Warwick Community Robotics Team T.A.C.A. wins again

PEEKSKILL — Three robotics teams from Warwick - Team T.A.C.A. Warwick Robotics community team, Matrix Rewired community team and the Warwick Valley High School team - competed at the FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifying Tournament in Peekskill on Saturday, Jan. 12.
FIRST (F or I nspiration and R ecognition of S cience and T echnology) was founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.
A large group of enthusiastic supporters also traveled to participate in the competition. This is the third annual Peekskill Challenge and Qualifying match to send teams to Regional Championships at Pace University.
Rover Ruckus is the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics game for the 2018-2019 season.
In the competition, two alliances, consisting of two teams each, compete using team designed robots to collect “minerals” and place them into the cargo holes of the lander.
Each team plays five matches. In a match, there are red and blue alliances, both consisting of two teams. Alliances work together to earn more points.
The Motivate AwardTeam T.A.C.A. (Total And Complete Amateurs), based at the Warwick Community Center, won first place and proved themselves against 18 other teams to captain the Winning Alliance in the final match. They also placed first in the Motivate Award category.
The Motivate Award is given to a team that “embraces the culture of FIRST and clearly shows what it means to be a team. This judged award celebrates the team that represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through team building, team spirit and displayed enthusiasm. This is a team who makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community, and sparks others to embrace the culture of FIRST.”
Team T.A.C.A. secured a place at the Hudson Valley FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Championship, to be held at Pace University on Feb. 10. Members of this team are Thomas Magee (tenth grade), Aiden Woods (ninth grade), Hunter Ludovicy (eighth grade), and seventh graders Kayla Ludovicy, Kahlan Fallon and Skylar Fogarty. Their focus and hard work paid off for the team.
Qualifying tournament ahead This year, the two additional teams from Warwick made it to semi-finals in which they participated in Alliance rounds: the Warwick Valley High School team and the Matrix Rewired community team.
Matrix Rewired was second runner up in the Design Award category.
Both teams will compete in another qualifying tournament in Yonkers on Jan. 26 with hopes of moving on to championships.
The friendly rivalry between all the teams was evident throughout the matches and everyone was inspired by the quality of the robots and competition.