[Lux]

On behalf of Area 53, my team had an amazing time at the Chesapeake regional. We feel fortunate to have been chosen by extremely strong teams - 173 and 1027 - for an awesome alliance despite our ranking after the qualifying matches - we're glad you were out there scouting! We really enjoyed competing with you all and it really was a pretty unforgettable competition (121 points?!?!).

This was a personally rewarding experience for me as well, having come to Maryland for a co-op in January and becoming involved as a college student/mentor and coach with a team that has some of the most hard-working students and supportive mentors that I have encountered,

My team thought this competition was extremely well-run thanks to the organizers, volunteers, and of course the hosts at the Naval Academy. We were also really impressed with the good sportsmanship that was displayed by the teams.

On a side note, one of the mentors on 1027 mentioned that they might not be able to attend nationals because of insufficient funds. That would be a shame, and hopefully they will be able to secure a sponsor and compete in Atlanta - and get their donuts!