Two MFS robotics teams competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge, part of the FIRST World Championship last week in Atlanta, Ga. The competition was held in the Georgia Dome. The MFS Hawks finished 3–3 in the opening rounds. The MFS Foxes finished 4–2 in the opening rounds and were picked by the top-ranked team (Power Surge) to be in its alliance. The alliance advanced to the semifinals.
Team members that traveled to Atlanta included:
MFS Foxes — Drew Bachman (senior, Mount Laurel), Nate Berkowitz (junior, Medford), Russell Hensley (senior, Moorestown), Gabe Hege (freshman, Delran), Rob Legard (senior, Cinnaminson), Dan Obaisi (junior, Delanco), Derek Preston (senior, Moorestown), Rob Ryczak (senior, Voorhees), and Josh Sackstein (freshman, Voorhees).
MFS Hawks — Mike Brady (sophomore, Delran), Scott Goldstein (senior, Cherry Hill), Karan Hiremath (freshman, Columbus), Josh Pinho (sophomore, Medford), Andrew Rosenbach (junior, Mount Laurel), Matt Sattel (senior, Moorestown), Sam Stratter (freshman, Mount Laurel), and Jerry Vernose (sophomore, Bensalem, PA).
The team manager was Matt Purcell (senior, Cherry Hill).
Coaches were physics teacher Tim Clarke, science teacher Drew Newman and math teacher Brooke Smith.
The MFS robotics program completed more than 600 hours of outreach work since traveling to Atlanta last spring. This fall, MFS students and faculty began working with ten middle school students at KIPP Freedom Academy, a charter school in Camden. MFS students and faculty visited the school 11 times to prepare for a competition at which seven MFS students attended to help coach their protégés.
