MINER MAYHEM: Moriarty Robotics Snag First-Ever Trophies in 150G Class

SOCORRO — Moriarty High School’s robotics program reached new heights this past weekend, securing its first-ever trophies in the 150g weight classes at the annual Miner Mayhem tournament held Saturday at the New Mexico Tech campus.

Competing in an “arena of robotic prowess” carved out of the Macey Center parking lot, six Moriarty robots battled through a field of more than 150 teams from across the state. The event, organized by New Mexico Tech’s Mechanical Engineering program, has grown from a small dozen-student gathering five years ago into a massive STEM showcase featuring 400 competitors.

The Moriarty “MHS Robotics” team saw clinical success in the combat robotics divisions, advancing all six of its entries out of the group stages and into the elimination rounds. Three of those bots finished the group stage with perfect records.

The breakthrough for the program came in the 150g weight classes:

• 150g Sheriff Class: The duo of Christopher Rohe and Ryder McCutcheon took home second place with their robot, “Hardware.”
• 150g Outlaw Class: Jonathan Dixson secured a third-place finish with his bot, “White Gurl Music.”

“Miner Mayhem is more than just a competition,” said Dr. Curtis O’Malley, tournament director and assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Tech. “It’s a celebration of creativity and problem-solving. This is a chance to cheer on the young inventors who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Moriarty competed across three distinct weight classes, including the MESA Outlaw and two different 150g categories. While the hardware went to Rohe, McCutcheon, and Dixson, the team’s deep run was supported by members Dylan Gravel and Cole de St. Jean.

The tournament, which ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is the culmination of year-round efforts supported by NMT student mentors, NM MESA, and Sandia National Labs. For Moriarty High, the podium finishes represent a significant milestone in a competition that continues to grow as New Mexico’s premier stage for budding engineers.