Diamond Bar VEX IQ Mix & Match Tournament 1

Venue: Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church and School, Diamond Bar, California, United States
Program: VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025–2026: Mix & Match
Date: November 1, 2025
Teams: 25 registered | Matches: 63

PART 1: THE MAIN DATA

Awards

🏆 Teamwork Champions
9452M – RoboMinds from Diamond STEM Club in Diamond Bar, California (Middle School) and 3211H – ThunderBots from Hacienda Robotics in Hacienda Heights, California (Elementary School) joined forces to capture the Teamwork Champion title.
Their collaboration was a masterclass in coordination and efficiency. RoboMinds delivered reliable autonomous consistency, while ThunderBots’ agile driving and smooth scoring pushed the alliance over the top. Together, they built momentum that carried them through elimination rounds with style and precision.

🧠 Design Award
9452B – Tech Titans from Diamond STEM Club in Diamond Bar, California (Middle School) impressed judges with a meticulous design notebook that reflected their clear understanding of the engineering process. Judges noted their detailed documentation and refined mechanical execution, calling their robot a perfect blend of creativity and reliability.

💡 Innovate Award
11326A – Gear Gurus from Pomona Robotics League in Pomona, California (Middle School) claimed the Innovate Award for their bold mechanical choices and modular architecture. Their inventive approach to component integration demonstrated both technical insight and daring imagination.

⚙️ Robot Skills Champion
9452M – RoboMinds (Diamond STEM Club) claimed the Skills title with a Driver Skills score of 199, showcasing sharp focus and exceptional control under pressure. Their performance in autonomous routines was equally remarkable, marking them as a powerhouse both in driver and programming challenges.
Runner-up: 3211H – ThunderBots (Hacienda Robotics) with a Programming Skills score of 102.

🏅 Excellence Award (Middle School)
9452M – RoboMinds continued their dominance by securing the top middle school distinction. Their balance of documentation, performance, and collaboration reflected the spirit of engineering excellence.

🏅 Excellence Award (Elementary School)
3211H – ThunderBots earned the top honor among elementary teams, blending enthusiasm, technical refinement, and poise well beyond their years.

🎉 Sportsmanship Award
61016B – Mecha Monkeys from Walnut Robotics Academy in Walnut, California (Elementary School) were celebrated for their kindness and teamwork throughout the event. Always quick to lend a hand and encourage others, they embodied the supportive spirit that makes the VEX IQ community thrive.

🔩 Think Award
11326A – Gear Gurus (Pomona Robotics League) received additional recognition for their exceptional use of coding and sensors, showing deep understanding of autonomous logic and innovation.

🌟 Energy Award
9452C – BotStorm from Diamond STEM Club in Diamond Bar, California (Middle School) lit up the venue with their enthusiasm and relentless drive. Their energy both in competition and in the pits made them crowd favorites.

💬 Judges Award
7645Z – RoboDreamers from Rowland STEM Builders in Rowland Heights, California (Middle School) earned special recognition for perseverance and creative problem-solving. Judges praised their collaboration, noting that they overcame multiple technical setbacks with determination and teamwork.

Skills Challenge Highlights

Driver Skills Top Score: 9452M – RoboMinds (Diamond STEM Club) — 199 points
Programming Skills Top Score: 3211H – ThunderBots (Hacienda Robotics) — 102 points

PART 2: THE STORY

It was a picture-perfect Saturday morning in Diamond Bar as 25 teams gathered inside Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church and School, filling the gym with excitement and innovation. From the moment the first match began, it was clear this would be a day to remember. The hum of motors and the cheer of fans created an atmosphere of pure creativity and competition.

The Mix & Match challenge brought together teams of all ages, each bringing its own energy and ideas to the field. Every round tested not just engineering skill but adaptability, teamwork, and poise under pressure. As the matches unfolded, students demonstrated the essence of what VEX IQ robotics is about—persistence, learning, and shared passion for creation.

The champion alliance of 9452M and 3211H embodied that ideal perfectly. Their alliance chemistry stood out from the first qualifying rounds. RoboMinds’ confident execution and ThunderBots’ steady control complemented one another perfectly, each playing to their strengths and delivering show-stopping performances throughout eliminations. Their victory wasn’t just about points—it was about mastery earned through countless hours of practice.

Around them, teams like 11326A Gear Gurus pushed the boundaries of what was possible with their inventive robot design, while 9452B Tech Titans impressed judges with their methodical and detail-oriented engineering process. The Mecha Monkeys became instant favorites for their kindness and camaraderie, cheering for other teams as loudly as their own.

By the end of the day, the sense of accomplishment in the gym was palpable. Students packed up their robots with smiles, mentors shared high-fives, and parents beamed with pride. The event served as another reminder that Southern California’s robotics scene is bursting with creativity, energy, and unstoppable potential.

RFORCE Commentary

The Diamond Bar VEX IQ Mix & Match Tournament 1 showed once again why robotics is more than competition—it’s a celebration of ideas, growth, and collaboration. The RFORCE community applauds every team that competed, designed, coded, and dreamed big.Written by the RFORCE Editorial Team
For the dreamers, the builders, and the next generation of innovators.