MADERA, Calif. (AP) - A central California high school has been crowned world champions at an international robotics competition in Texas.

The Fresno Bee reports that Madera High School's 15-member "Madtown Robotics" team won the FIRST Robotics Championship in Houston Saturday.

The four-day "space-themed" competition for students in K-12 age groups included 400 teams in various divisions.

The FIRST championship website says that with an additional tournament scheduled for Detroit April 24-27, the combined events are expected to include 70,000 participants with 1,300 robots from around the globe.

Madera High School placed fourth in last year's tournament and was undefeated through two regional competitions this year.

The school says in a statement that the weekend victory was "the culmination of many years of dedication, hard work and perseverance" by its students.

Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com

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