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FIRST robotics competition is Feb. 27 and 28; this year’s game tries to simulate the moon’s gravity

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:47:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Lunacy. An apt description of the idea a bunch of high school kids could design and build a robot capable of playing a game under conditions similar to the moon’s surface in just six weeks. But that is exactly what teams involved in this year’s FIRST robotics competition are doing for this year’s game, called “Lunacy.”

In the game, robots will play on a slippery surface, meant to simulate gravity one-sixth of the Earth’s, just like on the moon. Two threeteam robot alliances collect and store balls in trailers attached to the opposing team’s robots, with human plays positioned around the perimeter to score by throwing balls in the trailers.

The robots play without human intervention for the first 15 seconds, then are operated by radio control for the remaining two minutes. West High School’s Team 501, the PowerKnights, is ready to play.

“Unlike previous years where we finished the robot just in time to ship,” said Bedford senior Chris Costes, “this year we completed construction of the major robot features about a week in advance of the ship date. Though we completed construction early, the remaining week was used to the fullest and allowed us time for testing and tweaking.”

Coming up with ways to cope with the slippery surface were important to the team.

“The drive train we decided on is a six-wheel system with all wheels powered using a singlespeed transmission on each side of the robot,” he said.

“There were many ideas discussed about how to manipulate the moon rocks. Ultimately we decided to build upon the system we used during the Aim High competition two years ago.

There are a pair of rollers at the front of the robot that are used to suck the moon rocks off the floor where they are stored in a hopper. Towards the back of the robot there is a “magazine” where we can store up to four moon rocks, ready to be shot.

“On top of this magazine there is a turret that holds our shooter, able to launch moon rocks about 5 feet. This turret can be controlled by the operator and can rotate about 270 degrees. We also have a camera mounted on the turret that can be used to track the opposing team’s trailer markers and aid in aiming the turret,” said Costes.

Other local teams competing this year include Bedford High School, Team 509; St. Paul’s School, Concord, Team 1512; Bishop Brady High School, Team 1517; Hopkinton High School and John Stark High School, Team 1922; Pinkerton Academy, Team 241; Memorial High School, Team 238; Trinity High School, Team 40; Central High School, Team 131; and Pembroke Academy, Team 134.

The BAE regional competition takes place at the Verizon Wireless Arena Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. Admission is free.

Trinity ready to fight – again – for state crown

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:58:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Two straight appearances in the Class L boys basketball finals – and two straight losses to Salem – have Trinity’s head coach, Dave Keefe, hoping the third time will be charming indeed.

Though he lost star Ryan Bourgeois of Bedford to graduation, Keefe returns super senior Jordan Laguerre and Hooksett’s Cormac Fitzpatrick, a proven long-range threat who has raised other areas of his game.

“I think he’s the best pure shooter in the state,” said Keefe, who joked two years ago that Fitzpatrick would trip over the three-point line if he tried to drive to the basket. “But he’s really worked hard to improve his strength. He hit the weight room all summer, added some muscle, and that’s going to help. Nobody works harder than that kid.”

In a preseason jamboree at Concord’s Community College, Fitzpatrick’s defense, something Keefe said the junior must continue to develop, was solid.

During one sequence in a scrimmage with Class L foe Bishop Guertin, Fitzpatrick anticipated a long cross-court pass and picked it off, sending the Pioneers on the attack.

With the smart, athletic Laguerre, a troop of Manchesterbased players from Sudan, and high-flying Bedford senior Zach Ibanez also among the eightplayer rotation, Keefe plans to play an up-tempo game when possible.

“I want to be up in people’s faces,” said the Trinity mentor, who listed Salem, Nashua South, Winnacunnet, Central and dark horse Memorial – coached by Cormac’s father, Mike – as contenders for Class L supremacy.

“We’ve got no one in our rotation over 6-foot-2 1/2. We’re a small, athletic team that has to take care of the ball.”

Keefe said 14 or 15 regularseason wins are within reach for his charges, and added Trinity doesn’t face the two-time defending champs in the regular season, though he wouldn’t mind a postseason rematch.

Central keeps Goffstown at bay on field, away in standings

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:07:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Everyone in Class L boys soccer wants to beat Central, but many teams have been unable to do so.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Goffstown High School fell into both categories.

The Grizzlies kept up with a fast Little Green team, but two second- half goals propelled Central to a 2-0 home victory over a fast-improving Goffstown team.

“We wear teams down,” said Central’s head coach, Chris La- Berge. “They’re big, strong and definitely the best Goffstown team I have coached against. They were really taking it to us for a while during the first half.”

Goffstown allowed Central few solid scoring chances until Chris Beauchesne pounded home a rebound from a Zachary Hrynowski shot with 19:54 remaining in the game to break the scoreless tie.

Yannick Kabala found the back of the net after a Kyle Thornton shot was saved by Goffstown keeper John Carbonneau with 3:14 remaining in the contest, capping the scoring.

Randy Lovering, Goffstown’s head coach, said his team’s second- half stumble was an aberration. “We may have gotten a little tired towards the end, so we will take care of that,” he said. “It won’t happen again.”

LaBerge said he spends a great deal of time during practices preaching the importance of second- chance shots.

“We work on shooting across the face of the goal. That’s why you shoot low and hard, because you get those second opportunities,” he said. “We talk about it all the time, I yell about it all the time.”

Ian Downing was given Goffstown’s best chance of the contest, and he blasted a shot from about 35 yards out with 28:41 remaining in the second half, a shot that Central keeper Brendan Covey pushed wide of the net to preserve his shutout.

“It was a playoff-like atmosphere out there,” said LaBerge. They want to knock us off at home and really legitimize their season. Teams want to beat Central.”

Goffstown, now 9-4-0 on the season, came into the game looking to make a statement.

“They’re one of those wins you want,” said Lovering. “I sure would like to see them again (in the playoffs).”

LaBerge said his team was constructed to play well on the field turf at Gill Stadium, and the coach of the 11-2-0 Little Green knows the final two rounds of the postseason are played on a similar surface at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

“To play on turf you have to be very quick to the ball,” he said, then continued with a smile. “Believe me, I know where those games are going to be played.”

Decision time for high schools

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:57:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

After months of toiling over the Manchester school budget, it’s almost time for the Board of Aldermen to settle on an amount.

Aldermen had to make a decision on the city budget, which includes the mayor’s proposal for a $140 million school district budget for 2008-09, by Tuesday, June 10. As of June 3, aldermen and the mayor reached a tentative agreement on a $146 million budget, which is about $1.2 million less than last year’s budget. A joint meeting between aldermen and the school board was scheduled for June 4.

It is still unknown whether the $146 million budget would cut some academic, art and sports programs.

The school boards of Hooksett, Auburn, Bedford and Candia are keeping a close eye on the school budget proceedings, having expressed concerns over major cuts that would have to be imposed under the $140 million budget.

All four towns send their high school students to schools in Manchester, and want to make sure the Manchester school district lives up to the terms of its tuition agreements.

“Honestly, I think it would devastate the Manchester school district if they had that $140 million budget and they had to make those cuts,” said Hooksett School Board Chairman Maura Ouellette. “At this point, we have a contract for another 15 years.”

The Manchester Board of School Committee has taken three votes on whether to issue pink slips to teachers this year, all of which failed before the May 10 deadline to issues those layoff notices.

On the long list of potential cuts are the academies that were in the works for West High School, athletics, unified arts, gifted and talented programs, full-day kindergarten and a slew of other items.

“Unfortunately, those are the only areas we can cut from. We don’t have a lot of options. Most of our budget is set,” said Manchester School Board member Kathleen Kelley.

Manchester Board of School Committee Vice Chairman Katherine Labanaris said the $140 million budget could put Manchester’s contracts with the four sending towns in jeopardy. “It would be impossible to meet the contractual obligations with Auburn, Bedford, Hooksett and Candia,” she said, which include keeping class sizes at state recommended levels and delivering quality education, which under the state’s guidelines includes unified arts.

Around 2,000 Manchester school teachers, concerned parents and students fighting for their programming and curriculum showed up for a public hearing on Mayor Guinta’s proposed $140 million budget on April 28, voicing concerns about cutting staff, programming and extracurricular activities from Manchester schools.

Last year, aldermen approved a $147 million school budget, which is what the district is currently running on. The mayor’s proposal is about a 5 percent decrease over last year’s school district appropriation. “We’d like to at least have what we have now,” said Kelley.

The Manchester Board of School Committee originally asked for $153 million for the 2008-09 year.

Mike Lopez, chairman of the Board of Aldermen, said the board’s charge is to keep both taxpayers and students in the forefront.

“I think at the public hearing we had some discussion and many questions, and I think there’s many aldermen who are trying to make up their minds as to the minuses and pluses and the direction they could go,” said Lopez.

The mayor’s $140 million proposal, if accepted, would allow tax rates in Manchester to remain level for the second year in a row, something Labanaris said is important to Manchester residents.

The four sending towns said they can’t argue with the amount of money the Board of Aldermen decides to give the Manchester School District, but are hoping that number will allow Manchester to keep good on their contracts.

“We hope that the budget number that they come to will not affect our contract,” said Auburn School Board Chairman Elaine Hobbs. “We’re just continuing to try to stay on top of it and hope that when they go through their budget process that they will come to a number that is beneficial to the students, and that no programs will be cut, class sizes will be at recommended levels, and that extracurriculars and fine arts will be included.”

Candia School Board Chairman Ed Caito agreed with Hobbs, and said even if the $140 million budget does go into effect, that does not alone put Manchester in a problematic position. “It’s tough to look at a budget and say it is or it’s not going to work,” Caito said. “The budget remains a process in Manchester, and the mere passage of a budget does not mean a contractual violation.”

Bedford students are being phased into their new high school, but the current junior class will be spending next year at West High. By the 2009-10 school year, all Bedford high school students will be in the new high school, leaving a revenue shortfall in the Manchester school budget.

“This isn’t a surprise that there’s a loss of revenue and they can’t bring the expenses down,” Caito said, explaining that even as Bedford students at West High leave, costs are not going down and in some cases are rising.

Some Manchester School Board members said a lack of planning for the withdrawal of Bedford students is part of the problem.

“Those folks are quite correct that the Manchester School Board did not do a good job trying to plan ahead,” said Manchester School Board member Doug Kruse of those who have said that Manchester wasn’t ready for Bedford’s exodus.

“At the time, our school board didn’t really spend much time at all contemplating that possibility or beginning to plan for that possibility. When Bedford gave us the final notification that they were going to be leaving, there were several of us on the board advocating for a plan,” said Kruse. “A lot happened way too late in the game. I think Manchester collectively dropped the ball on that.”

Labanaris said it would have been impossible to make up the revenue for Bedford’s exit, and said the school district tried to keep costs in line at the school by cutting teachers last year to accommodate the decreased student population. Later, she added, one was asked to come back.

“I don’t know what they would want us to do in that case,” Labanaris said. Manchester School Board members said there has been talk of re-working Hooksett’s contract, which currently has some students going to Central and others going to West, so that all Hooksett high school students would attend West, a solution both Ouellette and Kelley said was not feasible.

Kruse said he would support looking into that option in the future. “I think at this point, given the financial situation Manchester is in, everything has to be on the table,” he said.

Central reaches semifinals again, draws familiar foe

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:06:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With his fourth-seeded squad playing its best basketball of the season, Central boys basketball coach Doc Wheeler said a 16-point home loss to undefeated Salem two weeks earlier helped propel his young hoopsters into the Class L semifinals.

The Little Green have won five in a row since the embarrassing setback Feb. 22, earning a rematch with the defending state champs following a 41-32 thumping of No. 5 Londonderry in the Class L quarterfinals on Sunday, March 9.

“We’re playing our best basketball by far right now,” said Wheeler. “If you would have seen us play Alvirne in the (sixth) game of the season (a 59-38 Central loss), to be honest, we weren’t a very good team. But we’re blessed in that we’ve had a lot of younger kids mature, accept roles … and it’s going to take a heck of an effort to knock us out.”

Londonderry can attest to that. Central jumped to a 5-0 lead and never allowed the Lancers within three points. Behind 17 points from senior Michael Stys and another 12 from junior Will Bayliss, the Little Green turned a 20-7 first-half advantage into an easy win.

While the contest was never in doubt, even Wheeler had to admit that he couldn’t have expected 41 points to win a playoff game, though he noted his defense more than made up for the offensive shortcomings.

“Seven points at halftime, you think about that, they scored on three possessions,” he said. “I mean, we can’t play any better than that.”

Wheeler said his squad’s familiarity with the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gymnasium paid dividends against Londonderry.

“I think it’s pretty significant. Our guys expect to be here, and they expected to win,” he said. The Little Green’s rematch against Salem, the one squad with as much recent experience in Durham, was set for Wednesday, March 12.

Wheeler said adjustments were made and his team was ready, adding that, aside from several late-game free throws, Salem star Josh Jones made one field goal in the second half of the previous meeting.

The winner of the semifinal match plays Saturday, March 15, for the state title. Tipoff is 3 p.m.