Robotics Meets the Challenge Moderator Lauren Hescheles (right) and Stealth Tigers Team 3164 at the University of Central Florida for the FRC Orlando Regional Stealth Tigers Team 3164 prepares for its next match in Orlando JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2017 7 wo months of tireless robot building in the Applied Technology and Engineering Center on campus came to fruition for Jesuit robotics at the Orlando Regional competition on March 9-11, as Stealth Tigers Team 3164 competed with more than 60 other teams in the major annual FRC robotics event at the University of Central Florida. Led by moderator Lauren Hescheles, it was a packed three days of high-tech dramatic action for Jesuit’s Varsity Robotics team. After a full day of practice and inspections, the next two days consisted of a series of eight qualifying matches in front of a few thousand enthusiastic robotics supporters inside UCFs 10,000-seat CFE Arena. Many teams competing in the Orlando Regional were comprised of participants from several schools, some from fi ve or more schools. The Stealth Tigers consist of Jesuit and Academy of the Holy Names students. Key team members for the Stealth Tigers this spring were Jack Wernet ’19 (primary robot driver), Ethan Gregos ’17 (co-pilot/2nd driver), Peter Barausky ’17 (driver assistant), Chandler Rodriguez ’17 (human player), Patrick Coleman ’17 (lead mechanical engineer), William Yount ’17 and Daniel Guagliardo ’19 (head coders), Trayer Musselman ’17 (safety director), and Dominic Lafalce ’20 and Chase Games One of Jesuit High School’s Mother-Son Mass and Breakfast treasured annual traditions, the Mother-Son Mass and Breakfast, brought together more than 750 Jesuit students and their moms for a wonderful morning Sunday (Feb. 5) at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. Fr. Patrick Hough, S.J. celebrated Mass while Jesuit’s musicians provided the beautiful backdrop as hundreds of mothers and sons ’20 (scouting/strategy). In each robotics match, teams are paired at random with alliance partners. The strengths and weaknesses of each alliance partner – whether their robots possess complementary or overlapping skills, and strategizing between them before each match – are critical to success. In Jesuit’s fi nal match, it scored its highest total of the regional, 332 points. But a 25-point penalty on an alliance partner cost the Stealth Tigers the victory, and Team 3164 fi nished outside of the Top 8 teams that advanced to the Finals. The specifi c robot challenge for the FRC (FIRST Robotics Challenge) spring season was announced in early January, giving teams two months to build and fi ne-tune their robot before the Orlando Regional. Weekdays after school, and all day on many Saturdays, shared the fellowship, spiritual time, and delicious breakfast. The morning was punctuated by the two student speakers, Mike Swenson ’17 and Austin Smith ’17, who gave heartfelt tributes to their respective mothers, Gennie Swenson and Viki Smith. T the Stealth Tigers went to work, grinding away to create and perfect their machine. “The team put in an incredible effort,” Hescheles said. “They are incredibly self-motivated and did a great job. The robot performed as we had hoped, and while we were disappointed not to make the Top 8 in the region, we are excited about how all of the hard work came together.” Gennie Swenson, P’17 Scan to view a photo slideshow from the Mother-Son Mass and Breakfast
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