The Lytle Junior High Robotics Team clawed their way up from the basement during their first season Meet to battle their way to a mid-level slot in the Brandeis High School League robotics competition on Saturday, November 12, 2022.  

With head programmer Julyana Frausto adjusting the team’s autonomous program on the fly, the team used her program to take 20 bonus points in the first 30 seconds of their fourth match. Only to have the points snatched away by referees after spotting the Techno Pirates’ robot claw sticking over the foul line by less than an inch. Still, it was an amazing achievement by the team.  

Builders Samantha Ruble and Abril Perez labored constantly on the team's problematic arm mechanism, which would work for minutes at a time. Their constant readjustments and, at times, rebuilds to the gear-driven arm kept the Techno Pirates in business for every match.  

In the end, it was Eliana Torres’ driving skills that helped rack up two big wins for the team, including a 20-point bonus for a rare capping maneuver that had the crowd on its feet.  

Team member Naomi Velazquez Haro also pitched in scouting other teams for possible alliances and Madison Hernandez used her phone to research more information for the team.  

The Techno Pirates ended in the middle of the Brandeis League field of 34 teams, with Lytle being one of two middle school teams in a league of high schools.  

The team will travel to their next Meet on December 3, 2022 at Lutheran High School.