Team SCREAM’s Season Closes at World Championships
At the end of qualifying matches Friday night at the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, Team SCREAM Head Coach Michael Wright said it would take “a great plan and some luck” for the team to win the playoffs on the Galileo Field to return to the Einstein Field for the championship playoff rounds.
The plan was in place on Saturday but luck came up short, as something in the robot’s targeting system malfunctioned, inhibiting the machine’s ability to score. Team SCREAM’s alliance partners – Alt-F4 of Ontario, Canada, and Gearheads of Saratoga, Calif. – did their best to score while Team SCREAM switched into a defensive mode, but the alliance fell short and their season came to an end.
“We believe one of our cameras malfunctioned,” Wright said. “The robot has auto aiming and scoring, and when the camera malfunctions, the accuracy goes away. We are obviously disappointed with the outcome but are still proud of our accomplishments.”
Coming off a FIRST world championship in 2024, Team SCREAM kept the momentum going during this year’s competition season, winning both the Central Missouri and Oklahoma regionals and being a finalist at the high-powered Sacramento Regional. They were captains of the No. 3 alliance on the Galileo Field at the world championships; it was the highest ranking Team SCREAM had ever earned heading into playoffs at the world championships.
Morgan Withers, captain of Team SCREAM, said the team learned a lot over the course of the season.
“We walked in with a lot of doubt of our worthiness to be in consideration of top teams and it has now become evident that we are up there with the best teams in the world,” she said.
“Every late night and early morning competition taught us something new. The biggest lesson I believe we learned was that it’s OK to fail. Failures happen and every mistake we made taught us something valuable.”
The team’s track record is making an impact in house and across FIRST.
“The fact that we expect to be contenders in our division every year is a testament to our kids’ work ethic and smarts,” Wright said. “Thank you to our seniors for their many years of hard work and leadership. This is a remarkable group, and I will miss working with each of them.”
Withers expressed gratitude for all she experienced with Team SCREAM over the past four years.
“I have been here to see us win 11 blue (regional champions) banners and a world championship. These people have become my family and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be a part of,” she said. “I have been given my best friends and memories that will last a lifetime. … Although our season ended on a loss, I would rather lose with 4522 than win with anyone else.”
Wright thanked the Sedalia community for its ongoing support of the program.
“We had a huge crowd of parents, family and friends in the stands. So many parents and mentors helped with coordinating transportation, meals and logistics. We had school board members, administrators, and our superintendent in attendance,” he said. “Our program has a bright future ahead of us and we will be back to compete for the world championship again soon!”
As her final season with Team SCREAM closes, Withers offers some parting words for the students who will carry the program forward.
“A message I would like to give to our underclassmen is that you are good enough. The accomplishments of Team SCREAM Junior and of Team SCREAM are something to be proud of and it speaks volumes about your dedication, commitment, and passion,” she said. “No matter the outcome of any match, competition, or season, you are a part of something to be proud of. Always remember what you are capable of and use your abilities to show up and show out.”
CAPTION: Courtesy of Team SCREAM -- Team SCREAM Captain Morgan Withers, left, discusses match strategy with robot drive team members Parker Brown, center, and Jordan Hoover during the FIRST Robotics World Championship on Saturday, April 19, in Houston.
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