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Menchville High School students excel in the varsity sport for the mind

Posted at 5:43 PM, May 02, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-07 10:29:18-04

The MVP of this game is 2363 better known as Triple Helix or Zeta. It is also known as the robot 29 Menchville High School students designed and built.

This is the first championship - better known as the varsity sport for the mind. It combines the excitement of sports with science and technology.

Zeta, or as the students nicknamed it, Katherine Zeta Jones, was six weeks in the building and testing process starting in early January.  Then it was time to compete.

The object of the game is to score as many points as possible plus work with two other teams.

400 teams would start their journey to St. Louis and a chance to play on Einstein field.

After qualifying through sectionals and then regionals, they found themselves amongst the elite teams in the world.

When it was all said and done, it was zeta that was the last robot standing

"Uh...kind of blanked out for a second, then you realize that was us - and we start waving the towel,” says Megan Garrity, the senior captain

"I hear our name get picked, 2363 Triple Helix, and I just sat there. Wait a second - everyone just stood screaming and I joined in," says Amanda Mathis, a sophomore

The best part for senior captain Sarah Selim was seeing the teams from different countries like Israel and Mexico.

Winning top honors is a first for these students and a first for any Virginia school. Now instead of competing with the elite teams they are considered one of them.

"I'm extremely proud. They spent 30 to 40 hours a week building this robot for six weeks and they did it,” says Matt Wilbur, the coach.

At Menchville high school with our student athletes of the week.