Jesuit’s robotics team ended a seven-year drought by claiming first place at all four state-level FIRST Tech Challenge events—a preliminary qualifier, two state-championship qualifiers, and the Louisiana Regional Championship—to secure a berth at the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship 2025 in Houston. The roster of the state championship robotics team, led by co-moderators James Keen ’99 and Travis Kief ’17, includes senior Michael Trepagnier; juniors Darrin Haase, Jack Hubbard, and Cullen Morris; and freshmen George Bernard, Austin Carriere, Brady Carriere, Evan Ernst, Justin Trepagnier, and Martin Varela; and pre-freshmen Miles Hubbard, Thatcher Slaughter, and Marlon Varela.

At the Hammond Qualifier in December, the team won the Control Award*—recognizing innovative sensor-driven software and reliable code—and served as Winning Alliance captain. In January’s New Orleans Qualifier, it captured the Inspire Award** for gracious professionalism and excellence in engineering portfolio, again leading the Winning Alliance. At the Louisiana Regional Championship in February, the team went 6–0 in qualification matches, then anchored the Winning Alliance in a 239–233 victory in the finals. By the competition’s close, Jesuit ranked third in autonomous performance and 87th in total points among more than 7,900 teams worldwide.

This season’s challenge introduced new game elements demanding precise tile manipulation and platform ascents. Jesuit embraced simple mechanisms and robust programming to deliver a consistent robot; its autonomous routine—coded largely by Haase—proved especially strong. At Worlds, more than 250 teams from over 50 countries competed in randomly paired alliances, testing both strategy and cooperation. Jesuit’s robot placed ninth in the autonomous ranking and 163rd overall, landing in the 98th percentile.

During Worlds, the team connected with LITBOT, the robotics team from Kaunas Jesuit High School in Lithuania. The two squads formed an alliance, exchanged tactics, and developed a rapport they plan to maintain throughout next season.

Team members also achieved impressive individual milestones. Trepagnier balanced robotics, track and field, and academics; he competed in the regional finals on the same day he ran in the LHSAA Indoor Track and Field Division I Boys 4×800 Meter Relay state finals, wearing his state runners-up medal. Haase and Hubbard devoted hours to outreach—reviving a dormant FIRST Lego League team at St. Rita’s, partnering with the New Orleans Public Library on a summer workshop called Urban Rescue, and teaching robotics to thirty local students. Haase’s expertise in orbital mechanics and computer vision earned him a summer internship at Gray Insurance, while Hubbard launched an LLC to provide programming services and built custom web tools for Christian Brothers and Raymond James.

With Worlds behind them and future innovations ahead, the robotics team looks forward to building on this momentum and pursuing another journey to the world stage. Congratulations to the State Champions.

* Control Award This award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to increase the ROBOT’S functionality during gameplay. This award is given to the team that demonstrates innovative thinking and solutions to solve game challenges such as autonomous operation, improving mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results. The solution(s) should work consistently during MATCHES. The team’s PORTFOLIO must contain a summary of the software, sensors, and mechanical control but would not include copies of the code itself.

** Inspire Award The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team. This team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the playing FIELD. This team shares their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the JUDGES. Working as a unit, this team will have shown success in performing the task of designing and building a ROBOT.