Chicago Christian High School's RoboKnights turned their Palos Heights campus into a home-turf showcase on Saturday, pulling off a one-two finish at the South Suburban robotics meet and getting tapped to represent Illinois at the United States Governor’s Cup in Washington, D.C. The varsity RoboKnights grabbed first place while a junior-varsity squad claimed second, the latest milestone for a program that has climbed the state ladder and now eyes a busy winter stretch of qualifiers and national exposure.
The RoboKnights are officially registered as Team 21333, and the junior-varsity squad competes as Team 26980 on the Illinois roster, according to FIRST Illinois. The listing highlights the program's sponsors and recent state-level appearances, a paper trail that reflects what coaches say has been steady community backing to keep students building, coding, and competing.
The South Suburban meet drew teams from Homewood‑Flossmoor, Bradley‑Bourbonnais, Kankakee, Lincoln‑Way Central, Joliet West, and Romeoville, and Chicago Christian's two squads came out on top after a full day of matches and judged awards, as reported by Southwest Regional Publishing. Varsity Team 21333 took the top trophy while Team 26980 finished second, giving the host school a sweep of the meet's highest placements. The event was free and open to the public, with dozens of student-built machines rolling, spinning, and lifting their way through the day.
Students And Coaches Build Toward Washington
Coach Ryan Verver, a chemistry teacher who leads the robotics program, told Southwest Regional Publishing that he "enjoys working with FIRST Robotics and attending meets." Junior robot scout Dylan Lester said he "enjoys scouting and talking to other teams at meets," while junior director of outreach Caleeya Coleman said the competitions let her "meet other teams and volunteers and share community outreach."
Senior Hayden Scott, the team's director of build, will lead the pit as the RoboKnights gear up for a state qualifier on Feb. 14 at Parker Junior High, the outlet noted. For the students, the South Suburban sweep is less a finish line than a launchpad for the next round of pressure-packed matches.
What's Next For The RoboKnights
The national showcase on the horizon is the United States Governor's Cup, an inaugural FIRST Tech Challenge event that will bring one team from each state to DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., from Feb. 19–22, 2026, where teams will play the 2025–2026 FTC game DECODE presented by RTX, according to FIRST in Texas. The Governor's Cup is structured as an exhibition-style scrimmage with a selection process managed through FIRST, and selected teams will receive event details along with potential grant support.
Chicago Christian's road to D.C. will depend on the state qualifying schedule and any travel guidance the program receives, but the one-two finish is already a boost for the Palos Heights school's STEM pipeline. Families and fans can track the RoboKnights' upcoming events and sponsorship updates through school announcements and the FIRST Illinois roster as the team works through winter qualifiers and national planning.
