THE DEFIANCE COLLEGE DEFENDER

Category: 2017

  • A Letter to the Editor: The US Civil War is Over!

    I am 56 years old and never before have I seen more “northerners” flying the Army of Virginia Battle Flag (AKA the most common symbol of the Confederate States of America). My own ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the US Civil War, WWII, and the Korean War to create and maintain the sovereignty of the “United States of America.” That “United” thing is the foundational principle that we must now be taking for granted. We are, by design, a “United” set of states that represent and support the freedom and liberties of ALL citizens. “American” is an inclusive category within which “all men (and women) are created equal.”

    The “Confederate Flag” (Army of Virginia Battle Flag), that one used by the Dukes of Hazzard, is not the first (or second) Confederate Flag, but we all must acknowledge that it is the most recognizable symbol of the Confederate States of America. For any Ohioan to embrace that symbol of disunity, segregation, and inhumanity is a slap in the face to all that served to preserve our union. Over 620,000 men lost their lives in the US Civil War and Ohio experienced the 2nd largest number of casualties (behind New York). Way back in elementary school I learned that those Ohio men were killed by soldiers in gray uniforms, fighting to break our union, flying the flag of the Confederacy.

    My dad served in the US Navy during both WWII and the Korean War. In the “big one” (WWII) we fought Nazi Germany which most would recognize as the soldiers in the gray uniforms, fighting to overthrow world freedom, flying the flag of the Nazi Party (that one with the swastika on it). We universally recognize the Nazi flag as a symbol of human bloodlust, inhumanity, and hatred, and most people would never consider flying it outside of their home. Yet, some citizens of the Great State of Ohio proudly fly the Confederate Flag in their front yard and state that it is merely an anti-government symbol.

    You see, I don’t believe that is the true message that they are seeking to present. I believe that they are both racist and indifferent to local history and civil behavior. On top of that, I think they would rather blame the government for all of their personal problems because it is easier than looking in the mirror and taking any personal responsibility for them.

    Here it is, and I really believe that this is not “fake news”. The “Confederate Flag” is a symbol of disunity, racism, ignorance, and self-pity. To say that “the Civil War was not about slavery” is complete and utter nonsense. Each of the seceding states actually documented that the right to maintain the institution of slavery was a primary reason to secede from the United States of America. Over 180,000 Black Americans (many liberated slaves) served in the Civil War (under that other flag, the beautiful one, currently with the 50 stars and 13 stripes).

    So, let’s “cut through the crap” and say it like it is. Flying the Confederate Flag in Ohio means that you are insensitive to the feelings of non-whites (and most people actually), ignorant of and/or indifferent to your own history, and would rather wallow in self-pity being a “victim of governmental manipulation” than stepping up to serve as a “self-advocate” to improve your own life.

    I am not at all impressed when you fly (or embrace) the Confederate Flag.

    Tim Rickabaugh, Professor of Exercise Science

  • DCWS Looks to Bounce Back

    (Defiance, OH)- The Defiance College Women’s Soccer team was back in action recently, playing in two games that were home against Oberlin and Malone. They played Oberlin on Saturday, September 9th, and Malone on Tuesday, September 12th.

    DC came into the match against Oberlin having a record of 1-1, while Oberlin, a small town near Cleveland, came in at 3-0. The game did not start off how the Jackets wanted, with a goal in the 14th minute followed by a quick one in the 16th minute. The Yeowomen of Oberlin continued to tack on with two more goals, one in the 23rd, and one in the 26th. They then tacked on another right before the first half expired with a goal in the 44th minute.

    The second half was not as bad for DC, only allowing one goal in the 45 minutes. It came in the 66th minute. During this half though, the Lady Yellow Jackets were able to pull 4 shots on goal, yet none reached the back of the net. The final score of the game was 6-0, and our women fell to 1-2 on the season.

    The Jackets did follow up Tuesday against a strong Division 2 opponent, Malone University. Malone came into the season 1-1, and are also a division higher than Defiance. Malone participates in the G-Mac, which has schools from Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee.

    The Jackets again fell behind early, having Malone score in the 7th minute, and following up in the 23rd. They followed with yet another goal in the 43rd. DCWS continued to fight though, even though the 3-0 deficit. They came into the half feeling like it was a good quarter, going neck and neck with a Division 2 team.

    After the half, Defiance was able to quiet down Malone’s strong offense. This was lead by sophomore Madi Bowman, who had a stellar game defending the net. She had 18 total saves, only allowing 3 goals, while Malone was able to take a total 42 shots on the net.

    This positive experience versus a strong opponent is exactly what the Jackets needed in order to keep the season going in the right direction. Going into these games with high hopes, they were not able to pull out victorious, but are ready to put it behind them and look forward onto the next games.

    Sophomore Jordan Furko truly believed this, and after the game stated, “Our season this year is all about building together as a team-brick by brick. The game on Saturday was kind of a rude awakening, but we try to use it as a mortar moment. Just like how you would use mortar to build a brick wall and make it sturdy, we use those moments do the same for us. On Tuesday, we may not have came out with a win, but we played much better as a team and we really started to connect. We have a lot of good players on our team and I’m excited to see how the rest of the season goes!”

    The Women’s Soccer Team plays yet another strong opponent on Saturday, September 16th, when they travel to Ohio Wesleyan, followed by another strong opponent next Wednesday, September 20th, against the Mount Union Raiders. As always, if you see a DCWS player, wish them luck, and Go Jackets!

    Written by Zac Bires

  • Volleyball Struggles to Finish

    The Defiance College volleyball team came out swinging hard against Marietta College on Friday evening at Oberlin, Ohio. Combined kills from multiple Yellow Jackets led to a 13-9 lead. A quick turnaround of many errors caused a Marietta comeback to tie the score at 25. Though a hard fought set, the Yellow Jackets couldn’t hold on and lost 25-27.

    The second set was a rough start for the Jackets with a 3-8 deficit. They were soon able to turn it around with multiple kills from Windau and service aces from Jenni Davis and Abby Cronin to get a 15-14 lead. Several errors from the Pioneers side and kills from different Jackets lead to Defiance’s first set win of the season at 25-21.

    The third set consisted of a slow start for the Jackets, eventually tying the score at 6. At that point, it was service aces, with the occasional kill, that lead the way for Defiance in set three. Jenni Davis and Cronin had at least three aces apiece to lead the Jackets to a 25-10 win.

    Defiance started out the fourth set strong coming out with a 20-12 lead. The Yellow Jackets quickly found themselves behind after a string of errors and multiple Pioneer kills. The Jackets were not able to keep their lead, and lost the set 24-26.

    Set five had a strong start with the Yellow Jackets coming out with a 5-0 lead. After multiple errors by different Jackets and kills from the Pioneers, Defiance was not able to hold on and lost the fifth set 10-15, losing the match to Marietta College.

    Defiance started out Saturday struggling against Mount Aloysius College. After a couple kills and service aces from Abby Cronin, the Jackets found themselves up 11-8. The rest of the match was a battle between the two teams until the Jackets were able to take advantage of multiple Mountie errors and go ahead 22-18. A couple Jacket kills and more opponent errors lead the Jackets to a 25-19 win.

    The second set started slow for the Jackets with some attacking errors and Mount Aloysius kills. Defiance was able to string together some kills accompanied by more Mountie errors to make the score 12-7. The Jackets were on fire with more kills, big blocks, and service aces to win the set 25-16.

    The Jackets started the third set with a 2-8 deficit, but quickly came back with errors from Mount Aloysius and kills from multiple Jackets. The two teams battled back and forth for a couple points before Defiance ran away with the lead and won 25-17, winning their first match of the season.

    In the final match of the weekend against Oberlin, the Yellow Jackets came out fighting for another win on the day. The two teams fought back and forth the entire set with kills and errors from both sides. After being tied at 16, the Yeomen ran with the lead and won the first set 18-25.

    The Jackets came out fighting the second set pulling ahead with a 10-3 lead. Multiple kills from Jessi Davis, Marissa Windau, Emma Seitz, and Brooke Plummer, blocks, and Yeomen errors lead Defiance to a 25-17 set win.

    In the third set, possession of the serve altered every point until Abby Cronin came in with a service ace, followed by a kill from Seitz and block from Seitz and Jessi Davis. It was then a close match until Oberlin was able to string together some kills and aces accompanied by Defiance errors. The Jackets lost 17-25.

    The fourth set was a rough start for the Jackets as they found themselves in a 5-16 deficit. A Danielle Robbins kill started a late Yellow Jacket rally that consisted of Yeomen errors and kills by Brooke Plummer. Unfortunately the rally wasn’t enough, and Defiance lost the set 16-25, losing the match.

    The Yellow Jackets are back in action Tuesday, September 12th, at Heidelberg University.

    Written by Michaela Bauer

  • Healthy Lifestyles: Advocare 10-Day Cleanse

    Have you heard about the healthy cleanse taking campus by storm? Many students and faculty around campus have began to take part in the Advocare 10 day cleanse. With that said, students have began to incorporate the Smart Center, a healthy diet, and Advocare products into their daily life. The product is said to help your body free waste and absorb nutrients. The cleanse includes a probiotic, and herbal cleanse tablet, and Advocare fiber. All of these three ingredients are said to be a key to fuel your body and is the beginning of many diets and healthy eating plans.

    One student on campus recently finished the cleanse. Raychel Ramos stated that the cleanse, “helped her body get rid of all toxins.” The cleanse is directed to be taken twice a day with fiber supplements. Additionally, she said, “it made her feel better while also being more confident.” Furthermore, Raychel stated, “even though I’m not an athlete this cleanse gave me confidence to go to the gym to see better results.” In comparison,  Sydney Zeuch, a student athlete on campus talked about her Advocare experience. She has recently started the cleanse and is now on her third day. Her experience is similar to Raychel’s. Sydney stated that, “ I started the cleanse because I want to start healthy eating and I hope this cleanse will help start that process.” She also talked about other Advocare products that she enjoys using. Sydney stated, “ I mix the fiber supplement with Advocare Spark which is a healthy source of energy.” Both students recommend this product if you are wanting to change your eating habits and start a healthy lifestyle.

    Written by Madysyn Creighton

  • The New and Improved Hive!

    Can you believe that within just a few short years, The Hive has gone from something to nothing at all to bigger and better than ever before?! For some, now is all you know, but for others, particularly upperclassmen, change has been a beautiful thing. Now, aside from the everyday café food, Dominos, and Biggby, Defiance College faculty, staff, and students can enjoy a delicious variety of handcrafted burgers and other entrees. Not only that, but 41 North, a coffee shop within The Hive, offers an assortment of frozen, iced, and hot beverages to please the palate that are, in the expressed opinions of MANY across campus, better than Biggby! Have you stopped in to give them a try?

    A part of the overall experience is the privilege of interacting with and getting to know some, if not all, of the fun, personable, and friendly staff that whip up what you need. Jasmine (pictured left) and John (pictured right) are two staff members who enjoy their jobs. Favorite aspects of the job include the variety of things they get to do so it’s not mundane as well as the overall positive environment, atmosphere, attitude, and energy of the students, but what about beyond work? Getting to know someone is more than just about what they know and like about you. If you’d ever like to surprise one of them with their own supply, here’s a little secret. Jasmine adores the Green Teazy Frozenta, and John dreams about the mozzarella sticks. If you ever catch either of them outside of The Hive, chances are Jasmine is working on music or photography, and John is probably playing video games.

    With The Hive being so popular, the staff gets to be an impacting part of campus life on a daily basis. Whether it’s by making someone smile with a nice comment, laugh with a funny one, or with simply amazing skills behind the counter, Jasmine and John are prime examples of what it means to embody and enjoy a life experience and to leave an impact where they are. I encourage you to stop in and not only enjoy a pleasant meal or snack, but get to know some of the cool people you have the opportunity to be around daily and who work so hard to create that inviting atmosphere that keeps calling you back.

    Written by Nate Hicks

  • Remembering 9/11

    16 years ago today, 4 terrorist attacks caused the deaths of 2,997 people on American soil and left over 6,000 others injured. 9/11 has become a day of mourning for so many throughout the United States. 9/11 has become a day of remembrance for the brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, friends and family who lost their lives that day.

    19 hijackers from the terrorist group al-Qaeda took control of four American planes that were headed for Canada. Two planes were crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center, one plane was crashed into a field, and the last plane crashed into the Pentagon. Following the attacks, al-Qaeda quickly fell under suspicion of the attacks with leader Osama bin Laden eventually taking credit for the attacks in 2004. In May of 2011, SEAL team six located and killed bin Laden after he had been in hiding for almost a decade. 9/11 witnessed the death of over 343 firefighters and 72 law-enforcement officers.

    Defiance College freshman Jennifer Nashalsky (Hilliard, OH) explains how her family was affected by the tragic events of that day. Jennifer’s younger sister, Robyn, who was born shortly after the attacks, was named after a family friend who had been a first responder to the attacks and unfortunately did not survive. His name was Robert and her family makes sure to honor him around this time every year at the 9/11 memorial in Hilliard, leaving flowers by his name.

    So today, hold your family a little tighter, hold your friends a little closer, and keep strangers in your heart. Today is a day to remember what it means to be an American and what it means to love thy neighbor. Thank a cop, thank a firefighter, thank those who spend their lives giving to others. Thank your parents, thank your teachers, thank your coaches. Be grateful to those who lend a hand and be grateful to be here today. Think about the lives lost and think of those who were affected by this terrible event. Be proud to be an American today for we are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

    Written by Jordan Osborne

  • Volleyball Drops Opening Weekend

    The volleyball team opened their season on Friday over the weekend with a three set loss against Carnegie Mellon in Ada, Ohio. The Yellow Jackets came out struggling in the first set with 5-0 deficit to start. Unfortunately, a kill by Jaidyn Patridge came too late for the team to rally any more points, and they fell 25-13 in the first set. The Jackets started out strong in the second set with kills from Marissa Windau, Jessi Davis, and Brooke Plummer to give them a  4-2 lead. That quickly turned around as mis communication led to a loss of 25-13. The third set was a battle between both teams until the end. The Jackets were unable to hold on and lost 25-21. Marissa Windau led the day with 7 kills, while Madison Hollis had 17 assists and Patridge had 18 digs for the Jackets.

    The upsets continued on Saturday when the Yellow Jackets drop matches verse Case Western Reserve University and Thomas Moore College in three sets each. In the first match, Case Western jumped out right away with a strong lead over the Jackets and controlled the first set the end with a 25-13 win. The second set started with kills from Marissa Windau, Emma Seitz, and Jenni Davis to give the Yellow Jackets a strong run and a 7-2 lead. That was soon turned around when Case Western earned enough point to take an 18-8 lead. The Jackets lost the set 25-11. The third set was another battle between the two teams with kills from Jenni Davis, Windau, and Seitz helping to keep the score close. Despite the hard fight,, the Jackets lost the third set 25-23. Jenni Davis led the Jackets with 14 kills, while Jessi Davis had 4 blocks in the match. Madison Hollis had 25 assists in the match, while Marissa Windau and Jaidyn Patridge shared a combined 10 digs for the Jackets.

    The second match of the day verse Thomas Moore started rough with a 25-13 loss in a set that the Yellow Jackets never had a lead in. The second set was a back and forth game between the Jackets and Saints where the Jackets came out with a 13-3 lead. Unfortunately, the Jackets were not able to hang on the the lead and lost 25-23. After a tough loss, the third set went by quickly when Thomas Moore came out with a 20-7 lead. The final score of the third set was 25-12. Marissa Windau lead the final match with 6 kills, while Madison Hollis had 16 assists and Jaidyn Patridge had 20 digs.

    The volleyball team is back in action next weekend at Oberlin with games Friday the 8th at 4pm and Saturday the 9th at 12pm and 4pm.

    Written by Michaela Bauer

  • Women’s Soccer Preview and Opening Weekend

    (Defiance, OH) The Defiance College Women’s Soccer season is officially underway, and there is a large amount of excitement for the upcoming season. The team has some returning talent, along with young and eager talent ready to make an impact right away. DC returns 12 players who had seen varsity time for DC the previous season, while adding 9 new players to the roster. Another major addition to DCWS is adding Coach Jesse Kuelher to the staff as a full time assistant!

    With this returning talent along with the new additions, there is a good feeling about the upcoming. Senior captain, Kassie Memmer, from Bowling Green, Ohio, has this to say, “This is a really exciting season for DCWS, we have a strong group of returners as well as a strong freshman class. From day 1, it was evident that our team is made up of hard workers and we are all excited to see what the season has in store for us.” DCWS looks to improve on 2-13 season the previous year, and has already gotten off to a strong start!

    DC started their season with the Purple and Gold Tournament against Hidelberg last Friday by losing narrowly to a strong Hidelberg opponent. The game started off intense and evenly matched, til a shot in the 25th minute by Hidelberg barely missed the tip of freshman goalkeeper Rachel Lowell. Hidelberg followed up with a quick goal afterward in the 28th minute by Hidelberg.

    DCWS was not giving up after these two quick goals by Hidelberg though. They continued to fight until they had an answer of their own in the 85 minute on a goal during a penalty kick by Senior Kassie Memmer, that was buried into the right side of the net. This was not enough for Defiance to come back during this game, but it gave them a spark for the next game.

    DCWS won a blood pumping game this past Sunday. They played another tough opponent, Bethany COllege, in a nail biting game that went into overtime. The Jackets started off strong with the second goal of the season by Kassie Memmer, who beat a defender and that extra space was all she needed to put it past the diving keeper. The game was evenly matched after that, until a goal in the 65th by Bethany to tie the game. They continued to go back and forth, leading to overtime.

    The OT had barely started, when 3 minutes in Sophomore Katie Settich scored a goal deep from the left side of the field, marking it her first goal of the season, and leading the Jackets to an overtime victory!

    DCWS continues their season this Saturday at home at 2pm against Oberlin, and Tuesday against Malone at 4pm.. Come out and support, and as always, Go Jackets!

    Written by Zachary Bires

  • Helping Hands

    Around the world there have been major catastrophes spark in shortly under a months’ time. Today, Texas is currently recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. This hurricane landed two weeks ago and was a category 4. With heavy rainfall, flooding, and severe winds the state of Texas was under water. This storm caused a record breaking $75 billion dollars in damage and is now one of the most expensive natural disasters in history. Similarly, the state of Florida is preparing for Hurricane Irma that is said to hit this weekend. Irma is said to land on some of the biggest cities in the U.S. including Miami and Daytona Beach. Additionally, Irma is said to be the single biggest hurricane that Florida has seen since the 90’s. Lastly, today a destructive earthquake hit Mexico causing possible tsunamis as a result to hit nearby countries. With currently thirty deaths that are expected to increase with rescue crews sent today this is yet another devastating natural disaster.  Some of these events were done at random while others had warning. Still, many families stayed at their homes and are in need of help recovering from the damage that has been caused.

    With that said, some organizations on campus have started to collect donations to help those in need. This is a great opportunity to get involved on campus and to help assist the people of Texas, Florida, and Mexico. The Service Leader Program and the Criminal Justice Society are some organizations that are actively involved in supporting those affected by these diasters. If you are wanting to help the Service Leader Program is in need of five volunteers to help on Monday, September 11th from 12:30-4:30 p.m. by helping pack boxes in Waterville, OH for Hurricane Harvey Relief (transportation provided). With questions regarding this please email Brad Harsha at bharsha@defiance.edu. Lastly, the Criminal Justice Society is currently organizing information that will be emailed once it is finalized to students and faculty on campus that are interested in helping with these natural disasters.  

    Written by Madysyn Creighton

  • DCFB Drops Opener to Baldwin Wallace

    Baldwin Wallace showed the Yellow Jackets some tough competition Saturday at the Justin F. Corressel Stadium, with the final score being 42-2 in the favor of Baldwin Wallace. Baldwin Wallace scored first early in the second quarter with a touchdown and a complete point-after-touchdown, making the score 7-0. The half would end at 7-0.

    The Yellow Jackets fumbled on the BW’s 2-yard line to start the second half. Then would put 2 points on the board when Cody Brown was able to sack BW’s quarterback. Baldwin Wallace would then score another touchdown and complete a P.A.T. in order to bring the score to 14-2, ending the third quarter that way. Baldwin Wallace would then add four more touchdowns and completed P.A.T.s in the fourth quarter, bringing the final score to 42-2.

    The Defiance College Yellow Jacket offense was led by senior quarterback John McKinney. McKinney would end the game with 147 yards and 8 completions. Junior Corey Bennett would also contribute to the offense with his 11 carries and 59 yards. The Yellow Jacket defense was led by junior Jalin Nealy who recorded 12 tackles with one sack. The Yellow Jackets would end the game with 215 yards compared to the 386 yards recorded by the visiting Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets.

    The Defiance College Yellow Jackets will face the Dutchmen of Hope College in Holland, Michigan next Saturday, September 9th with kick-off set for 1:30 p.m. Go out and support your Yellow Jackets!

     

    Written by Jordan Osborne