SUNY Morrisville Robotics Team Takes on Statewide Competition

Talk about a nail-biter! The SUNY Morrisville Science and Technology Entry Robotics Team, a group of bright young minds, just went head-to-head with other tech whizzes at a statewide robotics competition hosted by Adelphi University. Trust me, the energy in the room was electric!

The Dream Team

Hailing from LaFayette Central School District, we had sophomores Jonathon Harris and Hampton Papworth, bringing the heat. Joining them from Jamesville was the incredible sophomore Jeffrey Comins. And last but not least, holding it down from LaFayette as a freshman, was Oliver Newell. Guiding this talented crew was their staff advisor, the one and only Lenny Oppedisano. Talk about a powerhouse lineup, am I right?

Battling Bots and Biting Nails: The Competition

Our Morrisville crew came ready to play! They battled it out in the qualifying rounds, snagging two solid wins, facing two tough losses, and ending one match in a tie. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions! But these guys? They don’t crack under pressure. They clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the elimination tournament.

Now, this is where things got really interesting. They went up against Adelphi’s very own STEP Robotics Team. It was a down-to-the-wire match, my friends. In the end, our Morrisville team fell just short of victory with a super close score of fourteen to twelve.

Lessons Learned and Victories Earned

Okay, so they didn’t walk away with that shiny trophy this time. But let’s be real, this competition was about way more than just winning. These students dove headfirst into a whirlwind of experience, learning to adapt their game plan on the fly, tweaking their robot between matches (we’re talking adding parts and swapping out motors like pros!), and performing under the kind of pressure that would make even a seasoned engineer sweat.