2013 MAR District Event - Springside/Chestnut Hill Academy

[MisterJ]

First of all, SCH was rocking all weekend. Just looking at the team names and judging based on previous years, SCH didn't look like it had as high a number of top teams as Mt. Olive, Hatboro-Horsham, and TCNJ. But you wouldn't know that based on the level of competition on the field - especially eliminations. It was intense!

Lots of teams at SCH should be given props for outstanding weekends.

709 had trouble getting inspected, but stuck with it, made the changes they needed to make, and got on the field for their final qualifying match. What's more impressive is that during eliminations, when more-than-half of the teams had packed up and gone home, 709 was still in the practice area. Great determination and tenacity!

Ditto 3167 who also had problems, but kept working all weekend long!

It was obvious, even after a few qualifying matches on Friday, that 341 and 225 would make a deadly combination if they were partnered together. Combine that with a fine second-pick in 1495 (who also had a strong showing at HH, even though they shockingly missed eliminations), and this became a scary, scary alliance. 341 and 225 both put amazing machines on the floor this weekend and it's a pleasure to see them compete.

I'd like to give a lot of credit to the students from my team, 3974, for a great weekend. They worked hard on their robot all season and have had a ton of success and a ton of fun at HH and SCH. It's heartbreaking to see them lose 2-1 in back-to-back finals, but our students are gaining so much knowledge and experience and are really enjoying the competitions this year. We can't wait for MAR champs!

Sab-bot-age (1640) was probably the most consistent machine on the field all weekend and definitely deserved to be the first pick by the first alliance captain. The smoothness with which 1640's drive team maneuvers that bot is incredible. They are early favorites for one of the top seeds at MAR, along with 56, 103, 341 and 2590. 2539 also had an excellent robot at both competitions and played in two hard-fought semifinals at SCH.

Our alliance partners 316 were great shooters and great people to work with. Ditto with 1391, who we were absolutely shocked to be able to pick with our second pick - they could have been taken much, much higher! The Metal Moose single-handedly manhandled 225 and led their partners to victory in the first finals match, even with 341 running interference. What a great team!

1218 and 4575 also put up a heck of a fight in their semifinal matches. Even though they are rookies, The Tin Mints (4575) put together an amazingly solid robot. Great autonomous, quick, and a very good shooter. Lenape teams should be warned not to take these ladies lightly. Props also to their mentor team 357 who must have been instrumental to getting this team so competitive so quickly.

A quick shout out to our mentor team, 433, and congratulations on your Chairman's win. I can attest that The Firebirds give everything they have to help every team they can. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better team of students and mentors.

Sad that I won't be at Lenape last year. The high school is amazing and 2529 are great hosts. (Storm was one of the top bots at HH and I expect them to keep improving.)

Thanks again to SCH hosts 1218 and best of luck to the teams competing at Lenape, Mt. Olive, and Bridgewater!

[Siri]

First, thank you for the accolades! We're still completely blown away by our performance this season. (I know it shows in the mistakes we make. We're not used to being this good yet--but we aim to be good enough to get used to it!) We're working hard to prep for MAR.

Of course, major thanks as always to all the volunteers and particularly to our friends 1218 for once again hosting such a wonderful event. You definitely deserved that GP Award, not to mention Chairman's at HH and that epic semi-finals matchup. You guys are an awesome model for FIRST!

Speaking of which, perennial congratulations and thank you to 433. Your Chairman's video blew me away--just as it has every year since 2009. I hope you guys go home with the clock soon!

Congrats to our good friends 341 and the amazing 225 shooter, not to mention the impressive 1495! You guys were terrifyingly awesome all the way through. Daisy's (341) on fire yet again this year, and 225 just rocketed out of the woodwork with that full court shooter. I love that thing. 1495 was great at HH, and I'm glad they got a run a elims this time--and what a run it was! You guys laid down some spectacular matches.

Also congratulations to 316, 1391 and 3974. Even separately you guys are forces to be reckoned with, and your elims were awesome to watch! The LuNaTeCs (316) are definitely having an "on" year and are on their way to even more greatness. As for 1391, I have my fingers crossed these guys don't show up on the opposite side of the field at MAR. They're some of the best defensive specialists I've ever seen. Teams at BR², beware. And 3974--I knew they'd be on the fast track when I saw them debut here last year, but I'm truly blown away by how far they've come. You guys all just plain out-gunned us in the semis (48-76!). Even with a working climber and a solid block on the amazing 3974, you still would've kicked our tails. It was awesome to play against you, but I hope we don't have to do it again!

And our alliance: Wow. It was such an honor to be selected by 2539 as the first pick of the first alliance (this has literally never happened for us before). I'm sorry we couldn't take it all the way--and I'm sorry that our climber broke from that first QF. It was a great run and we loved working with you. And 4454. I know we took a chance on your guys--some people thought we were nuts, and maybe we were--but it was worth it. You guys did a great job and definitely deserved that Judges' Award. You were truly a joy to work with, and we wouldn't have squeaked past 357, 204 and 136 without you. We'd love to work with you again--contact us anytime! I hope you all enjoyed your first FIRST competition!