ORHS Team Overdrive 8410 Competes in Salem

On March 1-2, 2025, Oyster River High School’s (ORHS) robotics team Overdrive #8410 competed alongside 35 other teams in Salem in the first days of the 2025 F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition (FRC) season.

Those interested in watching the team’s 6th qualification match from Saturday can do so on YouTube.

This year’s program created an additional challenge for students and mentors as the first competition event was scheduled only 55 days from kick-off, the earliest in the team’s history.

In preparation, team Overdrive #8410 held 80 hours of in-person meetings to design, build, code, and test their robot, Nautilus. This is a remarkably efficient use of the team’s time and significantly less than other teams entering the competition.

Comprised of 50 students and 8 mentors, the team placed 16th in the qualification matches and was a first-round pick in the playoffs making it to 6th place in the double elimination bracket.

Team Overdrive #8410 also won an "Innovation in Control Award" for the unique features integrated into the robot's design. Mentor Ashish More was also selected to advance as a regional Woodie Flowers Award candidate, which is a recognition coaches and mentors can only earn once in their lifetime.

While high school robotics teams attend F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition events to compete against and alongside other teams, ORHS students make a point to support other teams through the event by lending supplies and fixing other robots, even helping another team rewire electrical components.

As part of the competition, students created a technical engineer notebook and a team attributes notebook to document all the technical work, team organization, and outreach they have been doing.

Overdrive #8410 engages in STEM outreach efforts throughout the school year by offering STEM activities during community events like Durham Day and driving their robot on the ice between periods during University of New Hampshire (UNH) hockey games.

The team has also invited FRC teams to meet at ORHS on Sunday, March 9. Surrounding area teams will have the opportunity to practice together, compare notes, create connections, and host lightning talks/discussions on a variety of topics.

ORHS students are now preparing for their next competition which will be held at the UNH Whittemore Center on March 22-23. The competition is open to the public and admission is free.

Those interested in meeting the team can connect with them in the pit area to see Nautilus up close.

F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition was founded by New Hampshire entrepreneur Dean Kamen to encourage young people to pursue careers in STEM. 

Team Overdrive #8410 competed in Salem on March 1-2, 2025.

Overdrive #8410 team members getting ready for a match.

Robot operator Ian Johnson and robot driver Felix Scarlat behind the protective barrier setting up controls for a match.