The Fightin’ Robotic Owls finished fifth out of 128 at the FIRST Robotics Mid-Atlantic District Championship at Lehigh University
The Times
The Bensalem High School Robotics Team, the Fightin’ Robotic Owls, recently competed at the FIRST Robotics Mid-Atlantic District Championship at Lehigh University, where they finished fifth out of 128 teams, and qualified for the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Detroit, Michigan.
“Being picked by 225 (Tech Fire) and having 747 (Flight Crew) on our alliance was one of the best experiences I’ve had,” said sophomore and drive team member Daniel Pasquella. “I couldn’t have asked for a better alliance to win the championship with.”
The Owls, who were ranked 41st in the Mid-Atlantic Region, were excited to qualify for District Championships at Lehigh University, but knew they would be facing some fierce competition, going up against some of the top teams in the region. After their first few matches, they were in fifth place, but quickly dropped to 29th place due to technical problems with their robot.
“There was some electrical problems with the robot shorting out on the field,” said Maxwell Parmalchuck, fabrication lead. “But we fixed the problem and performed solidly for the rest of our matches, becoming one of the top three scorers at the event.”
While the Owls qualified for World Championships, there’s no guarantee they will be able to go. Between registration fees and travel costs, this will cost the team upwards of $20,000.
“District Championships has been unlike any other competition and has made me so much prouder of what we have done as a team and what I have done for it,” said senior and program manager Katherine Matveykina. “I am excited that we’ve qualified for World Championships for the third time in team history because it’s a great opportunity to show off our team, our school and our robot to the world.”
To contribute to the team’s travel funds, donate online at team5401.org/donate
