TJ2 Ends 2016 in the Semi’s!

The Bridgewater Raynham Regional Robotics Team, TJ2, made it to the semifinals competing against 31 teams from New England as part of the 20th River Rage Robotics Competition, held at Memorial High School in Manchester, NH.  33 students and 6 mentors traveled to Manchester to compete with their 2016 robot for the last time.  With 22 rookie members this year, this competition gave the new members an idea of what they could expect during the 2017 spring competition season.    The 2016 robot has been through 6 different competitions and is feeling its age.  The drive team of Senior Nick Avtges, Junior Kevin Howard, and Junior Kyle Hackett were coached by veteran alumni and mentor Steve Viera to a 2nd place seed at the end of the qualification matches. 

As captain of the 2nd place alliance, TJ2 picked team 885, the Green Team,  and team 319, Big Bad Bob, to join them.  The team won their first two elimination matches, then lost to the ultimate winners; team 238 The crusaders, team 509 Red Storm, and team 5813 Morpheus. 

The TJ2 robot has two demonstrations this week and will then be retired to the TJ2 award cabinet getting the rest it deserves. 

The team is preparing for the upcoming 2017 FIRST Robotics season by training on the machine shop tools, learning CAD and programming, and honing their electronic skills by learning how to work with the new Nvidia processing board and the ZED 3D camera.  With 62 students and 34 dedicated mentors, the team is readying itself for a fun and productive 22nd season.

The team is working hard to raise funds to make possible their travel to the district championship in Durham, NH, as well as the World Championship in St. Louis….should they qualify.  The team is also preparing to host their first New England District Competition at BRRHS.  If you want to see first hand all the excitement generated at these tournaments that we have told you about for all these years, please come to BRRHS March11-12, 2017 and cheer your team on…..its free, and it is an unforgettable display of STEAM knowhow and enthusiasm by 40 of our dedicated New England teams. 

The team needs your financial support to make all this happen.  Our annual Dinner/Auction is taking place December 9th at the Bridgewater Vets Club.  Tickets are $25.  To buy tickets, donate, or find out about our team, please visit our website at www.tj2.org.