Rough-and-tumble robots clash as popular event returns

Student Wildcats of Robotic Design recently hosted its Fall Fights 2019, attracting 51 combat robots – fashioned from a variety of materials, both by students and the general public – for daylong competition in the Field House.

The top three finishers for each weight class and the names of their robots:

Antweight
First − Nate Franklin, “Slim Pickens”
Second − Eric Shao, “Overkill”
Third − Engineering design technology student Wesley S. McCray, “Jerry”

Beetleweight
First − Don Doerfler, “Circuit Breaker”
Second − Welding and fabrication engineering technology major Ryan J. Bohenek, “Scrappy”
Third − Joe Doerfler, “Disco”

– Photos by Tim Wegman, student photographer;
others provided by SWORD

An overhead view of the action

Antweight winners (from left): Joe Doerfler, Ryan J. Bohenek and Don Doerfler

McCray accepts his third-place trophy from SWORD’s Stanley L. Bohenek, also enrolled in the engineering design technology major,

“Fragile,” maybe … but fearless, certainly

Attractive honors await the winners.

Ringside fans revel in the tournament’s unpredictability.

Maintaining the field of play

The bracket keeps track of the double-elimination lineup.

Sparks fly as the competition ramps up.

Sportsmanship reigns.

There’s as much style as substance in this competition!

The club logo adorns a T-shirt.