Oklahoma Regional 2026

March 6-9, 2026 | Enid, OK

The Little Apple Cyborgs (Team 5968) traveled to the 2026 Oklahoma Regional ready to compete, improve our robot, and represent Manhattan High School on the field. As the first competition of the season, the regional brought intense matches, quick problem solving, and valuable learning opportunities that will shape the rest of our season.

Throughout qualification matches, our team worked to perform consistently while collaborating closely with alliance partners. By the end of qualifications, we finished 14th overall with a 6–4 record, demonstrating strong teamwork and adaptability during a challenging set of matches.

While the results showed solid performance, the path to that ranking wasn’t easy. Our robot faced several technical and mechanical issues during the event, forcing the team to constantly adapt and repair problems between matches. Despite these setbacks, the team remained focused and made the most of what the robot could still accomplish on the field.

Our President, Dawson, reflected on the team’s perseverance during the competition, “Overall, our team performed pretty well. We faced a lot of technical difficulties, and often our robot was mechanically disabled. However, we could still drive and used that to the maximum of our abilities, which led to us placing 14th overall in qualifications. We were the backup robot chosen for Alliance 1 in playoffs, which led to the win. A win is a win, and it was a great opportunity to be part of our team’s second win in team history.”

During alliance selection, Alliance 1, captained by Team 1706 (Ratchet Rockers) and joined by Team 4635 (PrepaTec – Botbusters), selected Team 5968 as their backup robot for the playoff rounds. This placed the Little Apple Cyborgs in a strong alliance heading into elimination matches.

Alliance 1 delivered strong performances throughout the playoffs, advancing through each round and eventually winning the 2026 Oklahoma Regional Championship.

Our Electrical Head, William, also reflected on the experience and what made the regional memorable: “This regional did a lot of great for the team. I was personally really happy with regionals because no electrical things failed, which was really great. Winning the award was really exciting for me. I did not think I was going to be the first place winner for the First Leadership Award, so the whole event was a great experience.”

Being part of the winning alliance made the moment even more special for Team 5968. The victory marked the second regional win in our team’s history, reflecting the dedication and hard work of students and mentors throughout the season.

Beyond the matches, the regional provided valuable lessons. Teams collaborated, shared ideas, and helped each other solve technical challenges while demonstrating the spirit of FIRST Robotics.

As the Little Apple Cyborgs return to Manhattan, the team is already preparing improvements for the next competition. The ideas, feedback, and experience from Oklahoma are helping guide new upgrades and strategies as we prepare for GKC.

With fresh motivation and a regional championship behind us, Team 5968 is ready to keep building, improving, and competing.