A Los Altos High School Eagle Strike robotics team member works on the design of “Poseidon” that the team has qualified for the nationals in Atlanta, Ga., in April.

Los Altos High School Robotics Team 114 - Eagle Strike - was chosen as a member of the seventh-seeded alliance of teams after finishing 21st in the qualifying rounds with a record of 5-6-1 at the Silicon Valley Robotics Regional last weekend. Pitted against the No. 2 seed in the elimination rounds, the LAHS alliance was not quick enough to overcome its opponents in the quarterfinals. Nevertheless, the judges presented the team the Radioshack Innovation in Control award for its robot control system.

Coach Leo Florendo said, “We are still most proud that our students are responsible for the success of our team. Our students maintain, repair and operate the robot - an opposite philosophy from other teams. On to the national championships in Atlanta during spring break.”

The team shifted the entire electronics system to a new location in five hours with no detriment to the robot’s performance. Eagle Strike members have given their robot a name - Poseidon - in honor of the new trident-shaped tetra grabber they made for it. The award-winning swivel drive-train system “is impressing many people and has had no mechanical failures yet, thanks to its robust design and manufacturing,” Florendo said.

Senior James Fry is captain of the team and drive-base system leader. Freshman Michael Fagan is on the drive-base system team. Junior Steven Schlansker is the Webmaster and electronic system leader. Sophomore Adam Garcia and freshman Jay Danver, who keeps an eye on rules and regulations, are members of the electronic system team.

Michael Corsetto, a sophomore at The King’s Academy, leads the arm system group of freshmen Mark Goupil and Craig Hickman. Nick Khorlin, a junior and a Middle College student, leads the grabber system team, of which junior Kon Dragomiretskiy is a member.

Freshman Charlie Morrin is battery boss. Freshmen Li Pi and Jacob Becker are the animation team. Juniors Jeff Jou and Kimiisa Oshikoji and freshmen Akash Bose and Pawel Kozlowski are scouts.

For more information and photos of last weekend’s event, log on to lahsrobotics.org.