(Fort McMurray, AB) — A robotics team from Westwood Community High School is heading to Dallas, Texas, for the VEX Robotics World Championship in May after securing victory at the VEX Provincial Robotics Championship in Fort McMurray in late February.

Westwood’s 221X, also known as Team Rocket, claimed the prestigious Excellence Award at the provincials, solidifying their reputation as one of Alberta’s top robotics teams. The tournament, held at the Syncrude Sports & Wellness Centre on the weekend of February 22, brought together 62 teams from across the province. “To say that FMPSD students ‘showed up’ this weekend would be an understatement,” organizers said in a statement.

The road to victory was far from easy. Team Rocket had to battle through intense playoff rounds, including a dramatic showdown against their schoolmates, Westwood’s 221S, before advancing to the finals. Partnering with 3388S, Team Rocket faced off against two elite Calgary teams—210K and 210Z—in a best-of-three championship round. After dropping the first match, Team Rocket fought back to force a decisive third round, ultimately winning with a narrow 32–29 score.

Their championship win, paired with their Excellence Award, secured them a spot at the World Championship. “The highest honour of the tournament—the Excellence Award—is a summation of several key factors, including team interviews, robot design, handling pressure, and sportsmanship,” the organizers said. With their ticket punched to Dallas, Team Rocket will now prepare to take on the best robotics teams from around the world on the global stage.