NEforecast: SE Mass District Event, March 10 - March 12, 2017
https://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2017mabri
Webcast: https://twitch.tv/nefirst_red
Rounding out the first week of double, double events in Massachusetts is the SE MASS event hosted at the Bridgewater High School gymnasium in Bridgewater, MA the home of FRC Team 88. The event list includes the normal strong brew of local teams while drawing from all corners of the NE field from the lakes of Maine to the coasts of Connecticut.
A few recent faces such as 78, 1831, 3566, & 4908 will be making their second run for the all important district points coming off of their quests at the Rotor driven Granite State District four days prior. This will be true for the showdown in Bridgewater with several contending teams arriving with strong gear games from the human player station or a lineup of strong floor systems aimed at reducing cycle times by cleaning up the field.
While gears are important the events of last weekend showed the importance of climbing. Failing to leave enough time for climbing is a slippery slope down in the rankings. Teams should be cautious about how they play after they get their third rotors turning. Expect to see more defensive maneuvers taken by veteran players focused on holding their opponents to fewer rotors to ensure wins with reliable climbing. Fuel will remain on the back-burner as a Sunday strategy unless an alliance can use it effectively to prevent ties.
Top Teams:
**78 - **After an early out in Semifinals at the Granite State District last week due to connection issues, 78 is looking to improve their luck early this season. Their floor roller gear intake and fast drivetrain are sure to become crucial to their strategy late Sunday afternoon. Even with only a one week turn around between Granite State and SE Mass, 78 has been able to spice up their robot even more. Adding a new wide angle camera and keeping off their shooter, 78 will be ready to turn rotors and heads this weekend.
**88 - **With their first event win in 6 years coming from Granite State last year, Team 88 is looking to break the ice this year in Bridgewater. Showing back in Week 0 that they have what it takes to be a strong gear cycler with a totally passive mechanism, they will show everyone that keeping it simple is always an effective strategy.
**2168 - **After winning the NE District Champs in 2016 the Aluminum Falcons could be poised for a breakout year, solidifying themselves as one of New England’s top competitors. This game has proven that in the early weeks gears will be the big task to accomplish, and few teams have come up with a better solution for this than 2168. Though their gear intake and placement will allow them to put up big points, their climber and fuel shooting capabilities could allow them to stand above the already flooded field of gearbots. SEMASS marks their first of three consecutive districts as they venture down to MAR the following week.
**2648 - **While you might not have noticed this last-second addition to the SE Mass competition, Infinite Loop is sure to make their presence known by raining fuel on the competition. Taking a bold approach to the Steamworks game, Infinite Loop has focused mostly on collecting and shooting fuel, and will try to leave the gears to their alliance members. While they have an incredibly fast climb, 2648 will have to dial in their double-wide shooter and show the world that fuel is a viable scoring option if they want to play late into Sunday.
**1831 - **As the third overall pick at Granite State, the Screaming Eagles have already displayed how well their gear mechanism and mecanum drivetrain pair together to make a consistent and potent gear-scoring machine. With a full event’s worth of practice, 1831 will be able to drive laps around their opponents and scream late into the day on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions:
**6153 - **A NEDCMP Rookie All-Star recipient last year, and winning their first ever competition, be on the watchout for this crew of 2nd years from Maine. Their efficient fuel scoring and gear placement will make them stand out from the crowd this weekend.
**4954 **- A rising star in the MAR field, these finalists from 2016 are bringing a strong floor driven gear pickup into the Mass mix this weekend.
**4761 - **An up and coming team from Reading, Mass, the Robockets had a strong showing in Week 0. Their fast drivebase, effective passive gear mechanism and solid velcro climber will ensure that this team is playing into the afternoon on Sunday.
**3461 - **Coming away with their first two banners last year Operation PEACCE was an expert at keeping it simple and effective. Should they be able to keep this mindset for the 2017 season they could see great success on the field, as other teams have already proven.
Chairman’s Top Teams
**2648: **Whether it’s starting FRC teams, running an offseason event, or mentoring FLL teams, there’s little this team’s program hasn’t done, as they’ve taken home at least one banner every year since the birth of the New England District. Expect 2648 to be a top competitor for the award this weekend.
**4761: **With a 2016 NEDCMP Chairman’s Award, 4761 is a role model for pushing STEM through school systems. They host an annual Science Expo, get involved in girl scouts, expose FIRST through numerous demonstrations, and more. You could see this five year team bring home the 2017 SE Mass District Chairman’s Award.
Dark Horses:
**78: **With a 2013 Regional Chairman’s win, 2014 NEDCMP Chairman’s, and being one of two teams to win NEDCMP Engineering Inspiration in 2015, Airstrike continues to be a strong contender for the Chairman’s Award
**172: **Winning the 2016 NEDCMP EI award, 172 is improving their outreach and assisting others through the community.
**4176: **Winning a 2016 District Chairman’s Award, FRC 4176 has proven they could take home the 2017 SE Mass Chairman’s Award.
Special Rookie Shoutout to teams 6301 Nerointellect-sim Engineering & Robot Design Soiree N.E.R.D.S, team 6333
Scavenger Robotics, and team **6529 **Beantown Blitz!