SCRIW IV (South Carolina Robotics Invitational & Workshops 2014)

[Billfred]

It took until much later last year to get a new team on board, but welcome the presently-numberless General Robotics to the SCRIW IV lineup!

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Los Pollos Locos
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex
9999 - General Robotics (Pre-Rookies)

13 spots left! Register here today!

[Billfred]

Looks like our ship's come in! Welcome SCRIW's first-ever Tennessee team, FRC 3140, Farragut Flagship!

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Los Pollos Locos
3140 - Farragut Flagship
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex
9999 - General Robotics (Pre-Rookies)

12 spots left! Register here today!

[Billfred]

Another registration hit today--welcome FRC 1539, Clover Robotics to the lineup!

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1539 - Clover Robotics
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Los Pollos Locos
3140 - Farragut Flagship
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex
9999 - General Robotics (Pre-Rookies)

11 spots left! Register here today![/quote]

[Billfred]

We've added two more teams to the lineup! Welcome Columbia's most decorated team, FRC 1398, the Keenan Robo-Raiders, and the team that positively stole the show at SCRIW II, FRC 4083, the Iron Wolverines!

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1398 - Keenan Robo-Raiders
1539 - Clover Robotics
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Blue Devil Mechanics f/k/a Los Pollos Locos
3140 - Farragut Flagship
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4083 - The Iron Wolverines
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex
9999 - General Robotics (Pre-Rookies)

9 spots left! Register here today!

[Billfred]

Things are heating up--welcome back FRC 3459, Team PyroTech to the SCRIW IV lineup!

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1398 - Keenan Robo-Raiders
1539 - Clover Robotics
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Blue Devil Mechanics f/k/a Los Pollos Locos
3140 - Farragut Flagship
3456 - Team PyroTech
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4083 - The Iron Wolverines
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex
9999 - General Robotics (Pre-Rookies)

8 spots left! Register here today!

[Billfred]

Three more twists to the SCRIW lineup: first, FRC 1293, the Pandamaniacs, have decided to run their robot after all. Second, ROBOTZ Garage has decided to bring a second robot--welcome FRC 4444, The Ramblin' Rex! And our friends on General Robotics have a number now--they've been classified as new veteran 283.

281 - EnTech GreenVillains
283 - General Robotics
342 - Burning Magnetos
343 - Metal In Motion
1225 - The Gorillas
1293 - Pandamaniacs
1398 - Keenan Robo-Raiders
1539 - Clover Robotics
1553 - KC Robotics Team
1758 - Technomancers
2059 - The Hitchhikers
2815 - Blue Devil Mechanics f/k/a Los Pollos Locos
3140 - Farragut Flagship
3456 - Team PyroTech
3489 - Category 5
3490 - Viper Drive
3701 - Royal Robotics
3976 - Electric Hornets
4083 - The Iron Wolverines
4444 - Ramblin' Rex (ROBOTZ Garage B-Team)
4451 - ROBOTZ Garage
4533 - Wando Advanced Robotics
4901 - Garnet Squadron
4935 - T-Rex

6 spots left! Register here today before we start printing signage!

[MCarron]

So what were the final results of the event??

[Josh Drake]

The event planners must still be sleeping that one off

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Josh Drake

The event planners must still be sleeping that one off

Some of us are still taking it easy this evening!

First off, for posterity and reference, here's how alliance selection broke down (in order, with no declines):

1) 4444/342/281/3459
2) 3701/283/1293/3140
3) 3489/4935/1398/1758
4) 1553/4901/1539/2815
5) 343/3490/1225/4083
6) 2059/4451/4533/3976

And the elimination bracket went thusly:

Quarterfinals
1 had a bye
2 had a bye
5 d. 4 in 2
3 d. 6 in 2

Semifinals
5 d. 1 in 3
2 d. 3 in 2

Finals
5 d. 2 in 2

Thus, your SCRIW 2014 champions are teams 343 (Metal In Motion), 3490 (Viper Drive, the first-ever two-time SCRIW champions), 1225 (The Gorillas), and 4083 (The Iron Wolverines)!

I have to give props to the finalist alliance as well. 3701, Royal Robotics, had never attended a FIRST competition outside of the North Carolina Regional. Despite the low number, SCRIW was 283's first competition as a newly-formed team. 3140, despite being known around the state after attending Palmetto this year, was the first Tennessee team to sign up for SCRIW.

And like I said during the handshake, I've waited eleven long seasons to welcome my alma mater 1293 to the finals. Sometimes the robot wasn't up to snuff, sometimes the partner wasn't up to snuff (and who can forget the heartbreaker partner red card in 2011's Palmetto semis?), but one way or the other fate had kept them out of the finals of eleven Palmetto Regionals and three SCRIWs. You wouldn't know it from the way they've helped area teams, build solid robots for their means, and work incredibly hard to put on SCRIW with 2815, but this is the first piece of hardware they've taken home from any event anywhere. If there is any justice in the universe, more will come soon to the Pandamaniacs.

I was similarly pleased to present the SCRIWDriver Award to Jacob Paikoff for his four fantastic years of service in putting SCRIW together. He's volunteered in any number of roles, including head referee this year (and he didn't even ask for it!), and he's almost always been the last person out the door both on setup and on teardown that isn't either a host team, AndyMark, or me (and I don't count). He's a tremendous asset to any event he attends, and we're thankful to have had his help over all these years.

Props to the crews from AndyMark, 1293, and 2815 for their efforts in putting the event on. It wouldn't be possible without all three working in sync. Further thanks to the guys from the IROC event for letting us borrow their balls.

Personal thanks to 1553 for picking Garnet Squadron, and to 1539 and 2815 for being great partners. Wish it could've gone further, but it stings a little less to lose to the champions. Further personal thanks to 4451 for the Billfred Approved stickers--I'm keeping those away from the kids. (No, I didn't know they were putting that on the Ramblin' Rex machine...let alone that big!)

To anyone that caught my shoe-losing moment in the Finals 2 intros for posterity, please add that to the long list of "please don't show this to Billfred" photos. Karthik, your job is secure.

And lastly, thank you to all SCRIW IV teams! We would not be able to stage this event without the continued support of all these teams, and we are already making plans for SCRIW V to be bigger and better than ever. We aim to have a date firmed up to share no later than Kickoff.

[Jacob Paikoff]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I was similarly pleased to present the SCRIWDriver Award to Jacob Paikoff for his four fantastic years of service in putting SCRIW together. He's volunteered in any number of roles, including head referee this year (and he didn't even ask for it!), and he's almost always been the last person out the door both on setup and on teardown that isn't either a host team, AndyMark, or me (and I don't count). He's a tremendous asset to any event he attends, and we're thankful to have had his help over all these years.

I was definitely surprised when you called my name as I wasn't really expecting to win it with all the other great volunteers around SCRIW. I'm honored and I want to thank you and everyone else on the host teams that put together SCRIW for presenting me with this award and for putting on your 4th straight great event. Hopefully I'll be able to make it back for SCRIW V.

[HumblePie]

Just wanted to thank Billfred and crew for another great event! The new venue was really nice, and a smoothly run event, as always. Big thanks to our Alliance Captain, 343 Metal In Motion, and our partners 1225 The Gorillas, and 4083 The Iron Wolverines.

We're already looking forward to going for the three-peat next year!

Thanks again for a great event.

[MCarron]

Awesome summary Billfred! Thanks for all the hard work you do behind the scenes as well. Having been on a regional planning committee before I know how much effort goes into putting on these events.

Did anybody take video of the matches that can be posted? Did anybody keep up with the scoring on the matches as well?

-Mike C.

[Kevin Thorp]

Yes - I'll second that. SCRIW IV was very well run. And a great venue. Our students had a blast - especially the younger ones who didn't get to do much at the "official" Regionals last spring.

And to those attending the 3D Animation or Pneumatics workshops hosted by Cat-5, we posted PDFs of the handouts at www.team3489.org. All the links are "live" on the PDF.

[Kevin Thorp]

It was pretty exciting when Billfred was whipping the audience into a frenzy at the start of last match & slammed into the players station so hard he knocked his shoe off.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Jacob Paikoff

I was definitely surprised when you called my name as I wasn't really expecting to win it with all the other great volunteers around SCRIW.

This is where I point out that I have the world's worst poker face. Maybe I should run myself ragged more often!

Originally Posted by MCarron

Awesome summary Billfred! Thanks for all the hard work you do behind the scenes as well. Having been on a regional planning committee before I know how much effort goes into putting on these events.

Did anybody take video of the matches that can be posted? Did anybody keep up with the scoring on the matches as well?

-Mike C.

I do a thing or two, but I can't take all the credit. Matt Hedden from 1293 has been instrumental in keeping things smooth with the host schools the past three years, Brooke Slocum from 2815 kept the show running on schedule on the field, and John Lindower (whose kid isn't even on 1293 anymore!) makes concessions so painless for us that all we have to do is send out the pre-order form and staff the booth the day of. Oh, and the cheap labor kids from these teams are pretty awesome too.

I would echo the call for photos and videos of the event. I know I saw more than a few GoPros stuck to the player stations and drive team heads.

Originally Posted by Kevin Thorp

It was pretty exciting when Billfred was whipping the audience into a frenzy at the start of last match & slammed into the players station so hard he knocked his shoe off.

A certain mentor on a certain team of mine called out my lack of Karthik-grade flying kicks during introductions after semis. (The truss was slowing me down--Karthik has to duck less to clear it!--but I did more than a few in 2011 when I emceed SCRIW I on an open field.) So with Finals 2 there, I pretty much had to go for it. I got to the blue alliance station, got the air, hit it about two feet off the ground...but while my shoe had grip on the diamond plate, my foot did not have grip on the shoe! Felt that one while calling the match.

So, for all you wannabe MCs out there? Lace your shoes tight!