Edina Robotics FIRST Team 1816, The Green Machine is proud to have competed in the Wisconsin Regional for the third straight year in a row. After going through three intense days of competition, the team now is primed and ready for the upcoming Minnesota Regional, March 27 – 29. Although the team didn’t win, just participating in the 2008 competition, FIRST Overdrive was a valuable experience. It gave the team much-needed feedback on game strategy and troubleshooting problems with the robot, “Zerkit.” Despite hours of frustration to fix broken parts, followed by a few disappointing, motionless matches, the team finished 5-3 in the preliminary rounds and advanced to the elimination rounds as part of an alliance with Team 2606-Rosemount Robotics, a rookie Minnesota team from Rosemount High School, and Team 74-Team CHAOS of Holland High School, Holland, MI. Even with the exit in the quarterfinals, The Green Machine emerged knowing they’d ironed out most every setback. With (hopefully) many of Zerkit’s problems being fixed, the team is looking forward to an exciting inaugural Minnesota FIRST Regional!
The Wisconsin Regional also was exciting for several other Minnesota teams. Congratulations to Team 2549-The Millerbots of Washburn High School, Minneapolis, for forming the 2008 winning alliance with Team 2062-C.O.R.E., Waukesha, Wisc., and Team 171-Extreme Engineering of Platteville, Wisc. Quite a start for a rookie team! On their way to victory though, this winning alliance had stiff competition from none other then last year’s winner: Team 2169-KingTec of Prior Lake High School, Savage, Minn, along with Team 93-New Apple Corps, Appleton, Wisc., and Team 1652-The Robot Mafia, Pleasant Prairie, Wisc. Congratulations to all and The Green Machine looks forward to seeing many of these teams again here at Williams Arena for the Minnesota Regional!