Seventeen members of Ferradermis headed to Eau Claire on August 16 and 17 for the inaugural Leviathans Robotics Rampage held at the Pablo Center at the Confluence. What made this event so unique? The competition field was on a theater stage! This allowed for some creative uses of lighting to highlight wins by the red and blue alliances as well as many other theater amenities, such as a superb sound system and comfortable seats. Spectators were also able to get an eye-level view of the robots competing on the field. Wisconsin is testing out new venues for events as they prepare for a possible move to a district competition system, which would look more like a high school athletic playoff system and crown a state champion.
Ferradermis team members had been working diligently prior to the competition to manufacture, assemble, wire, and program their second robot for the year, a robot affectionately named Creamsicle because of the many pastel colors of its 3D printed parts. Creamsicle took the field wearing the official Ferradermis team number of 6574, and the team’s regular season bot, Chief Lee the Tangerine switched to wearing number 9996 for the competition. The two bots were able to play against each other in one match and together on the same alliance in another. Fielding two robots also allowed for twice as many students to get drive team experience.
Since many teams arrived on Friday afternoon to set up, students from various teams were able to spend some social time together, including a huge 3-team game of Marco Polo in the hotel pool. Ferradermis members also had time to explore the trails and outdoor art exhibits along the Chippewa River and the Eau Claire River, which meet just outside the Pablo Center.
On the field, Creamsicle struggled, but hung in there and made it to all of its matches. Tangerine had a much better day, ranking 6th out of the 14 bots at the end of the qualification round. Tangerine (#9996) was selected as the first pick of the fourth seed for the playoffs. That alliance captain was the second robot fielded by Team 930 The Mukwonago Bears with a robot nicknamed “Baby Bear.” Baby Bear and Tangerine then invited Team 6381 Red Raider Robotics from Sheboygan North High School to join the alliance. The alliance played well together but finished the event in fourth place.
Students representing Ferradermis in Eau Claire included recent graduates Kay Mikos and Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, incoming seniors Andrew O’Toole, Andrew Zimmermann, and Maddison LaHaie, incoming juniors Rae Breisath, Chacha Binagi, Ace Hudec, Margaret Brown, Nina Heim, Erison Dreksler, and Georgia Esch, incoming sophomores Carson Miller, Preston Miller, and Cyrus Hudec, and incoming freshmen Vivian Harris and Cooper O’Neal.
Ferradermis will take a short break before starting up again in September. Any Whitewater High School student interested in joining the team (veterans and new members alike) should attend the annual parent meeting with at least one parent or guardian at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 11 in the high school library.
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
