The Space RAIDers kicked off their 2016 competition season with a very successful performance at the Greater D.C. District Competition, hosted by Walt Whitman High School. The drive team, with limited practice time during the build season, had a stellar outing themselves. The team overcame difficulties with the breacher arm, and by the end of Saturday, did something new for the Space RAIDers: held the top rank on the leaderboards. Team 2537 had never been rank number one during a competition, and holding the spot between Saturday and Sunday was a major accomplishment of which the team was very proud. By the end of qualification matches on Sunday, the Space RAIDers were the fifth-ranked team, and were an alliance captain for the first time in team history at an in-season event, again exciting everybody on the team. With their first pick, fourth overall (because first-seeded 1418 picked fourth-seeded 836), team 2537 selected team 1885, ILITE Robotics, with whom the Space RAIDers have had success in years past. ILITE's low-goal shooting worked well with the breaching capability of 2537's bot. With their second pick, the team selected team 4949, the Robo Panthers for their defensive prowess during the qualification matches. After advancing through quarterfinals in two matches (of a best-of-three contest), the fourth-seeded alliance, led by the Space RAIDers, came against the first-seeded alliance, led by team 1418, Vae Victus. Despite a replay for the first match, the Space RAIDers and their alliance partners took a 1-0 lead on the first-seeded alliance. Unfortunately, the team fell just short of making finals, losing a close second match, and coming just 5 points shy of winning the third tie-breaking match. Not at all discouraged, the Space RAIDers had an altogether spectacular performance at this their first competition of the season. Additionally, they brought home the Entrepreneurship Award. This marks the third year in a row that team 2537 has won this award, which recognizes the team with the most complete business plan for a sustainable and successful team. The Space RAIDers are looking forwards to their next competition, the Northern Maryland District Competition in Bel Air, MD.
