Good sports head to robot finals

[Joe Ross]

It's a little Arizona centric, but what do you expect from an arizona newspaper? Glad to see Gracious Professionalism getting some press, even if the press doesn't know what to call it.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...lpeople28.html

Connie Cone Sexton
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 28, 2004 12:00 AM


It was down to the last match. The match that would determine the winner of the regional robotic competition. The match that would determine which high school teams would automatically advance to the April 15-17 national competition in Atlanta.

On March 11-13, high school teams from across Arizona and the country gathered for the regional meet at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. The annual robotic competitions are sponsored by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a New Hampshire-based company that tries to reach "as many kids as possible to create excitement for science and technology."

As is commonplace in robotic competitions, each match at the regional meet paired two teams against another two teams.

On March 13, two Valley high schools, Cortez and Cactus, were vying for the top honor against another Valley school, Seton Catholic High School, and its ally, Hope Chapel Academy from Hermosa Beach, Calif.

While the Cortez and Cactus students readied their two robots, they learned the California team robot was having mechanical problems. The match could still go on, but it would have been two robots against Seton's one.

What to do?

It was a clear choice, said Cortez senior Matthew Jones, 17. "It would have been a victory but there would have been no joy in it. One of the judges later said to us, 'That took a lot of guts, guys.' "

So they waited until the California robot was fixed. Cortez and Cactus went on to lose.

But the judges were moved by their gesture and awarded the two teams the Sportsmanship award. The award had already been given to another group but the judges made an exception and created another award for Cortez and Cactus.

That honor, and for coming in second, created enough points for both Cortez and Cactus to also move on to the finals.

There is a hitch. Cortez, which no longer has its longtime Honeywell sponsor, is scrambling to find $4,000 to bring all nine team members to the national competition.

One sponsor, Watts Premiere, has helped and the district has kicked in some money but more is needed.

Theresa Lococo, the Robocolt faculty sponsor, doesn't want to leave anyone behind. To help, you can call Lococo at (623) 915-8200.

Other Cortez team members include William Mouser, Rachel Tieman, Rebecca Jenkins, Aaron Jones, Renee Chappell, Andrew Caraway, Ranie Isiderio, DJ Linder, Sara Sullivan and Javier Gonzalez.

Cactus team members are Elizabeth Sheldon, Peter Barkhaus, Josh Wiseman, Andrew Milakovich, Miranda Misko, Bruce Jordan, Cory Pearman, Adam Shroyer, Jayme Kelter, Sean Ashworth, Charles Atwood, Ken Molnar and Daniel Wanager. The team faculty sponsor is Dave Dise.

[sanddrag]

I would like to add that 696 was part of that Sportsmanship Award winning alliance along with Cortez and Cactus.