NEforecast: Week 6 Pine Tree

[NEforecast]

NEforecast: Pine Tree Event - April 7-9, 2016
Webcast: https://www.twitch.tv/nefirst_blue
Team List: http://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2016mabos

In the words of Europe, “It’s the final countdown”. This weekend New England turns to our final qualifying event of the season up in Lewiston, Maine. This 40 team event has 15 teams from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont with 25 of these teams calling Maine home. Since it began as a regional in 2013, the Pine Tree event has helped spur new growth each season and welcomed four more new rookies to their community this year.

For 31 teams, this weekend is a serious matter if they plan to move forward to the District Championship next weekend based on current rankings. For some a solid showing in qualifications and advancement into the elimination tournament will be enough to solidify a slot. For others they will be eager to move deep into the elimination rounds and potentially take home some hardware. Unfortunately some teams moving up means others are moving down and could see their season end early.

However there is still a lot of Stronghold to play this season and with each passing week it gets more and more exciting. Last week we saw a shootout in Hartford pushing the 200s mark by accurate high goalers with key ball management. Boston still saw much use out of the low goal with both captains in the finals focusing their efforts down low with climbs and high goals boosting the scores and excitement level up. Pine Tree has a high chance of combining the best of each of these events and melding them together into an epic closeout of the 2016 qualifying districts.

Many of the top teams this week are bringing their shooting game with many stronger teams behind them capable of scoring several boulders themselves. Captures will see an increase from the last events teams competed at and a missed breach or two can be detrimental to the final seedings especially if the top teams find themselves playing each other frequently. While most teams attending Pine Tree haven’t shown scaling mechanisms previously there will be some in the works for teams who haven’t played since the opening weeks or are in their third event so they have the flexibility to be busier in the pits.


TOP TEAMS

319 Two #1 seeds at North Shore & UNH followed by their first two blue banners from successful elimination runs put BOB at the top of the running at Pine Tree. Their high goal shooter showed some use in elimination rounds but used extremely quick low goals as their primary boulder strategy. With a proven record at two prior events and rumors of potential for scaling they are looking to hold on to their rank of #3 in New England with 136 points.

1519 While UNH was their first event of the year, you wouldn’t know as MAYHEM scored high in both teleop and autonomous with multiple routines through various defenses. Their punch shooter is an uncommon solution for this year’s game, however the results speak for themselves as they are one of the top high goal scorers with a short time to lineup and one of the only we’ve seen to shoot while moving. As the first pick, winners, and EI recipients they took home the highest point total at one district this year in New England giving them the opportunity to slide back into the #1 spot with an impressive showing this weekend.

125 After six intense finals matches over the past two weekends where they walked away twice as finalists, the Nutrons are determined to return from their trip north with another blue banner after a win in Arizona and Chairmans at Rhode Island. Their laser focused vision system and consistent catapult threw enough boulders through goals to take down towers on their own and put them in the top tier of high goal machines on the East Coast. With potential to add a scaling mechanism, their previous seasons in district prove they don’t slow down despite entering their third event in three weeks. Teh Nutronz are currently ranked 10th and with their ticket punched to Champs and a solid spot at the New England DCMP.

5687 Maine’s hottest new team, The Outliers, are ready for another showing of their machine and aim to defend their title from their rookie season as Pine Tree Champions. Their consistent batter shot was in use while most of New England was aiming low and their large wheels driven by CVT transmissions made them one of the most agile robots at Granite State tackling defenses like they were the berm. A string of bad luck kept them one ball away from the finals during week 1 and with more time off and plans for scaling, The Outliers are coming in hot to rise up from their current rank of 72.

4564 With a semifinalist finish as the #1 seed at WPI, this Orange team is rolling into Pine Tree ready to bring the Chaos. With an impressively fast batter shot, and an even more impressive list of autonomous routines, Chaos is ready to secure their spot in Hartford next weekend. After having four weeks to spruce up their innovative tape measure hanger, and improve their already great batter shot and breaching skills, this team will be fighting for a spot in the top 5. 4654 is ranked 71st in New England.

133 As one of the only high goal shooters at their opening event, BERT made a startling decision to decline the #1 seeded 319 and opted to form their own alliance but fell short of a trip to the finals despite impressive scores. With an autonomous high goal shot already under their belts, more time to practice cycling, and potential to use their clever scaler in a match, BERT will be ready to put up a fight. After their first event BERT is currently ranked 77th with 49 points.

2648 A hot bot to watch at WPI, Infinite Loop had some setbacks at Rhode Island that left them with an early out in the quarter-finals. Despite these setbacks they used Rhode Island to improve other functionality from WPI and have plans to continue those going into this weekend. While primarily focused on refining their shooter and polishing up the connection issues that plagued them at RI, Loop always has a few tricks up their sleeves. Already registered for the District Championship via a Chairman’s win and ranked 31st, they are preparing for their shooter to be a key player in Hartford.


Honorable Mentions in no particular order:

230 With a finalist and semifinalist appearance at UMass Dartmouth and Waterbury, Team 230 is ready to fire up their highly accurate catapult and capture the castle.
3930 In a field of high goal robots we have to give a nod to one of Maine’s top performers who played the low goal wisely at North Shore making them the #2 pick overall and finalists.
58 Their 28 wheel drive worked well at North Shore and with more practice time their high goal shot will see more functionality this weekend.
172 Some technical bugs hurt them during the WPI elims however they can be a powerful partner in eliminations and play mean defense.
166 Showed they are an emerging top team at UNH playing as a primarily offensive team.
6153 Powerful rookie who rounded out the winning alliance at RIDE conquering the tougher defenses and cycling balls to the low goal or away from opposing robots.
4473 Worked hard at their previous two events mastering defenses and aiming to the low goal with potential for high goaling this weekend.


CHAIRMAN’S AWARD

Locks
1519: Recently receiving the Engineering Inspiration Award at UNH, and earning a District Chairman’s Award in 2015, this 12 year team with their mentoring of FLL teams, is a role model for all other teams to follow.

172: Also recently receiving an Engineering Inspiration Award at WPI, and having an additional 2015 EI Award under their belt as well, it will be no surprise to see FRC Team 172 with their assisting of other Maine Teams through their open practice field, earn the Chairman’s Award at Pine Tree.

Darkhorse
3930: With four Industrial Safety Awards, one Entrepreneurship Award, and two Engineering Inspiration Awards in the past two years, 3930 may be the team receives the Chairman’s Award.

[Nathan Streeter]

Thanks again for the analysis NEforecast... it's always fun to read in preparation for the weekend's events and seems as accurate as ever. Pine Tree comes right on the heels of highly competitive NE districts in Hartford and Boston and should be every bit as competitive... I'm expecting some tremendous elimination matches!

1519 is excited to compete up at Pine Tree for the first time! We hope to primarily be doing everything we did at UNH faster and more accurately... other improvements will have to wait until later in the season.

[who716]

716 is on are way up, currently in mass looking forward to playing with everyone on this list and more. Good luck to all the teams competing.