WMS Robotics Teams Fare Well In Competition
SYRACUSE — Throughout the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 21, teams from Wawasee Middle School dominated in the robotics games during the competition at WMS, the first one ever hosted by the school. Teams finished in first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh place out of 14 total teams.
Noah Beckner, Joshua Metcalf, Dylan Phillips and Connor Byrd made up the team known as Burn Baby Burn! and received a trophy for first place in the Robot Games. This team also took home grand champion of the tournament and qualified for the state tournament Dec. 12 in Fort Wayne.
Also qualifying for the state tournament was the Forging Timber team of Jack Collins, Braxton Studabaker and Carson Hunter, placing third in the Robot Games and receiving a runner-up trophy for the overall tournament.
Denise Trump, Jossie Coy, Taylor Cripe, Abbi Murphy, Riley Bame, Bailey Smith and Norah Miller received first place in the robot design category and placed fifth in Robot Games. Their team name was Pop Tab Girls.
The Christmas Rappers team of Hudson Bonner, Logan Harkenrider, Jack Stiver and David Miller received a “Hi 5” trophy for their enthusiasm and placed seventh in Robot Games. Colton McDonald, Addyson Ritter, David Anderson and Sydney Ewing made up the C.A.D.S. team and received a trophy for first place in the Robot Games.
And the Leaf Busters team of Colten Edgar, Ian Kaase, Caleb Clevenger, Alec Bleighler and Connor Coy placed fourth in the Robot Games.
This is the third year in a row Wawasee Middle School has sent at least one or more teams on to the state tournament. All teams were coached by Ryan Edgar and assisted by Matt McDonald.