GREENVILLE, TEX.--The Greenville High School VEX Robotics Team, the “Iron Cowboys,” and Greenville Middle School VEX Robotics Team, “the Gigabots,” competed in the Greenville Skyrise VEX League over the past three weeks. Seven groups from GHS and six groups from GMS made it to the elimination, or final, rounds of competition and two teams qualified for the North Texas State Championship in Greenville, Tex. on February 21, 2015.

GHS Team 4148H, whose members are Dan Price, Dan Constancia, Denise Cuba, Matt McCallum, Hector Pineda, Kyle Herinrich and Isaiah Champion, competed against teams from Fannindel High School and the Phoenix Charter School to become Tournament Champions. GMS Team 2148A, made up of Jordan Frimpter, Trenton Burns, Austin Burns, Tessa Mitchell, and Yoensoo Jung,  received the Middle School Excellence Award, the highest honor in the VEX Robotics competition. The recipient of this award is a team that exemplifies overall excellence in building a well-rounded VEX robotics program. Both teams have qualified for the North Texas State Championship. “We had an excellent first showing at the Greenville Skyrise VEX League,” said GMS Gigabots coach Orion Casper, “I am very proud of how hard all of the Gigabots have worked over the past month and a half. I am looking forward to an excellent rest of the season.”

Two other teams earned Judged Awards and received trophies at the competition. Team 4148G from GHS, consisting of Hannah Escobedo, Carlos Rodriguez, Jorge Ruiz, Carlos Riveroll and Zachery Freeman, received the Think Award, presented to a team that has successfully utilized autonomous programming modes during competition. Team 2148D from GMS, made up of Noah Stone, Faith Clayton, Corbin Hudgins, Jacob Koger, and Brady Diggs, received the Build Award, given to a team that has built a well-crafted and constructed robot that also shows a clear dedication to safety and attention to detail. Colin Nobles, the Iron Cowboys Coach said “The Iron Cowboys made a strong showing for the first time out this year and especially 4148H’s cube pick up which is a very creative design.”

Team 2148E from GMS, whose members include Dallas Davies, Nick Stromberg, Kian Smith, Heavan Phillips, and Cheyenne Saling, finished in second place at the competition.

GHS Teams competing and earning places in the elimination rounds were:

Team 4148E – Members include Martin Castillo, Jahlyl Cross, Shea Garland, Lydia Shatney, Katie Tolly, Jessica Bousquet and John Calderon

Team 4148F – Members include Tyler Behrens, Noah Farkosh, Marco Alcaraz and Adriana Tucker

Team 4148B – Members include Ryan Garland, Raymond McClure, Ryan Bakkum, Corey Hargraves, Xavier Dean and Nicolas Hazlett

Team 4148C – Members include Bobby Osornio, Mason Smith and Anthony Suggs

Team 4148D – Members include Isiah Dean, Eleanor Hill, Sebastion Castellanos and Raymundo Rios

Team 4148A – Members include Jacob Hunnicutt, Nathan Fort, Gavin Jordan, Aidan Smith and Darren Theissen

 

GMS Teams competing and earning places in the elimination rounds were:

2148B - Members include Alex Bahm, Alysia Matinez, Joshua Ross, Francisa Gutierrez, Daniel Ugalde

2148F - Members include Romeo Gomez, Henri Haxiaj, Ethan Winters, Rodey Wiggins

2148G - Members include Hannah Cowgill, Kamden Priest, Kylie Locke, Reese Tubbs, Wyatt Spivey

The next competition for both the GHS and GMS teams will be in Prosper on November 8th. GMS will also send 3 teams to Houston that weekend to compete in a United States Robotics League tournament held inside Space City in Houston.

For more information about the Greenville High School Robotics Program and STEM Education, please contact Adrienne Emerson at emersona@greenvilleisd.com . For information about the Greenville Middle School Robotics Program and Pre-STEM Education, please contact Johnny Tharp at tharpjr@greenvilleisd.com.