to walk into the 13th edition this year with four wins. Since the pandemic, their 2022 was up and down (captained the 8 seed at Electric City, missed the show at Rocket City, semis at SCRIW but their B-team won out). 2023 was more consistent, with silver as captain at PCH Anderson, a Round 5 appearance at PCH Hartsville as first pick, and an 18th-but-no-playoffs run at DCMP. 2024 was more of the same: silver at PCH Anderson as captain, round 3 at PCH Charleston as first pick, then the wheels came off at DCMP, then they rallied to take silver at SCRIW. It’s only a matter of time before they punch through at at least the district event level.
With the mix of how competitive our region is, I could see several combinations of these teams and others pulling off a win. Looking forward to January
