Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It is that wonderful time of year when we wake up late, watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pajamas, and eat a lot of food. This is a tradition that has been going on for centuries, or at least people think it has.
It actually wasn’t made an official holiday until 1789 by George Washington, and it wasn’t celebrated for another eighty years when Abraham Lincoln made the last Thursday of November a holiday. This holiday wasn’t Thanksgiving, though; it was just a holiday Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it to the third Thursday another eighty years later after that and made holiday Thanksgiving two years later in 1941. This is the day that we celebrate Thanksgiving today. Confusing, right?
Well, it gets worse. Did you know that turkey wasn’t even considered a Thanksgiving dish until the late 1800s? While it may have been at the original Thanksgiving in 1621, it would have also been served with other poultry, or it may not have even been there at all. We don’t actually know. The only reason that Turkey is synonymous with Thanksgiving is that a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale wanted to have a modern menu for this dinner and shared it with the readers of Godey’s Lady Book, a magazine for women.
Now, if you remember, Thanksgiving wasn’t a holiday at this time so having a Turkey for Thanksgiving is basically a tradition grounded on a magazine article published one hundred fifty years ago.
Now, you’re probably sitting there thinking that your life is a lie, and I do apologize, but I’ve got some more interesting stuff to talk about. For example, there is no record of the Native Americans being invited to Thanksgiving. That’s right. The only reason that they were there is that the pilgrims were firing their guns in celebration, and Massasoit thought they were being attacked. He sent people to aid the Pilgrims and happened upon the feast. The Pilgrims then invited them to join, and it became a symbol of peace between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. I hope you have learned a little bit about the holiday we’re all about to celebrate, and if you go home, you can impress your family with your newfound, relatively useless knowledge about Thanksgiving. Have a great holiday!
All Good People Here, a debut mystery novel for Ashley Flowers, host of the CrimeJunkie podcast, left readers wondering what plot twist would happen next. The story is set between two different time periods, 1994 and 2019, in Wakarusa, Indiana. This book’s continuous twists and turns make everyone seem suspicious; no one is safe from the rumor mill that is Wakarusa.
Margot Davies is a true crime journalist who comes back to her hometown of Wakarusa to take care of her ailing uncle; however, she doesn’t realize that coming back would be like stepping into a time capsule. When Margot was six years old, her childhood best friend and neighbor, January Jacobs, was murdered, and the culprit was never found. Coming back to Wakarusa after all those years of away throwing her right back into the mystery surrounding January’s murder. Especially when another young girl, Natalie Clark, goes missing under mysterious circumstances in the next town over. Margot spirals into what-ifs about a connection between the cases and finds herself deep in a rabbit hole. The farther Margot digs into the case, though, the more secrets she finds.
While the twists and turns left me wondering what was gonna happen next, my attention was drawn toward similarities from other notorious true crime cases. There were almost too many similarities; anyone with a set of true crime knowledge would be able to make the connection between famous cases that this book seems to have a resemblance to. Some of the characters were very underdeveloped, and I felt that they needed more to transform them from good characters to great ones. The book did seem to keep me on my toes, though, and the big plot twists that came my way were still surprising.
Overall, I would give this book a 4/5 while I found some shortcomings, it did not fail to entertain me.
Senior #25 Kiewaun Graham scores a fastbreak layup following an Alma turnover on Wednesday evening
The Defiance College men’s basketball team welcomed the Alma Scots to the Karl H. Weaner Center Wednesday evening for a non-conference showdown. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (sophomore) Clayton McCorkle, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. Senior Kiewaun Graham got the scoring started for the Yellow Jackets with a three-pointer from the right wing, and shortly after, sophomore Clayton McCorkle splashed home a three-pointer of his own to give Defiance a 6-0 early lead. A few minutes later, sophomore Landen Swanner added his name to the Yellow Jackets’ three-point “party” as he capitalized on an open three from the left wing to give Defiance a 9-3 lead. At the midway point of the first half, Defiance’s lead was shrunk to seven (18-11), thanks to an Alma Scot 5-0 scoring run. Into the halftime break, Defiance maintained a seven-point lead (36-29). The Yellow Jackets shot a perfect (11-11) from the free throw line in the first half. Senior Te Jones was the leading scorer for Defiance after 20 minutes of play, with nine.
Sophomore #11 Clayton McCorkle dribbles near half-court before setting up a play vs Alma
The Scots started the second half on a 12-5 scoring run, to tie the game at 41 (15:54 left). Alma then went on another scoring run, this time a 9-0 scoring run to take their first lead of the game 50-45 (13:01 left). Midway through the second half, the Scots led 54-51. The Scots went on another 9-0 scoring run thanks to a trio of three-pointers from sophomore Peyton Bush, senior Nate Deyman, and junior Tyshaun Walker; to take a 10-point lead (65-55) with 5 minutes remaining. Alma ended the game on a 19-14 scoring run to take the victory 84-69. The Scots finished with a trio of players in double-digits, including junior Tyshaun Walker (26), junior Connor Riley (22), and junior Landen Moore-Pierce (10). The Yellow Jackets finished with four players in double-digits, including senior Kiewaun Graham (16), sophomore Landen Swanner (12), senior Te Jones (10), and senior Dejsani Beamon (10). The Scots shot 44.4% (32-72) from the field, while Defiance shot 35.7% (20-56). Defiance shot an impressive 84.6% (22-26) from the free throw line, compared to the Scots’ 76.5% (13-17). Alma out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets 39-37. The difference in this contest came from the turnover differential, as Defiance had 22 turnovers in the game, compared to the Scots’ 12. Alma recorded a 48-24 points in the paint advantage over Defiance.
11/17: Wright State University 99 (2-1), Defiance 56 (1-2)
(Exhibition)
The Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team traveled to Dayton, Ohio, Thursday evening to take on the Wright State Raiders (NCAA Division I opponent) in exhibition action. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (senior) Grant Johnson, (junior) Easton Lewis, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. Two minutes into the first half, junior Easton Lewis scored the Yellow Jackets’ first points of the contest, with a basket from three-point range. Midway through the first half, Wright State found themselves up five (21-16). 11:21 into the first half, freshman Cam Martin scored back-to-back three-pointers in a matter of 29 seconds, as he cut the Raiders’ lead back to five (27-22). The next minute (7:00 left in the 1st), however, the Raiders went on a quick 5-0 scoring run to stretch the lead to 10 (32-22). At the half, Wright State led by a score of 49-33, thanks to a 5-0 scoring run in the final minute. Near the midway point of the second half, the Raiders went on a huge 18-0 scoring run (10:10 left), which extended the Wright State lead to 40 (83-43). In the end, the Raiders captured the victory 99-56. Seven of the eight players who saw action for Wright State in this contest scored in double-figures, including senior Amari Davis (17), junior Andrew Welage (16), sophomore AJ Braun (14), redshirt senior Tim Finke (13), redshirt freshman Brandon Noel (12), redshirt sophomore Alex Huibregtse (11), and sophomore Blake Sisley (10). Junior Andrew Welage (two) and sophomore Alex Huibregtse (one), combined to record all three of Wright State’s triples in this contest. The Yellow Jackets hit a total of 14 three-pointers in this game (on 37 attempts) led by senior Te Jones who shot 75% (3-4) from behind the arc, while freshman Cam Martin and junior Easton Lewis each shot 40% (2-5). Half of the remaining threes (seven) came from seven different Yellow Jackets, including senior Grant Johnson, junior Sherod Brooks, sophomore Will Gehlhausen, sophomore Landen Swanner, sophomore Jake Segulin, freshman Jakob Trevino, and freshman Evan Park. Defiance only shot two free throws in the entire game, both coming from senior Marell Jordan (in the first half), who shot 100% on the pair. Wright State recorded 33 points off of 21 Defiance turnovers, with 19 of those 33 points coming from fast break points. The Raiders shot an incredible 74.1% (40-54) from the field, while Defiance shot 34.5% (20-58).
11/19: Defiance 88 (2-2), Adrian College 79 (1-2)
The Defiance College men’s basketball team hosted the Adrian Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center for a non-conference showdown. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (sophomore) Clayton McCorkle, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. Seventeen seconds into the contest, sophomore Landen Swanner got the scoring started for the Yellow Jackets, as he splashed home a three-pointer. Shortly after (44 seconds in), junior Victor Sheffey capitalized off a Defiance foul (by freshman Evan Conrad) to tie the game at 3, with an old-fashioned three-point play. At the midway point of the first half, the Yellow Jackets held a slight lead, 22-20. The Bulldogs then went on a quick 4-0 scoring run to take the lead 24-22, off baskets from junior Victor Sheffey and sophomore Nick Seifert. The Yellow Jackets followed suit with a 6-0 scoring run of their own to take the lead back 28-24, off a pair of three-pointers from seniors Te Jones and Jerome Johnson. At the half, Defiance had a three-point lead over the Bulldogs, 42-39. Just like the first half, sophomore Landen Swanner got the Defiance second-half scoring started with a quick three-pointer (eight seconds in). With 14:34 left to play, sophomore De’Ovion Price knocked in one of his two free throws following a Yellow Jackets foul by sophomore Landen Swanner, to give Adrian the lead back 46-45. The Bulldogs’ lead did not last long, however, as senior Marell Jordan splashed one home from downtown, to give Defiance the lead 48-46. Jordan clawed a steal on the next defensive possession and found senior Te Jones for another triple to increase the edge to five. Senior Desjani Beamon and junior Easton Lewis knocked down a pair of shots from downtown around the under-12 media timeout, but Adrian found a couple of answers and trimmed the lead down to 60-58 by the under-8 break. The Yellow Jackets kept punching back and answered with a 9-0 scoring run to build up a 13-point lead. Freshman Evan Conrad laid in his first points of the game with 6:05 left, to lift Defiance to an advantage of 66-60. Shortly after (5:49 left), sophomore Landon Swanner added a pair of free throws, then senior Marell Jordan (5:17 left) turned an Adrian missed 3-pointer into a made trey of his own. With 4:48 remaining, senior Jabryis Heidelburg swiped a steal and scored to force an Adrian timeout (73-60). Six Yellow Jackets combined for 10 3-pointers in the first half, including (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Jerome Johnson, (senior) Te Jones, and (sophomore) Clayton McCorkle; who each hit multiple shots from outside the ark. Senior Marell Jordan led the way for Defiance with a double-double, accounting for a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Te Jones followed with a season-best 17 points and sophomore Tanner Swanner added 13 more to join them in double figures, both doing so for the second game in a row. Adrian was led by junior Victor Sheffey’s 20 points, while sophomore De’Ovion Price added 18. Sophomore Nick Seifert had a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 boards. Adrian shot 43.3% (26-60), while Defiance shot 42.9% (27-63). The Yellow Jackets shot an incredible 47.2% (17-36), while the Bulldogs shot 33.3% (5-15) from downtown. Defiance out-rebounded Adrian 42-33. The Yellow Jackets bench outscored the Bulldogs bench 34-19.
When senior Grant Johnson was asked by The Defender about his thoughts as they near the start of conference play, he expressed, “It was great to get a win against Adrian. It will definitely help build some momentum as we near conference play! As a team, we are starting to figure ourselves out both offensively and defensively. We haven’t even met our potential yet, which is something that we will continue to aspire towards. I believe that we are capable of big things, we just gotta focus on the present task at hand each day.”
Women’s Basketball: Tues. Nov. 15 and Sun. Nov. 20
11/15: Ohio Wesleyan University 67 (2-1), Defiance 43 (0-2)
The Yellow Jackets women’s basketball team traveled to Delaware, Ohio, Tuesday evening to take on the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops. The starters in this contest included (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, (senior) Nicole Sims, (senior) Lexie Sparks, and (senior) Lauren Criblez. Senior Taylor Steinbrunner was the first player (from either team) to put points up on the scoreboard as she capitalized on her first of two free throws, following an Ohio Wesleyan foul. Following the opening quarter, the Battling Bishops found themselves ahead by four (14-10), thanks to 8 points from junior Kasey Schipfer. At halftime, Ohio Wesleyan managed to stretch their lead to 10 (33-23). Graduate Taylor Day and senior Taylor Steinbrunner led the Yellow Jackets with six points apiece, while (junior) Kasey Schipfer had 16 for the Battling Bishops. Defiance shot 33.3% (3-9) from three-point range in the first half and 75% (6-8) from the charity stripe (free throw line). The third quarter was dominated by Ohio Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops built upon their second-quarter success to take a 57-33 lead into the fourth quarter, thanks to a 14-0 scoring run (midway through the third). In the fourth quarter, Defiance narrowly outscored the Battling Bishops 11-10. Graduate Taylor Day was the lone double-digit scorer for the Yellow Jackets with 10, while senior Taylor Steinbrunner (9), junior Kylie Brinkman (6), senior Lauren Criblez (4), senior Lexie Sparks (4), junior McKenzie Cooper (3), freshman Kalista Friday (3), junior Cait Good (2), and sophomore Kaitlin Paul (2); each recorded points for Defiance. A trio of players finished in double figures for Ohio Wesleyan including junior Kasey Schipfer (22), junior Lauren Denison (14), and sophomore Alyssa Griner (10). The Battling Bishops shot 66.7% (4-6) from the free throw line, while Defiance shot 50% (8-16) from the charity stripe. Ohio Wesleyan led the way in the rebounds category 41-37, including a 15-10 offensive rebound advantage. The Battling Bishops had 22 assists in the contest compared to the Yellow Jackets’ nine.
When senior Nicole Sims was asked by The Defender about her thoughts following the matchup at Ohio Wesleyan, she expressed, “It was a tough loss, but we have to move on and focus on the next game. Making corrections at practice will be the place to start in regards to improvement. It’s vitally important that we stick together through tough losses that occur throughout the season.”
11/20: Defiance 70 (1-2), St. Mary’s College 60 (3-2)
The Defiance College women’s basketball team traveled to Notre Dame, Indiana, Sunday afternoon for a non-conference showdown against the St. Mary’s Belles. The starters in this contest included (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, (senior) Nicole Sims, (junior) Kylie Brinkman, and (junior) Cait Good. Twenty-one seconds into the contest, graduate Taylor Day got the scoring started for the Yellow Jackets, as she splashed home a three-pointer. Junior Cait Good was the next Defiance player to make her way onto the scoring sheet (8:27 left in first) as she capitalized on a layup, to give the Yellow Jackets an early 5-0 lead. Just before the midway point of the first quarter, sophomore Julia Schutz for the Belles, knocked one down from “downtown”, to tie the game at nine. St. Mary’s ended the first quarter on a 4-0 scoring run, to give the Belles a 17-13 advantage. With 2:39 left until halftime, senior Maddie Rzepka scored a huge three-pointer for the Belles, to give St. Mary’s their largest lead of the first half (seven) 28-21. In the final minute and 12 seconds, Defiance ended with 5-0 scoring run of their own, thanks to jumper (1:12 left in the 2nd) and three-pointer (39 seconds left) by senior Lexie Sparks, which cut the Belles lead to two (30-28) at the halftime break. Eleven seconds into the third quarter, graduate Taylor Day tied things up at 30, as she drove to the basket for a layup. Forty-two seconds later (9:07 left in the 3rd), junior Elle Deardorff splashed home a three-pointer, to give the Belles the lead back 33-30. Near the midway point of the third quarter, St. Mary’s went on a 6-0 scoring run (5:24 left in the 3rd), thanks to a trio of layups from junior Athena Samson, which provided the Belles with a six point lead (42-36). Two minutes later, the Yellow Jackets tied the game once again (this time at 42), thanks to a pair of three-point “bombs” by senior Taylor Steinbrunner. Senior Nicole Sims and graduate Taylor Day would add to the now 10-0 Defiance scoring run, to give the Yellow Jackets a 46-42 advantage (37 seconds left in the 3rd). With 7:19 left in the 4th quarter, (graduate) Taylor Day capitalized on a (senior) Lauren Criblez defensive rebound, to score a fastbreak layup. Taylor’s basket provided Defiance with their largest lead of the game so far (nine) 54-45. Seniors Maddie Rzepka (St. Mary’s) and Taylor Steinbrunner (DC) traded a pair of three-pointers at the 7:06 (Maddie) and 6:41 (Taylor) marks. With 2:29 left in the contest, the Belles cut the Defiance lead from nine to five (59-54), following a pair of free throws from freshman Nicole Connolly and junior Anne Goralczyk. In the final 2:07, the Yellow Jackets scored 11 points (to take the victory 70-60), thanks to two points from (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, two points from (junior) McKenzie Cooper, four points from (senior) Lauren Criblez, and three points from (senior) Nicole Sims. The Yellow Jackets finished with two players in double-digit scoring including graduate Taylor Day and senior Taylor Steinbrunner, who each put up 15 points. The Belles finished with a trio of players in double-digits including sophomore Julia Schutz (18), junior Athena Samson (14), and senior Maddie Rzepka (10). Defiance shot 36.8% (25-68) from the field, while the Belles shot 30.4% (21-69). The Yellow Jackets shot an incredible 93.8% (15-16) from the free-throw line, while St. Mary’s shot 72.2% (13-18). The Belles outrebounded Defiance 50-44, while the Yellow Jackets bench outscored St. Mary’s bench 23-8.
Wrestling: Sat. Nov. 19
The Defiance College wrestling team traveled to Berea, Ohio, Saturday morning for the Baldwin Wallace Invitational at Baldwin Wallace University. Nine teams participated in the invite, including Baldwin Wallace University, Delaware Valley University, Trine University, Lourdes University, Case Western Reserve University, Thiel College, Manchester University, and Mount St. Joseph University. Baldwin Wallace University took the team victory with a score of 150.5, while Deleware Valley University finished in the runner-up spot with a score of 148.5, and Trine University rounded out the podium with a score of 119.5. The Yellow Jackets finished 7th overall with a team score of 30.0. In the 133 weight class, freshman Evan Gray (0-2, 9) received two byes before he wrestled Trine’s, Thomas Miller in Round 1 of the Consolations. Evan fell in the match by a technical fall (2:37). Also in the 133 weight class, senior Seth Majewski placed sixth overall with a victory over Baldwin Wallace’s Jackson Allen by a technical fall (3:00). Seth advanced to face off against Deleware Valley’s Ryan Kelly in the semifinals, where Seth lost by fall (5:43). In the 141 weight class, freshman Eli Jones (0-4, 9) wrestled Case Western Reserve’s Art Martinez. Eli lost by fall (2:06). In the 149 weight class, sophomore Kliever Joseph (0-2, 10) competed against Deleware Valley’s Kamrin O’Neill, where Kliever lost by fall (2:55). Freshman Jacob Scoville (0-4, 9) also in the 149 weight class, received an open round bye before he competed against Deleware Valley’s Kamrin O’Neill. Jacob lost by fall (2:28). Freshman Brandon Ruiz (0-4, 9) in the 149 weight class, competed against Deleware Valley’s Declan Smith, where Brandon lost by fall (1:06). Junior Shamique Bryant (0-4, 11) the fourth and final Defiance wrestler in the 149 weight class, competed against Deleware Valley’s Daniel Conroy, where Shamique lost by decision (12-5). In the 157 weight class, junior Brent Eicher (1-4, 11) received an open round bye before he faced off against Trine’s Wade Shafer, where Brent was victorious by fall (2:04). Brent then competed against Thiel’s Peyton Hearn, where Brent lost by a major decision (11-1). Senior Alejandro Castro (3-2, 12) also in the 157 weight class, received a bye in the opening round, before he competed against Deleware Valley’s Greg Corce, where Alejandro lost by sudden victory. Later, Castro competed against Trine’s Lakin Webb, where Castro took the victory by decision (7-1). Alejandro would then face off against Case Western Reserve’s Mitchell Arch, where Alejandro lost by fall (4:32). Castro finished seventh overall in the 157 weight class. In the 165 weight class, senior Keringten Martin (3-3, 12) received an open-round bye before he faced off against Deleware Valley’s Maximus Gordon, where Keringten was victorious by decision (6-2). Martin would go on to compete against Baldwin Wallace’s Hunter Kupniewski, where Martin was victorious once again, this time by a major decision (15-5). Keringten lost his last match against Lourdes Derrick Coleman, to place him 4th overall in the 165 weight class. In the 174 weight class, sophomore Matthew Beard (0-2, 10) received an open round bye before he faced off against Baldwin Wallace’s Brandon Burkhart, where Matthew lost by fall (1:04). In the 184 weight class, senior Jack Minner (0-5, 12) received an open round bye before he competed against Baldwin Wallace’s Jack Cain, where Jack lost by fall (4:28). Minner would go on to face off against Case Western Reserve’s Alex Torres, where Minner lost by fall (1:13). Jack placed 7th overall in the 184 weight class. In the 197 weight class, freshman Lesly Fleurissaint (0-4, 9) received an open-round bye before competing against Trine’s Mason Custer, where Lesly lost by fall (2:41). Sophomore Joey Perez (2-4, 10) also in the 197 weight class, received an open round bye before he was victorious over Case Western Reserve’s Connor Heineman by decision (13-9). Perez would go on to face off against Trine’s Mason Custer, where Perez lost by fall (3:30). Joey placed 7th overall in the 197 weight class. Finally, in the 285 weight class, freshman Kelvin Ruffin (1-4, 9) received an open-round bye before competing against Thiel’s Jacob Traupman, where Kelvin lost by fall (6:57).
Home
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Wrestling vs Adrian College (Adrian College Dual)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(7:00 pm)
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Women’s Basketball (1-2) vs Manchester University (2-2)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(7:30 pm)
Friday, Dec. 2
Men’s Track & Field (Early Bird Open)
Location: George M. Smart Center
(3:00 pm)
Women’s Track & Field (Early Bird Open)
Location: George M. Smart Center
(3:00 pm)
Saturday, Dec. 3
Women’s Basketball (1-2) vs Franklin College (1-1)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(1:00 pm)
Men’s Basketball (2-2) vs Franklin College (2-2)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(3:00 pm)
Away
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Men’s Basketball (2-2) at Manchester University (0-3)
(7:30 pm)
Friday, Dec. 2
Wrestling at Cornerstone University (Blithe Duals)
(11:00 am)
Saturday, Dec. 3
Wrestling at Cornerstone University (Blithe Duals)
(9:00 am)
A correction was made on 11/22/22/ The wrestling team will be at cornerstone university, not Albion College, for the Blithe Duals.
Andy Jesus Ramierez, also known as AJ, is a current senior here at Defiance College. Andy went to a high school in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. While in high school, he also attended a vocational school in Groveport, Ohio, where he studied Programming and Software Development for two years. He also took a wide variety of different college credit plus courses, which helped him a lot when he changed his major multiple times.
At first, he was double majoring in Digital Forensic Science and Criminal Justice. He is currently majoring in Communication Studies while minoring in Art Studio, Music with a Vocal Concentration, and Writing. Andy is involved in a wide variety of different clubs and organizations here at Defiance College.
These clubs include Alpha Phi Omega, in which he is an Associate of this fraternity, Service Leaders, DC FIRST Generation Program, CAB, Student Life Residence Assistance, and McMasters School For Advancing Humanity. As a McMasters Scholar, Andy and his peers are working on research to utilize against food insecurity. He also plans to assist with the restoration of the campus greenhouse while creating podcasts to keep Defiance College, The PATH Center, and the Defiance community updated on the progress and provide some educational content to implement daily. While being involved in all of these clubs and organizations, AJ is also currently in an internship.
With this internship, he will be helping permanent legal residents study for their citizenship tests. After completing his undergraduate studies, he would like to go to graduate school for a master’s in Media and Journalism with a concentration in Journalism education and a graduate minor in Race, Gender, and Social Justice.
His end goal is to be a journalist educator by day and a photojournalist at night. He is also interested in becoming a professional semester, whichever comes first. One interesting fact about AJ is that he would also like to adopt a kitten or two and travel to the other side of the world just for emotional fulfillment.
When AJ is not working on an assignment, reading, or creating Social Media content for the Defiance College Tik Tok page, you will find him walking around campus with his camera bag. He enjoys taking pictures of extraordinary moments or experiences. He also enjoys watching YouTube videos, learning a foreign language, or listening to the latest single on Spotify while wearing his headphones.
One of his favorite items to buy from the Hive is a large Jacket Mocha with extra whipped cream. Lastly, some interesting astrology information about AJ is that he is an Aquarius sun, Leo Moon, and Leo Rising. To conclude, AJ is a very active student on the Defiance College campus by being involved in an internship along with a variety of different clubs and organizations.
Violet Jessop, an Irish woman from Argentina, had a habit of being on boats that ended up sinking. After moving to England, she took up a job at the White Star Line. This line built many ships, but by far, the most famous one was the Titanic. Now, we all saw the movie, knew what was going to happen, hated Rose’s fiancé, and wished that Jack had lived, but what about everyone else that survived?
As Rose points out in the movie, out of all the lifeboats that were there, only one came back. Well, guess who got picked up by that one lifeboat. You guessed it, Violet. But why was she even on the Titanic in the first place?
Violet was a stewardess, which is kind of like a flight attendant, for the White Star Line. Before her time on the Titanic, she worked on its sister ship, the Olympic, which was built at roughly the same time. In 1911, about a year before the Titanic sank, Violet was in an eerily similar situation.
The Olympic had collided with a Royal Navy cruiser, the HMS Hawke. The HMS Hawke ran into the side of the boat and created gashes both above the water and below. Luckily, they weren’t far from port in Solent, England, and both ships were taken back to be repaired. However, while the Olympic was being repaired, Violet had to continue working.
Thus, she started working on the Titanic. She was on the ship for the first and only trip that it would make across the Atlantic. Or at least attempt to. After four days at sea, on April 14, 1912, the ship collided with an iceberg. Violet was in her bed when it happened, but not fully asleep. Given where first-class staff slept on the ship, she was somewhere in the first-class passenger section when it happened.
That was the only reason she got out alive. Many of the second and third-class staff didn’t get off the ship. That wasn’t the last time that this happened to Violet, however. Four years later, while serving during World War One, the Britannic, which was acting as a hospital ship, hit an enemy mine and started sinking rather quickly. Violet made it to a lifeboat, but as the ship sunk, it got pulled toward the propellers, and she had to jump out so she wouldn’t get pulled in. She hit her head on something but ended up being rescued by another lifeboat.
From what I found, Violet did not return to the White Star Line or become a stewardess, and who could blame her? After being on not one, not two, but three ships that sank, I wouldn’t be pining for the opportunity to be anywhere near the ocean.
The Defiance College football team traveled to Bluffton, Ohio, Saturday afternoon to take on the Bluffton Beavers (HCAC conference opponent) in the battle for “The Hammer”. Dwight Salzman Stadium was covered in snow, but this did not stop Yellow Jackets fans from attending this historic rivalry. Three and a half minutes into the game (11:30 left in the first) senior wide receiver Machari Bighams rushed into the endzone from 8 yards out, to give Defiance a quick 7-0 lead. Defense was the name of the game for the remainder of the first half, as neither team was able to find any opportunity to put points on the board. Nearly three minutes into the third quarter (12:13 left) senior quarterback Jordan Ambrose rushed into the endzone from 2 yards out, to extend the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 14. With 7:53 left in the third quarter, Bluffton senior quarterback Bobby Bourke connected with freshman wide receiver CJ Thompson for a 7-yard touchdown strike, to cut the Defiance lead in half (14-7). Near the midway point of the fourth quarter (7:59 left), Beavers junior wide receiver Treavon Cummings fought his way into the endzone from one yard out, to tie the game at 14. Following a Bluffton 14-0 scoring run, the Yellow Jackets needed to respond, and they did just that. With 2:42 left in the game, sophomore kicker Zeke Sanchez showed his level of “clutchness” as he “punched one through the goalposts” to give Defiance the lead once again 17-14. On the ensuing possession, Bluffton freshman CJ Thompson returned the kickoff to the Defiance 46-yard line. Bluffton had the ball down to the Defiance 22-yard line, but back-to-back penalties placed the Beavers in a 2nd and 32 from the Defiance 44-yard line. The Defiance defense held their ground as they forced back-to-back incomplete passes, before forcing a Bluffton turnover on downs. Senior quarterback Jordan Ambrose threw for 66 yards and rushed for 57, including one rushing touchdown. Senior wide receiver Machari Bighams rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown. Senior tight end Cole Recker took over punting duties and tallied 281 yards on eight kicks, including a pin inside the 20-yard line. Senior free safety Jaylen Redd led Defiance in tackles with 10, including one tackle for loss. Senior slotback Justin Caballero and junior defensive lineman Richard Pope IV each recorded eight tackles, while senior defensive tackle Rigo Villa and senior inside linebacker Thomas Coltrain had seven. Freshman defensive back Kobe Dade picked off Bluffton senior quarterback Bobby Bourke once, while senior Justin Caballero and junior Richard Pope IV each recovered one fumble apiece.
When senior TE Cole Recker was asked by The Defender about his overall thoughts on the season, he expressed, “We grew a lot as a team this year. We showed maturity and started to become the team we know we could be. This season was definitely what I expected and the new coaching staff is helping us grow to the next level. I am so proud of the guys and how we finished the year. I can’t wait to see what the team can accomplish in the years to come.”
11/7: Oakland University 92, Defiance 27 (Exhibition)
The Defiance College men’s basketball team traveled to Rochester, Michigan, Monday evening to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in exhibition action. The opportunity to play in an NCAA Division I environment provided the Yellow Jackets with a great learning experience. The goal of this contest was to recognize things that work well and differentiate those skills from the things that need improvement. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (senior) Dejsani Beamon, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. A third of Defiance’s points came from the three-point line as senior Jerome Johnson, sophomore Landen Swanner, and freshman Jakob Trevino; each put one through the net from “downtown”. Senior Marell Jordan led the way in scoring for the Yellow Jackets with 8, while sophomore Jake Segulin captured a team-high 4 rebounds. The Golden Grizzlies shot an impressive 57.9% from the field, including 38.5% from three-point range. Defiance shot 61.5% from the free-throw line. Scoring for the Yellow Jackets came from eight different players including senior Marell Jordan (8), senior Jerome Johnson (3), sophomore Landen Swanner (3), senior Jabryis Heidelburg (3), freshman Jakob Trevino (3), junior Sherod Brooks (3), junior Easton Lewis (2), and freshman Jordyn Jury (2).
The Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team welcomed the Miami-Middletown ThunderHawks to the Karl H. Weaner Center Friday evening to kick off the Defiance Purple & Gold Tournament. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (senior) Dejsani Beamon, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. For the majority of the first half, Defiance was only able to hold a slight lead. In the final few minutes of the first half, however, the Yellow Jackets ended with a 12-6 run, which extended the lead to 12 into the halftime break (41-29). Defiance was able to build upon their first-half momentum in the second half, by shooting an outstanding 61% from the floor. Even with the incredible second-half shooting percentage, the ThunderHawks were still able to outscore Defiance 50-47. Defiance’s largest lead (18) came with 13:08 left in the contest, following a pair of baskets from (senior) Marell Jordan and a lay-in from (senior) Jabryis Heidelburg. The Yellow Jackets were led by a trio of double-digit scorers including (all seniors) Marell Jordan with 24, Kiewaun Graham with 12, and Dejsani Beamon with 11. Miami-Middletown’s (junior) Lorenzo Sparks led all scorers with 28 points. Two other ThunderHawks finished in double-digits including (senior) Isaiah Brooks with 16 and (freshman) Nicholas Pierett with 15. Defiance splashed home nine threes in the game compared to the ThunderHawks’ six. The Yellow Jackets committed 13 turnovers but forced 18 by Miami-Middletown. Defiance narrowly outrebounded the ThunderHawks, 34-31.
11/12: Wilmington College 81 (2-0), Defiance 72 (1-1)
The Defiance College men’s basketball team hosted the Wilmington Fightin’ Quakers Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center to wrap up the Defiance Purple & Gold Tournament. After taking down Spalding on Friday night, the Fightin’ Quakers swept the weekend with a victory over Defiance. The starters in this contest included (senior) Marell Jordan, (senior) Kiewaun Graham, (senior) Dejsani Beamon, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, and (freshman) Evan Conrad. The Yellow Jackets found themselves down 28-21 late in the first half, but thanks to a quick scoring run they were able to tie the game at 34, with a minute left until halftime. Senior Abdul Kanu responded quickly for the Quakers as he scored two baskets in the final 30 seconds, to regain the Wilmington lead 38-34, into the break. Kanu’s second hoop in that sequence was a breakaway dunk, which led to a double technical foul as time expired; one by Kanu for slapping the backboard and the other by Defiance head coach Josh Gibson for advocating for the call. The infractions forced the second half to start with a pair of free throws for Wilmington and one for Defiance. Coming into the second half, both teams had impressive shooting percentages, with Wilmington shooting 53.6% (15 for 28) and Defiance 50% (13 for 26) from the field. Following the technical free throws to start the second half, Wilmington went on a 12-3 run into the first media timeout. The Fightin’ Quakers’ lead grew to as much as 22 (64-42) with 11:06 remaining, before the Yellow Jackets started to build momentum. A pair of three-pointers by senior Marell Jordan and sophomore Landen Swanner got the Defiance offense back in rhythm midway through the second half. The Yellow Jackets’ success from the free throw line played a major role in this charge, as Defiance managed to score on 16 of their 22 second-half attempts from the charity stripe. Defiance was able to claw their way back to within 10 at the final media timeout, but the Quakers’ quick second-half start proved to be too much for the Yellow Jackets. Senior Marell Jordan led all scorers in this contest with 30 points, while sophomore Clayton McCorkle (8), freshman Evan Conrad (7), senior Kiewaun Graham (6), senior Jabryis Heidelburg (6), junior Easton Lewis (6), sophomore Landen Swanner (5), senior Te Jones (2), and junior Sherod Brooks (2); also attributed to the Defiance scoring total. Wilmington finished with a trio of players in double-figures including sophomore Obed Achirem (20), senior Abdul Kanu (19), and sophomore Bryce Bird (14). The Fightin’ Quakers shot 52.5% from the field (32-61), while Defiance shot 42.6% (23-54). Wilmington led the way in second-chance points 12-7, while the Yellow Jackets had more points off turnovers (20-18). Senior Kiewaun Graham led the way in rebounds for Defiance with 7, while senior Jabryis Heidelburg had a team-high 3 assists.
When senior Grant Johnson was asked by The Defender about his thoughts following the Purple & Gold Tournament weekend, he expressed, “We learned a lot about ourselves this weekend. We showed good fight, but we need to execute and rebound at a higher level. It’s very early in the season, so we will look at the tape and come back on Monday ready to work.”
Women’s Basketball: Tues. Nov. 8
Kenyon College 55 (1-0), Defiance 54 (0-1)
The Yellow Jackets women’s basketball team traveled to Gambier, Ohio, Tuesday evening to take on the Kenyon Owls. The starters in this contest included (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, (junior) Cait Good, (sophomore) Kaitlin Paul, and (freshman) Kalista Friday. 1-minute and 55 seconds into the game, senior Taylor Steinbrunner scored the first points of the season for Defiance, with a layup to tie the game at 2. The Yellow Jackets were able to stretch out to a 12-10 lead at the conclusion of the opening quarter. The Owls fought back in the second quarter to retake the lead 29-28 into the halftime break, thanks to a pair of three-pointers from senior Katie Orefice and freshman Mikayla Rudolph. Senior Taylor Steinbrunner once again got the scoring started for Defiance in the third quarter as she was able to maneuver herself to the basket for a layup to give the Yellow Jackets the lead back, 30-29. The Yellow Jackets outscored the Owls 17-10 in the third quarter, thanks to a pair of three-pointers from sophomore Teagan Hunt and junior Kylie Brinkman. Going into the final 10 minutes of play, Defiance led by a score of 45-39. The fourth quarter was a thriller, as both teams swapped the lead numerous times. With 1:12 left in the game, graduate Taylor Day scored a much-needed layup (off an assist from junior McKenzie Cooper) for Defiance, to push the Yellow Jackets ahead 54-53. With just five seconds left in the game, Kenyon senior Katie Orefice scored the game-winner for the Owls, as she was able to find an open lane to the basket for the driving layup. Each team had a trio of double-digit scorers. Defiance’s trio included graduate Taylor Day (14), senior Taylor Steinbrunner (13), and senior Lexie Sparks (10). The trio for Kenyon included senior Katie Orefice (22), junior Claudia Cooke (18), and freshman Mikayla Rudolph (10). Yellow Jackets graduate Taylor Day led the way in the rebounds category with 11, while senior Taylor Steinbrunner was not far behind with 7. Six different players for Defiance recorded an assist in the contest including (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, (junior) McKenzie Cooper, (junior) Kylie Brinkman, (freshman) Addy Allen, and (freshman) Kalista Friday. Defiance shot 33.9% from the field, while Kenyon shot 30.2%. Both teams shot an identical 13-20 from the free-throw line (65%). Defiance dominated bench points 20-4, while Kenyon was able to hold key advantages in offensive rebounds (17-11) and second-chance points (10-0).
When junior McKenzie Cooper was asked by The Defender about her thoughts following the season opener, she expressed, “I thought we did pretty well considering it was our first game of the year. We made some mistakes in this game, so we definitely have a few things to clean up before our next matchup. We had a few players step up last night and I think that’s going to set the tone for how we want to play the rest of the season.”
Men’s Cross Country: Sat. Nov. 12
The Defiance College men’s cross-country team traveled to Holland, Michigan, Saturday morning for the NCAA Division III Regionals at Hope College. Defiance competed against over 26 other Division III institutes during the competition. John Carroll University junior Alex Phillip took home the victory (23:56.7), while Wilmington College junior Simon Heys finished in the runner-up spot (24:23.0), and Case Western Reserve University junior Jack Begley rounded out the podium (24:26.8). Freshman Alex Burney led the trio of Yellow Jacket runners with a 194th place finish (out of 272) with a time of 27:41.4. Freshman Marlon Brown finished in 268th place with a time of 33:26.2, while sophomore Gavin Maratea finished in 272nd with a time of 40:01.1.
Women’s Cross Country: Sat. Nov. 12
The Yellow Jackets women’s cross-country team traveled to Holland, Michigan, Saturday morning for the NCAA Division III Regionals at Hope College. Defiance competed against over 26 other Division III institutes during the competition. Hope College senior Anastasia Tucker took home the victory (20:46.0), while Franciscan University junior Claire Walters finished in the runner-up spot (21:06.0), and Calvin University sophomore Jenna Allman rounded out the podium (21:11.7). Freshman Shyla Pemberton, the lone runner for the Yellow Jackets, finished in 244th (out of 247) with a time of 29:14.3.
Home
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Men’s Basketball (1-1) vs Alma College (0-1)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(7:30 pm)
Saturday, Nov. 19
Men’s Basketball (1-1) vs Adrian College (1-1)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(3:00 pm)
Away
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Women’s Basketball (0-1) at Ohio Wesleyan University (1-1)
(7:00 pm)
Thursday, Nov. 17
Men’s Basketball (1-1) at Wright State University (1-1)
(Exhibition)
(7:00 pm)
Saturday, Nov. 19
Wrestling at Baldwin Wallace University (Baldwin Wallace Invitational)
(10:00 am)
Sunday, Nov. 20
Women’s Basketball (0-1) at St. Mary’s College (2-0)
As a result of final exams coming up in the coming weeks, there are various tasks students should be doing now to start preparing. First of all, students should make the most out of class time. This requires students to attend all class sessions, pay close attention to lectures, and take notes in a way that makes sense to them. In addition to attending classes, students should also form study groups in their classes. Working together helps to develop good study habits, increases collaboration on group projects, and boosts confidence.
While a student is studying, they should switch the topic every thirty minutes or so to prevent learning fatigue. Staying organized is critical for students to be fully prepared for their exams. To stay organized, students should schedule class meetings, homework, assignments, projects, and study sessions. Using a planner to keep track of deadlines, dates, and times is essential, so you do not forget anything or not know when something is due. Another key to preparing for final exams is to focus on understanding the material.
Understanding the material means applying new knowledge to various scenarios and knowing how it relates to other content. Even though it may seem inconvenient, attending the review session can be highly beneficial. During this review session, students will learn important information on the exam format, what may be covered in the questions, and key topics to focus their studies on.
To prevent burnout, students should pace themselves. Students should split the material into topics and review it in stages to fully absorb information into an accurate understanding. Finalizing final exams can be stressful, but the stress level can be reduced with proper preparation and knowledge.
Jaylen Redd, a first-generation college student, will soon graduate from Defiance college with a degree in Social Work and a minor in business. However, Jaylen wasn’t going to go out without a bang and decided to run for Homecoming King to see what would happen. To his surprise, he was chosen to be an attendant for the 2022 Homecoming at Defiance College by his fellow students. To say he was surprised is an understatement, but he was also immensely grateful for the opportunity. He said that his grandmother was why he applied because she had always encouraged him to take every opportunity he was presented with.
When asked how he would describe himself if he could only use one word, he said caring. He said that he “really likes to look out for a lot of people all the time,” and he wouldn’t feel right if one of his friends were going through something and he wasn’t there for them.
That was one of the reasons he went into social work after deciding that exercise science and physical therapy just weren’t the right thing for him. Part of his caring nature and his experiences as a college student means that he offers some great advice to Freshmen. His number one piece of advice: choose your friends wisely. He said that his friends help him stay focused on what’s important and help lift him when he is having a bad day.
He also reminds Freshmen about the importance of time management and keeping on track, so they don’t get bogged down with work. His last bit of advice: use the resources on campus and ask questions. No question is a dumb question.
Jaylen is originally from Memphis, Tennessee, about nine hours from Defiance College. When I asked him what some of the significant differences between Memphis and Defiance were, he quickly came up with a few. He said that “Memphis is just a crowded city” where Defiance is quieter, and everything is more slowed down, and that it gives you a chance to enjoy life a little bit.” He also pointed to the difference in traffic and how there wasn’t very much in Defiance. I also found out that he had never had a bagel in Memphis, which is a very disappointing fact. However, he does want to move back o a big city again at some point after college.
Jaylen is a part of the Service Leadership Program and is also in the McMasters School for Advancing Humanity. This past summer, he went to Belize to educate people about domestic violence in homes and communities and stress management for children and adults. He said that it was still unreal to him that he could go to another country and help people and that it was an experience he would never forget. He is also on the Defiance College Football team and plays defense as a free safety.
Fun Facts about our 2022-2023 Senior Attendant:
What’s your favorite food?
Shrimp fried rice
What’s your favorite movie?
Inception
Are you a cat or dog person?
Dog person
What three-five apps on your phone do you use the most?
Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube
I have a YouTube channel called JRedd.
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Gorilla
What is your greatest pet peeve?
People not being as excited about my accomplishments as I am.
What high school did you go to?
Germantown High School
Defiance 24 (2-7) vs Manchester University 21 (1-8)
Senior #5 Machari Bighams finds open space vs Manchester
The Defiance College football team hosted the Manchester Spartans (HCAC conference opponent) Saturday afternoon at Justin F. Coressel Stadium for senior day. Defiance seniors (DT) Rigo Villa, (ILB) Thomas Coltrain, (CB) Ja’qway Janvier, (CB) V’Sean Palmer, (DB) Brian Murat, (QB) Jordan Ambrose, (SB) Justin Caballero, (TE) Cole Recker, (ILB) D’Angelo Espinal, (QB) Seth Pearson, (FS) Jaylen Redd, (ILB) Hunter Stettner, (C) Te’Von Carson-Payton, (LS) Noah Pistory, and (DT) Miguel Gomez were recognized during the festivities. The Manchester Spartans were able to strike the end zone first in this matchup as they scored near the midway point (8:41) of the first quarter, thanks to a 4-yard touchdown run from sophomore running back David Smith. The Yellow Jackets were quick to respond as freshman wide receiver Da’Realyst Clark returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to the end zone, to tie things up at 7. Nearly four minutes into the second quarter (11:19), senior Machari Bighams punched one into the end zone from three yards out, to give Defiance a 14-7 lead. Five minutes later (6:21 left in the second), Yellow Jackets’ senior Brian Murat intercepted a pass from Manchester junior quarterback Eric James and returned it 98 yards to the end zone, to stretch the Defiance lead to 21-7. Defiance sophomore kicker Zeke Sanchez was able to capitalize on a last-second field goal from 12 yards out, to give Defiance a 24-7 lead into the locker room. Manchester tailback David Smith found the end zone twice in the third quarter on runs of 13 yards and two yards to shave Defiance’s lead to three (24-21) with 2:41 left in the third quarter. Both sides of the football (offense and defense) for Defiance did their part to close out the win, despite no second-half points from the Yellow Jackets. A Defiance fumble deep in their own territory provided Manchester with the football at the Jackets’ 20-yard line with 14:07 left in the contest, but the Defiance defense was able to hold the Spartans to a four-and-out to regain possession. After both teams traded punts, the Yellow Jacket offense took over with 8:25 left in the fourth quarter and bled out the remainder of the clock, to secure the senior day celebration victory. Defiance held the edge in takeaways, 3-2, while each team converted one of those turnovers into a touchdown. Defiance’s special teams accounted for 12 points in the contest (kickoff return touchdown, field goal, three points after touchdown). Out of Manchester’s 222 rushing yards, 202 were by sophomore David Smith. Smith scored all three Manchester touchdowns to put him on the brink of a 1,000-yard rushing season (982). Senior Thomas Coltrain led the Yellow Jackets with 13 tackles, including a game-high three for loss.
When senior TE Cole Recker was asked by The Defender about his thoughts following the Manchester victory, he expressed, “It was great to get another win for Yellow Jacket nation! It may not have been the prettiest win, but in the end we were able to get it done. I am so proud of how our defense and special teams played today. They made the plays that needed to be made. With the biggest game of the year coming up next week, we have to have a sharp week of practice this week ahead. We are very confident that we can bring “The Hammer” back to Defiance! I hope everyone can make it out to Bluffton next Saturday, to watch us beat the Beavers.”
Wrestling: Sat. Nov. 5
The Yellow Jackets wrestling team traveled to Adrian, Michigan, Saturday morning for the Adrian College Invitational at Adrian College. 15 teams participated in the invitational including Adrian College, Alfred State College, Averett University, Campbellsville University, Case Western Reserve University, Cornerstone University, Heidelberg University, Henry Ford College, Jamestown Community College, Siena Heights University, St. Clair County Community College, Toledo University, Pittsburg- Bradford University, and Wabash College. Defiance placed 15th overall on the day with a team score of 0.5. In the 141 weight class, freshman Elisha Jones went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points (fall losses to Alfred State’s Shawn Hall and Adrian’s Blaise Kokkales). Junior Shamique Bryant (149 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Hai Siu (Henry Ford College) and Zachary Palette (Adrian). Freshman Jake Scoville (149 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Domonic Delgato (Henry Ford) and Lody Cheatham (Campbellsville). Freshman Brandon Ruiz (149 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Nico Smith (Henry Ford) and Justin Sweeney (Case Western). Junior Brent Eicher (157 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, including a loss to Jesse Alvarado (Averett) by tech fall. Senior Keringten Martin (165 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Gage Parker (Siena Heights) and Carson Pottenger (Heidelburg). Senior Jack Minner (197 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Jackson Beck-Calvert (Adrian) and Wesley Peters (Siena Heights). Sophomore Joey Perez (197 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Andrew Oster (Toledo) and Andrew Denney (St. Clair). Freshman Lesly Fleurissaint (285 weight class) went 0-2 and scored 0.0 team points, losing to Evan Albrecht (Alfred State) and Andre Penney (St Clair). Freshman Kelvin Ruffin (285 weight class) went 1-2 and scored 0.5 team points for the Yellow Jackets. Ruffin was victorious 2-1 over Mario Harkonen (Cornerstone University) in Consolation Round 1.
Home
Friday, Nov. 11
Men’s Basketball (0-0) vs Miami University-Middletown (0-1)
(Defiance Purple & Gold Tournament)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(6:00 pm)
Saturday, Nov. 12
Men’s Basketball (0-0) vs Wilmington College (0-0)
(Defiance Purple & Gold Tournament)
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center
(3:00 pm)
Away
Monday, Nov. 7
Men’s Basketball (0-0) at Oakland University (0-0)
(Exhibition)
(5:30 pm)
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Women’s Basketball (0-0) at Kenyon College (0-0)
(7:00 pm)
Saturday, Nov. 12
Men’s Cross Country at Hope College (NCAA Division III Regionals)
(TBD)
Women’s Cross Country at Hope College (NCAA Division III Regionals)
Lisa-Maria has recently been crowned the 2022 Homecoming Queen. When I sat down and talked with the senior, she said that she had actually just ran for homecoming queen for fun. She had been nominated by her friend and decided to go for it and see what happened.
From listening to her, she certainly did not expect to be selected but was grateful for the opportunity and for all the people that supported her. She will graduate with a degree in Exercise Science and Psychology in a few short months. Her goal is to become a physical therapist. Even with two degrees, instead of describing herself as academic or studious, she described herself as hilarious.
Lisa-Maria said that she likes to have fun and live life to its fullest because you only have one. She also admitted to laughing at her own jokes, which we all know is the best kind of person. From talking with her, she also seemed very optimistic about life. She talked about how important it was for her not to take herself too seriously and just enjoy all the things life throws at her. She said that ” I like being happy. I know life happens, and people go through things, but also, life is too short to be sad and be hung up on things because, you never know, this could be your last day. You can’t predict the future.”
Lisa-Maria is one of the only international students on campus and hails from Berlin, Germany, which for context, is over four thousand miles away. She didn’t come straight to Defiance College. She stopped in Cape Coral, Florida as a foreign exchange student when she was sixteen and started College there before transferring to Defiance College. In fact, she considered her move from Berlin to Florida, and subsequently Ohio, as one of her greatest achievements in life.
She also said, “I’m sort of living my dad’s dream, I guess, and I love that dream for myself as well.” When asked whether she thought she would go back, she said she had “built up so much here that I don’t think that I see myself going back.” Since leaving Berlin and beginning her life here in America, she was able to separate herself from her family and truly figure out the kind of person she wanted to be and achieve that. While talking about Defiance College specifically, she said that her time here had really helped her grow as a person and made her more responsible.
It also taught her self-discipline when it came to getting things done and prioritizing what’s important over things that aren’t as important. She also said that her experience of moving to the United States as a foreign exchange student in her junior year helped her grow up and become very self-reliant because she was so far from her family. However, it was time that she seemed to look back on fondly and enjoyed the opportunity to become her own person.
Lisa-Maria is a RA in Whitney Hall and works at the Smart Center on Campus. She is also a part of the Service Leadership Program, the Campus Activities Board, and the 2022-2023 Defiance College Track and Field Team. The schedule for this season isn’t posted yet, but make sure to support our Track and Field team as they compete in the spring semester.
