A contest of skill, precision and speed took center stage at Placerita Junior High School’s gym as youngsters set tiny robots racing and jolting over tabletop playing fields. . .

    Twenty-one robotics teams from northern Los Angeles County brought their nuts, bolts, plastic parts and personal grit to the table Friday night, prepared to mix it up at the third annual Newhall Robotics Tournament, a precursor to the state tournament to be staged at Legoland in Carlsbad on Dec. 4.
    Teams came from as far away as Tehachapi to compete.
    “Getting it (the robot) lined up right is the hardest part,” said Ben Jacobson, 11, a member of the Lego-Lend-a-Hands team.
    Jacobson was among dozens of young contestants in the “pit,” a ready room on campus that allowed the students to prepare their radio-car-sized machines and agonize over hair’s-breadth errors prior to the competition in the gym. The mini-robots must be able to complete each task or set of tasks without remote control, although adjustments in programming are permissible between jobs.
    Contestants, who were mentored by members of the Hart High School Robotics Team, had to ready their robots for a number of tasks associated with this year’s theme of “No Limits.” The theme challenged teams to find ways to help people with disabilities.

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