A Trilogy to be ended.

[The Cyborg]

It is pretty honorable to be the finalists three years in a row! I know it is pretty hard to think that you were so close to have almost finished the Midwest regional with gold three years in a row, but just think about it:

How many times have any other teams manage to get 3 time finalists at the same regional in three consecutive years?

There are still some wonderful teams out there that haven't had the experience of being regional winners, or even finalists for that matter!

Also take DanielBCR's post above: Winning isn't all that important when you look at it at a different perspective. Think about the fun, the ups, the downs, and the people we met during this regional!

I applaud each and every team that has participated in this regional throughout the years! This is by far one of the best regionals I have been to during each FIRST season! It is the official "IRI" of FIRST!

[Lil' Lavery]

116 had now competed for 10 years, and the closest we've ever come to winning a regional is the semi-finals. The best we've ever done at ANY competition is 3rd place at the 2004 York Summer Frenzy. Trust me, reaching the finals 3 years in a row is no small feat.
Yes, I know how horrible it feels to be 2nd, Im in the Herndon Band (we scored a 92, but Hickory won the USSBA state championship with a 93). But despite that horrible feeling knowing how close you came, it still feels better than having not a single trophy sitting on your shelf for how your robot has competed.
Dont despair for the 2nd places, just be proud you got that far in one of the toughest regionals around (or any).