Western Michigan -- 600 falls, 700 within reach

Posted by Joe Johnson at 03/10/2001 6:09 PM EST

Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Early reports from the competition have the following
results

#1 seed 71 with over 330 average qualifing points.
#2 seed 66
#3 seed 67
#4 seed 469
#5 seed 33
#6 seed 74
#7 seed 518
#8 seed 288

Pairings
Champs with scores of 488 & 620 (rumored to be seconds
from breaking 700 barrier):
71,33,85,301,1

Finalist with scores of 420 & 560:
66,74,111,535,302

Semifinalist A
67,518,45,107,217

Semifinalist B
469,288,68,302 (maybe 308 – can’t read my writing ;-), 128

Word is that Beatty/Hammond is about as dominant as
they have ever been.

Many strong teams. Not many limbo bots, even #45, a
sometimes limbo machine, ran as a ball handling bridge bot.

Very exciting elimination rounds. Great venue. Loud
house. Great time was has by all.

Can’t wait for Great Lakes Regional to come around!

I stick by my highest score at the Great Lake
prediction, though I think Beatty/Hammond, Wildstang
and The TechnoKats are all going to Chicago. If they
manage to pair ups by some twist of fate, I am not sure
all that the Motor City can withstand the onslaught.
But… We’ll give it our level best.

Joe J.

Posted by nick237 at 03/10/2001 7:16 PM EST

Engineer on team #237, sie h2o bots, from Watertown high school ct and sieman co.

In Reply to: Western Michigan – 600 falls, 700 within reach
Posted by Joe Johnson on 03/10/2001 6:09 PM EST:

Joe. do you know how that score of 620 was made. I would be interested as I thought 580 was amazing.
Nick237

: Early reports from the competition have the following
: results

: #1 seed 71 with over 330 average qualifing points.
: #2 seed 66
: #3 seed 67
: #4 seed 469
: #5 seed 33
: #6 seed 74
: #7 seed 518
: #8 seed 288

: Pairings
: Champs with scores of 488 & 620 (rumored to be seconds
: from breaking 700 barrier):
: 71,33,85,301,1

: Finalist with scores of 420 & 560:
: 66,74,111,535,302

: Semifinalist A
: 67,518,45,107,217

: Semifinalist B
: 469,288,68,302 (maybe 308 – can’t read my writing ;-), 128

: Word is that Beatty/Hammond is about as dominant as
: they have ever been.

: Many strong teams. Not many limbo bots, even #45, a
: sometimes limbo machine, ran as a ball handling bridge bot.

: Very exciting elimination rounds. Great venue. Loud
: house. Great time was has by all.

: Can’t wait for Great Lakes Regional to come around!

: I stick by my highest score at the Great Lake
: prediction, though I think Beatty/Hammond, Wildstang
: and The TechnoKats are all going to Chicago. If they
: manage to pair ups by some twist of fate, I am not sure
: all that the Motor City can withstand the onslaught.
: But… We’ll give it our level best.

: Joe J.

Posted by Erin at 03/10/2001 9:43 PM EST

Other on team #65, Huskie Brigade, from Pontiac Northern High School and GM Powertrain.

In Reply to: Re: Western Michigan – how?
Posted by nick237 on 03/10/2001 7:16 PM EST:

The basic strategy (I just got home, pardon my not-in-depth analysis):

Team 71 and 1 went over the bridge in train with 71 in the lead.
After 71 reached the ground, team 1 tended the bridge for the other teams.
Team 85 would slide under the bar and load one big ball on the far end goal in blistering speed.
Team 33 took the close-end goal to the player station, where they loaded in a conveyor-style manner (very fast human players I must ad…hey OKE!)
Meanwhile, Beatty attached to the goal and would await 33’s arrival ushering in the second goal. As Team 1 tended the bridge to make sure 33 could get across, Beatty got ready to recieve the other goal to balance.
As 85 and 1 got into the end zone, team 33 dropped off the goal and followed their lead as Beatty did what they do best and balanced both goals on the bridge and then they rushed into the end zone. They still were 8 seconds from the minute barrier.

That, my friends, is how its done. (Told FIRST hand by my boyfriend: team 1’s turret and boom operator)

-Erin

p.s. I would like to say that team 66 gave it one heck of a try and they deserve a lot of recognition because they really kick bottom. I LOVE THOSE GUYS!! Beware the penguin.

Posted by Peter VanWylen at 03/11/2001 11:54 AM EST

Student on team #107, Team ROBOTICS, from Holland Christian High School and Metal Flow Corporation.

In Reply to: how it was made- and made fast.
Posted by Erin on 03/10/2001 9:43 PM EST:

Wow. This time Beatty chose to forsake a second big ball, so as to save time, doing it in less than a minute. No doubt at the next regional, they will be able to get that extra ball, and all in under a minute. 720 is not out of reach in any way.

Anyway, here are two pictures of the match after they buzzed out at 1:08. Looks like 4 robots in the endzone, 1 big ball, and 12 small balls (42.562 = 620). Also interesting is to examine the expressions of the winning alliance (right), and the other alliance (left). Enjoy.

http://davinci.hollandchristian.org/first/GR2001/beatty620-1.jpg
http://davinci.hollandchristian.org/first/GR2001/beatty620-2.jpg

The first image is shown below. To see the second, follow the link below.

Posted by Mike Soukup at 03/11/2001 2:34 PM EST

Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling and Motorola.

In Reply to: Western Michigan – 600 falls, 700 within reach
Posted by Joe Johnson on 03/10/2001 6:09 PM EST:

I think an alliance will get 700 in either the semis or finals of Midwest or Great Lakes. Beatty/Hammond had 1:08 left when their alliance got 620, so with quicker execution, they should be able to get another big ball on. And the alliance of 66, 74, 111, 535, & 302 could have gotten 620, and maybe 700 if it had a big ball limbo bot as dominant as 67, which would have allowed 111 to set up the bridge earlier.

Mike

Posted by Mike McIntyre at 03/12/2001 12:37 AM EST

Coach on team #1, Juggernaut, from Oakland Technical Center Northeast and 3 Dimensional Services.

In Reply to: Western Michigan – 600 falls, 700 within reach
Posted by Joe Johnson on 03/10/2001 6:09 PM EST:

We thank Beatty and the Killer Bees for choosing us (Team #1) and putting together a great alliance which also included Teams #85 and #301 , and yes: Beatty knew that they could score over 700; the strategy called for the Juggernauts to spend the last 30 seconds in the endzone when we could have picked up a big ball and placed it on the other goal while up on the bridge; Brian & Co. felt (correctly) that we could win without it and it wasn’t worth the risk of upsetting the balanced bridge. The Beatty/Hammond team has a great machine, skilled drivers, and they know how to lead an alliance.