WildStang robotics team world champs

A little luck and a lot of engineering know-how catapulted the WildStang robotics team back to the world championship.

On Saturday, the 68 teens, drawn from Rolling Meadows, Prospect and Wheeling high schools won the FIRST Robotics Competition at the Edward Jones Arena in St. Louis.

In doing so, WildStang members partnered with two teams from northern California to form an alliance — following the rules of the competition — to advance through the final elimination rounds and win the world championship.

They emerged from a field of 352 teams from across the country as well as from Australia, Canada, Israel and Mexico.

For WildStang, it was their third title in eight years.

“We were part of the highest scoring match in the competition,” said junior Michael McKenna of Arlington Heights. “We had a very offensive robot.”