2017 Apple Harvest Parade
The FIRST Team 195 CyberKnights had a blast showing all the fun STEM can be to thousands along the parade route. Our 2014, 2016 & 2017 robots added to the excitement and the team took home the award for Best School Group Float! A special note of thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters. The fun wouldn’t be possible without you!
Introducing the New CyberKnights
We welcome new students to the 195 Family!!!
Adam Badgley
Ali Bauer
Josh Budnik
Jeffrey Cormier
Katherine Drechsler
Nathaniel Fortin
Walter Goodenough
Veronika Gorski
Joshua Gregory
Lindsey Hunt
Andrew Krasuski
William Krom
Mason Krupinski
Katherine LaCluyze
Brianna Lanci
Connor Longo
Matthew Luponio
Patrick Perlot
Diane Pillsbury
Ryan Posadas
Matthew Purpura
Jillian Rappi
Ralph Warner
CyberKnights win the prestigious Indiana Robotics Invitational (IRI)
A group of CyberKnight families, parents, siblings, grandparents and students along with some team mentors decided to go on summer vacation together. The cars lined up like a family of ducks and took the long 13 hour drive to Indianapolis, Indiana to take the field one more time to compete in a battle of the big boys! Knightro the robot went along on vacation with them…but no summer vacation rest was in sight for Knightro. He had a job to do…and he did it well.
IRI is a special post season event with the tag line “IRI-Where the Egos Go to Play”. Teams must apply and only the best of the best in the world are extended an invitation to play. The 68 teams included both the current and previous world championship teams along with most of the others hitting top wins throughout the season.
Two teams from Connecticut were extended an invitation. Team 195, The CyberKnights and Team 2168 the Aluminum Falcons who partnered with Team 195 in their New England Championship Win.
4 years ago was the first time The CyberKnights were invited to the Indiana Robotics Invitational
3 years ago – They played but did not make it to the playoff rounds
2 years ago – They made it to quarterfinals
1 year ago – They were in the finals
This year, in 2017 – THEY WON!
Team 195 along with their alliance partners FRC Team 1619 “Up a Creak Robotics” from Longmont Colorado, FIRST Team 2590 “Nemesis” from Longmount, New Jersey and Team 1710 “Ravonics Revolution” serving as backup team from Olathe, Kansas worked beautifully together and fought through a very tough playoff against the best of the best.
This was no small feat as the team had to battle against the four time reigning IRI champions, Team 2056 “OP Robotics” from Ontario, Canada (the Canadians have a long history of both IRI and World Championship wins), The NASA team 118 “Robonauts” from Houston, TX and Team 2767 “Stryke Force” who are the current St. Louis Championship winners. All the teams played amazing and our hats are off to our competitors for the giving our team the best fight in their history.
Here is a link to a summary video showing the final match and giving you a glimpse of how it felt to be a CyberKnight at “IRI”….lots of happy tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzb-QMnbD18
We would like to thank all the parents and mentors who took their summer vacation time to give these students the ultimate robotics experience and help put this very BIG feather in Team 195’s cap!
Connecticut Robotics Championship
The Southington CyberKnights competed in the Connecticut Robotics Championship Sponsored by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) May 13th. The field consisted of 35 robotics teams from across Connecticut.
After qualification rounds, the CyberKnights ranked 1st and selected Team 558, the Elm City Robo-Squad from Hill Regional Career High School in New Haven. This is the same team they won the State championship last year. The third team to be invited to the alliance was Team 176, Aces High from Windsor Locks and Suffield High School.
The Alliance fought through the playoffs without a loss and took home the state championship. Team 195 and 558 have enjoyed a great relationship over the years winning multiple events together and this was the second year in a row this alliance has taken the Connecticut title.
Thank you all for your support this season!
Saint Louis World Championship
The Southington CyberKnights competed in the Carson Division at the St. Louis FIRST Championship this past weekend. The field was deep with the 406 best robots gathering from the 3300 teams from around the world.
After 10 hard fought qualification matches, Knightro took on some heavy damage and needed repairs when the robot swung during a rope climb and took a direct hit to its shooting turret. Repairs were made and ultimately, the CyberKnights placed 5th after qualification rounds.
They selected a New England strong alliance by inviting Team 177, Bobcat Robotics from South Windsor, Team 1073 The Force Team from Hollis New Hampshire and Team 1080 Resurgence Robotics from Henrico, VA. The CyberKnights enjoyed working again with Team 1073 who they won the New England Championship with just two weeks ago.
The Alliance fought through the Carson Division playoffs till the bracket was down to the final two alliances both made up mostly of New England teams. New England students stood arm in arm in the stands watching their robots battle it out for the chance to play in the famous Einstein Championship finals. It was there that the CyberKnights fell to take home the silver.
The Carson division champions were captained by Team 125 the Nutrons from Boston MA. We were sad to see the CyberKnight’s run end, however still very happy to see them with the silver medals after such a hard fought week. We are also very proud to say that our Alumnus, Bailey Kahl, is currently a mentor for Team 125 as he attends college in the Boston area. More than 10 CyberKnight alumni are currently mentoring FIRST teams from all over the country many of whom have developed into high ranking, top teams.
Bailey writes to our team: “195- What a run in finals. You gave us a crazy a run for our money and I was more nervous there than I was on the Einstein floor. You guys have an AMAZING robot, and a hell of a season to boot…..The thing that really hit home for me was the undying love and support you all gave me and my team immediately after you had just lost in the finals of the division. You very easily could have been upset, but instead all I got was hugs, high fives, and congratulations. Thank you, everyone. And congratulations on another wild season.”
FIRST Robotics is a competition, but to the Team 195 students, it’s more about gracious professionalism, helping ALL teams succeed and inspiring STEM leaders along the way.
This ends the CyberKnights regular season play. They will be competing in two post season events soon.
- The Connecticut State Championship sponsored by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference on May 13th. This event includes only Connecticut teams in order to crown a state champion.
- WPI Battlecry sponsored by Worcester Polytechnic Institute May 20-21st.
New England Championship – CyberKnights Win for the Third Year in a Row
64 high school robotics teams from across New England met at the University of New Hampshire April 6th to 8th to compete in the FIRST Robotics New England District Championship. Having just came off their win at the Hartford District Event the weekend before the CyberKnights knew with the best in New England coming together, innovative game strategies would be needed to achieve their goal of a Three-peat.
Southington proved to be one of the best high goal shooters achieving the 40kPa pressure mark in the autonomous period for most of their matches. This function has only been achieved by a handful other teams in the world and will certainly be a differentiator as they move on to play at the World Championship level. The team also shares the current world record for the highest achieved score of 522 points.
Southington was invited by Team 2168 the Aluminum Falcons from Groton, CT to alliance in the playoffs and Team 195 graciously accepted. This is the same team they won the New England title with last year. The two teams also invited team 1073 from Hollis, New Hampshire to join them in their quest for the banner. The playoffs were rough, scrappy matches with robots battling hard and taking damage. But the alliance proved successful after a very hard fought playoff rounds bringing home the banner.
This is the third year in a row the CyberKnights have won the FIRST Robotics New England Championship.
Southington CyberKnights will travel to St. Louis to compete in the FIRST Championship on April 26-29. Due to the growing number of teams in the world, the FIRST organization is having TWO championship events this season. The North Championship held in St. Louis and the South Championship held in Houston TX. They will crown TWO champions for the first time in their history. The champions will face off during the summer in a webcast competition held at the home of Dean Kamen, world renowned inventor and founder of FIRST Robotics.
The CyberKnights are ready for the challenge and have their sights set on a Division Banner and a North Championship title!
Thank you again for your continued support of these amazing students! Please enjoy this short recap video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3OcFiNt_1M&feature=youtu.be
