2/25: Carroll University 3 (1-0), Defiance 0 (0-1) (Fontbonne Tournament)
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Carroll
0
2
0
0
0
1
X
3
8
3
The Defiance College softball team traveled to Edwardsville, Illinois, Saturday afternoon to take on the Carroll Pios as a part of the opening day of the Fontbonne Tournament. Two of the three runs for the Pios came in the 2nd inning as junior Reagan Goluch advanced from the second base via an error, which also set up senior Abby Wimmer into scoring position at third base. The very next batter, sophomore Kaitlyn Reed singled to left field, which allowed Wimmer to score. The third run for Carroll came in the 6th inning as sophomore Antoinette Napoli singled through the right field to allow junior Sydney Raddeman to score from third base. Junior Savannah McCoy pitched all six innings in this contest for Defiance, in which she threw 88 pitches, including 62 strikes. Senior Josilyn Guzman recorded the lone hit for the Yellow Jackets.
2/25: Millikin University 6 (1-0), Defiance 1 (0-2) (Fontbonne Tournament)
***Statistical information is not available at this time for this matchup. Keep an eye on the Defiance College Athletics website in the coming days for more detailed information.***
When senior Marissa Roberts was asked by The Defender about her thoughts following the opening day of the Fontboone Tournament, she expressed, “I think it’s going to be a great season! We have a great connection, but we definitely have some little things we can fine tune. Overall, I’m excited to see the growth of this team this season.“
2/26: Monmouth College 6 (1-2), Defiance 5 (0-3) (Fontbonne Tournament)
***Statistical information is not available at this time for this matchup. Keep an eye on the Defiance College Athletics website in the coming days for more detailed information.***
2/26: Illinois College 2 (1-1), Defiance 1 (0-4) (Fontbonne Tournament)
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Runs
Hits
Errors
Illinois Col.
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
7
0
Defiance
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
5
0
The Yellow Jackets softball team finished up their trip to the Fontbonne Tournament with a matchup against the Illinois Lady Blues. The Lady Blues scored the first points of this contest in the 2nd inning, as freshman Brooke Loveall doubled to center field, which allowed sophomore Kayla Serpa to score from second base. Defiance would tie the game at one in the bottom of the 3rd inning, after junior Brooke Silcox singled to let senior Marissa Roberts tag home plate. At the top of the 5th inning, with bases loaded, Yellow Jackets’ pitcher (junior) Savannah McCoy walked junior Calynn Gicante, which allowed freshman Brooke Loveall to advance home (2-1). Both teams would struggle to find opportunities to score in the remaining two and a half innings, so the Lady Blues escaped with a 2-1 victory. Junior Savannah McCoy pitched all seven innings in this contest for Defiance, in which she threw 96 pitches, including 53 strikes. In the 5 hits for the Yellow Jackets, senior Marissa Roberts and junior Brooke Silcox each recorded two hits, while sophomore Destiny Coil had one.
Baseball: Sat. Feb. 25 and Sun. Feb. 26
2/25: Muskingum University 7 (1-1), Defiance 4 (0-1) (Xavier University)
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
4
10
0
Muskingum
1
0
2
0
0
0
3
1
X
7
13
3
On Saturday afternoon, the Defiance College baseball team kicked off their 2023 season with a non-conference matchup against the Muskingum Fighting Muskies. This double-header affair was played at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Yellow Jackets jumped on Muskies starting pitcher (junior) Jaxon Rinkes for two runs in the top of the first inning before he settled in to toss three scoreless frames. With two on and two out, sophomore Jacob Hild singled home fellow sophomore Gunner Gregg and created another run shortly after on a steal of second base to draw a throw, while junior Trent Murdock punched his way home. Defiance could not push another run across the plate until the 7th inning. In the 7th, senior Hunter Bostater ripped a double to left field, but Mudock was cut down at third base. Senior Austin Horning delivered the game-tying hit two batters later. Unfortunately, Horning was left on third when the inning ended. Muskingum answered back to load the bases on DC reliever (freshman) Ethan Jenkins and the Muskies took the lead back via a sacrifice fly for the first out. Junior Ryan Schwartz ripped a two-run double to center a little bit later in the bottom of the 7th to plate the next two runs (6-3). After a hit batter by Jenkins, junior Johnny Hammerstein entered to close out the seventh inning, and he did as he stranded the bases loaded. Hammerstein pitched the 8th inning as well, while the Muskies grabbed an extra run (7-4). Senior Cohen Nies pitched the first six innings for the Yellow Jackets, as he finished with six consecutive scoreless innings after Muskingum led 3-2 after three innings. Junior Ryan Schwartz went 3-5 with three RBIs and three extra-base hits, while sophomore Weston Melick went 4-4 for the Muskies with a double and a pair of RBIs. A three-run 7th inning by Muskingum ended up being the difference in this contest, as the Muskies took home the Game 1 victory 7-4. Neither team’s pitching staff recorded a clean inning, as both teams combined for 23 hits and 12 walks. In the ten hits for the Yellow Jackets, senior Hunter Bostater and sophomore Gunner Gregg each recorded two hits, while senior Alex Morr, senior Austin Horning, senior Dylan King, junior Trent Murdock, sophomore Jacob Hild, and sophomore Tyler Dehan each recorded one hit a piece.
2/25: Muskingum University 5 (2-1), Defiance 4 (0-2) (Xavier University)
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Defiance
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
4
8
3
Muskingum
2
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
X
5
13
1
The Yellow Jackets baseball team wrapped up a doubleheader against the Muskingum Fighting Muskies on Saturday evening at Xavier University. Defiance punched in runs over four different innings in game two, including the top of the first and two home runs in the middle innings by junior Trent Murdock and sophomore Tyler Dehan. Sophomore Gunner Gregg set up the Yellow Jackets’ run in the first inning with a double and ended the third by giving Muskingum their lone error of the contest. Junior Trent Murdock flew out to center to bring Gregg in, which put Defiance ahead after a half-inning for the second game in a row (1-0). The Muskies put together three first-inning hits against Yellow Jacket starting pitcher sophomore Sam Thombs, including a two-run single by junior Ryan Schwartz to bring his RBI total to five on the day. Sophomore Tyler Dehan smacked a solo home run for Defiance with one out in the fifth inning, which cut the Yellow Jackets’ deficit to one (3-2). Muskingum would respond, though, as they posted a pair of two-out runs during the bottom of the fifth inning (5-2). Junior Quinten Collins connected on a two-out, bases-loaded single to plate two just before the final out of the inning was made at second base. The Yellow Jackets would add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Junior Trent Murdock bombed a solo home run in the sixth inning, while senior Josh Vischer signaled sophomore Tyler Dehan home after he doubled in the seventh. Defiance was able to leave Muskingum scoreless for the final three innings of the contest, but the two-run fifth inning ended up making the difference in the second game of the doubleheader, as the Muskies took the victory 5-4. In the 8 hits for the Yellow Jackets, sophomore Gunner Gregg recorded three hits, while sophomore Tyler Dehan had two. Senior Austin Horning, senior Josh Vischer, and junior Trent Murdock each recorded one hit a piece.
When senior Alex Morr was asked by The Defender about his thoughts following the season opening doubleheader against Muskingum, he expressed, “While it wasn’t the outcome that we wanted, we did show a lot of fight and composure this afternoon. I thought we played hard and gave it our all in both games.“
2/26: Kalamazoo College 8 (1-0), Defiance 2 (0-3)
Final
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Runs
Hits
Errors
Kalamazoo
0
2
0
0
3
0
1
0
2
8
11
1
Defiance
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
5
3
The Defiance College baseball team hosted the Kalamazoo Hornets Sunday afternoon in non-conference action at Defiance High School. The Hornets were first to reach the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd inning, as freshman Daniel Beccari signaled to left field, which allowed sophomore Tanner Hawkins to score (1-0). Freshman Robert Newland pushed the Kalamazoo advantage to two, as he scored via an error moments later. At the bottom of the 4th inning, senior Hunter Bostater doubled to right center and this allowed junior Trent Mudrock to score for Defiance (2-1). The 5th inning saw three runs scored for the Hornets, as senior Harrison Poeszat, junior Lukas Bolton, and freshman Cam Kelly found their was to homeplate following a double, single, and a ground out. Sophomore Tyler Dehan scored the second run for the Yellow Jackets via a wild pitch. Junior Cooper Mills added to the Hornets lead in the 7th inning, as he scored following a double by senior Harrison Poeszat (6-2). Kalamazoo would tack on two more runs in the 9th inning, as freshman Liam Regan scored off a single by fellow freshman Cam Kelly and senior Harrison Poeszat stole home (8-2). Defiance pitchers junior Jeremy Russo, junior Johnny Hammerstein, freshman Joseph O’Neil, and freshman Ethan Jenkins all saw action this afternoon. In the 5 hits for the Yellow Jackets, senior Hunter Bostater, junior Trent Murdock, junior Mitchell Roever, sophomore Gunner Gregg, and sophomore Tyler Dehan each recorded one hit a piece.
Wrestling: Sat. Feb. 25 and Sun. Feb. 26
The Defiance College wrestling team traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday morning for the two-day NCAA Central Regionals Championship at Case Western Reserve University. Twenty schools competed in the NCAA Central Regionals Championship, including Case Western Reserve University, Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Baldwin Wallace University, Heidelberg University, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Manchester University, Mount St. Joseph University, Mount Union University, Muskingum University, Ohio Northern University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Olivet College, Otterbein University, Trine University, Wabash College, and Wilmington College. Defiance finished in 17th place as a team with a combined score of 10. In the 141 weight class, sophomore Kliever Joseph lost to Ohio Northern sophomore Jacob Reed in the opening-round matchup, which sent him to the loser’s side of the bracket. Joseph would pick up a consolation victory over Manchester freshman Landen Dilley, before he would lose in the second round of the consolation bracket to Case Western Reserve freshman Art Martinez. In the 149 weight class, junior Shamique Bryant lost to John Carroll sophomore Kale Buckiso, which sent him to the loser’s side of the bracket. Bryant lost the first round matchup against Manchester freshman Keagan Mabie to end his tournament run. In the 157 weight class, senior Alejandro Castro lost the opening round matchup to Ohio Northern sophomore Teagan Hendricks, to send Castro to the loser’s bracket. Castro would pick up three victories in the loser’s side of the bracket, before he lost to Case Western Reserve sophomore Calvin Cai. In the 165 weight class, senior Keringten Martin lost two straight matchups against Albion College freshman Brixton Bright and Case Western Reserve senior Mitchell Arch. In the 174 weight class, senior Jack Minner picked up the victory over Case Western Reserve freshman John Conover in the opening round matchup, before he went on to beat Mount St. Joseph freshman Noah Johnson in the second round. Minner would lose to Ohio Weselyan senior Jaret Lowry in the third round. Minner would also lose in the loser’s bracket to Olivet College senior Owen Guilford. In the 184 weight class, sophomore Joey Perez lost two straight matches to a Heidelberg and Trine wrestler. In the 197 weight class, freshman Kelvin Ruffin also lost two straight matches to a Trine and Mount Union wrestler. In the heavyweight (285), senior Rigo Villa lost to Olivet junior Donovan King in the opening round and then lost to Mushingum senior Noah DeHainaut in the loser’s bracket.
Women’s Track & Field: Sat. Feb. 25
The Yellow Jackets women’s track & field team traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, Saturday afternoon for the HCAC Conference Indoor Championships at Mount St. Joseph University. Ten schools competed in the HCAC Conference Indoor Championships, including Mount St. Joseph University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Manchester University, Earlham College, Hanover College, Franklin College, Transylvania University, Bluffton University, and Anderson University. Defiance finished in 7th place as a team. Senior Lisa-Maria Markau won the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:01.50. This effort was also a new personal best for Markau. Freshman Shyla Pemberton also competed in the 400 meter dash, where she finished in 7th place with a time of 1:04.20. Markau also finished in 2nd place in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.62.
Men’s Track & Field: Sat. Feb. 25
The Defiance College men’s track & field team traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, Saturday afternoon for the HCAC Conference Indoor Championships at Mount St. Joseph University. Ten schools competed in the HCAC Conference Indoor Championships, including Mount St. Joseph University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Manchester University, Earlham College, Hanover College, Franklin College, Transylvania University, Bluffton University, and Anderson University. Defiance finished in 10th place as a team. The 4×200 meter relay team of junior Daniel Budwah, sophomore Gavin Maratea, freshman Marlon Brown, and freshman Isaac Miler finished in 5th place with a time of 1:33.96. Freshman Marlon Brown finished in 4th place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 51.08, while sophomore Gavin Maratea recorded a time of 56.85 seconds, a new personal best. Senior Ja’Qway Janvier completed the 60 meter dash in 7.08 seconds, which was good for a 5th place finish. Freshman Landon Sensmeier set a new personal best in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.82 seconds.
Women’s Golf: Sat. Feb. 25 and Sun. Feb. 26
The Yellow Jackets women’s golf team traveled to Joelton, Tennessee, Saturday morning for the two-day Music City Shootout at Nashville National Golf Links. Nine schools competed in the Music City Shootout, including Mount St. Joseph University, Otterbein University, Ohio Northern University, St. Mary of the Woods College, Manchester University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Bluffton University, and Hanover College. Defiance finished in 7th place as a team with a combined score of 758. Otterbein University took home the team victory with a combined score of 626. Sophomore Isabelle Vance was the highest finishing golfer with a 28th place finish (186), while freshman Cassady Van Dyke finished in 32nd (188). Senior Mari Najar finished in 35th with a score of 190, while sophomore Winter Boroff finished in 38th with a score of 194. Junior Taylor Greilich was the fifth and final Yellow Jackets’ golfer, and she finished 47th with a score of 209.
Away
Friday, Mar. 3
Men’s Track & Field at Ohio Northern University (Polar Bear Final Qualifier)
(TBA)
Women’s Track & Field at Ohio Northern University (Polar Bear Final Qualifier)
(TBA)
Saturday, Mar. 4
Men’s Track & Field at Ohio Northern University (Polar Bear Final Qualifier)
(TBA)
Women’s Track & Field at Ohio Northern University (Polar Bear Final Qualifier)
I am excited and proud to introduce you to Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Marsha was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist.
One of the main events that Marsha was known for was that she was credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. Growing up as a child, Marsha dealt with many challenges due to her Christain upbringing. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to Greenwich Village in New York City. While she was in New York, she was homeless and prostituted herself to make ends meet. Throughout her struggles, she found joy as a drag queen amidst the nightlife of Christopher Street. In order to save money, Marsha made most of her costumes herself.
She quickly found success and was an influential and inspirational person in the LGBTQ community, where she served as a “drag mother” She helped the homeless and struggling LGBTQ youth and toured the world as a successful drag queen with the Hot Peaches. She was known for her outlandish hats and glamorous jewelry. She was also very fearless and bold. Despite her difficulties with mental illness and numerous police encounters, whenever she was asked what the “P” in her name stood for and when people pried about her gender or sexuality, she answered back with “pay it no mind.”
Sadly on July 6, 1992, at the age of 46, Marsha’s body was found in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. The police ruled that she had committed suicide despite claims from her friends and other members of the local community that she was not suicidal.
However, twenty-five years later, Victoria Cruz, a crime victim advocate of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, reopened the case. Johnson’s story is featured in Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson (2012) and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, and Happy Birthday Marsha (2017). In 2015, the Marsha P. Johnson institution was established. Its mission is to defend and protect the human rights of transgender and gender non-conforming communities. To finalize, Marsha is honored as a Stonewall instigator, a drag queen, an Andy Warhol model, an actress, and a revolutionary trans activist.
Everything, Everything, by #1 New York Times Bestselling author Nicola Loon is a dramatic love story. The story is set mostly in Madeline Whitter’s house. The love that Olly and Madeline want is one major thing that keeps readers coming back for more and, along with the major plot twist at the end keeps these readers on their toes.
Madeline Whitter has a disease, but this isn’t just any disease; it makes her allergic to the world. She is not allowed to leave her house because of this disease. The only person that she has contact with is her mom and her nurse, leaving her to spend a lot of time alone. The home next door to her house is for sale and was finally purchased by another family, and as the moving trucks start showing up, she sees a boy approximately her age. She watches him out the window, and once he notices they start messaging through an online chat room, and this is where the love story starts.
While the love that Olly and Madeline show for one another brings the readers back, there are a lot of things that also keep readers attention. This is a story that has such an interesting storyline with the main character not being able to leave her house, which is a huge obstacle that she has to work through. The ending is also something that leaves me thinking about it. This book has a lot of ups and downs, it definitely is a good read, though.
Overall, I give this book a 4/5. This was a very good read, and there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from this book.
First things first, if you’re not a fan of Paul Rudd, you need to leave. You can come back once you’ve come to your senses. Second thing second, don’t read anything Rotten Tomatoes has to say. Someone (unfortunately, not me) needs to go throw some rotten tomatoes at their reviewers. Now, back to business. OMG, I LOVED THIS MOVIE SO MUCH. LIKE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Sorry, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I really did love this movie, though. From the first second, I was hooked. I love Paul Rudd, and I love the life he brings to Ant-Man. I love the chemistry he has with all the other characters. Speaking of other characters, I support the recasting of Cassie Lang. I’m sure the actress from Endgame could’ve been great, but Kathryn Newton is an excellent replacement. I loved their father/daughter’s relationship, and their bond was such a HUGE part of the film. (That was a joke. Please laugh. Please.)
The most bad-booty star of the film, however, was Michael Douglas’s Hank Pym. He was so freaking amazing that I can’t even put it into words. The best part of the film is when he appears at the end. If you know, you know. I know we all met Jonathon Major’s character Kang the Conqueror, during Loki, so we knew what to expect, but he was phenomenal. I am so glad he is the MCUs next big bad. I think he is going to do great things with all of his variants.
As with all other Marvel movies, make sure you stay until THE VERY END OF THE CREDITS. You will not be disappointed; I wasn’t. I jumped out of my seat and squealed like a 3-year-old toddler. My dates (still my younger brother and sister) were embarrassed to be near me during it. It was not a pretty sight. All in all, I loved this movie. I give it a 7/10; go watch it. Now.
The guy I like doesn’t like me back. I’m not even sure if he knows I exist. It makes me really upset, and I don’t know what to do. Please help me.
#Sadgirl
Dear #Sadgirl,
In the yellowjacket community, males die after we get busy with our queen. Luckily, I live on a college campus and have no queen. Due to this information (and my lack of love life) I’m going to pass this question over to a friend of mine. Her name is Adora, and she is a Lovebird all the way from Madagascar.
Buzz
Dear #Sadgirl
My dear, I am overjoyed Buzz reached out to me for love advice. I just love love. I have been with my partner, Romeo, for ten years, and we couldn’t be happier! However, we have had our ups and downs. When I first met my partner, he was in the middle of another courtship (she was soooo not the one), but that didn’t stop me from noticing Romeo. However, my sweet Romeo didn’t notice me. I knew I had to play the long game. I became his friend (everyone knows that starting out as friends make the best relationships), and once we started to hang out, our feelings grew like feathers. Sometimes, becoming friends with the person you like smushes those feelings, but other times it makes the feelings stronger. You need to become friends with the guy you like. If you’re already friends, then I recommend putting the moves out. In the aviary community, some people dance. I do not recommend dancing. Drop a cute line, flirt a little, and hang out alone. If these don’t work, then pull on your big girl pants, text him and tell him how you feel, and then pretend to sleep (aka panic) for the next eight hours. After you “wake up,” read his response and start the relationship or continue the friendship. Please, darling, let me know how it goes.
I would like to introduce you to Kimberly Kuiper. She is the Assistant Professor of Communication Studies. She has been a faculty member at Defiance College since 2021. She decided to stay at Defiance College as a faculty member because of the students, the class size, the flexibility in teaching, and the McMasters Program. Her favorite thing about Defiance College is the students. She has a word wall outside her office with words and their meanings that anyone can add to.
Dr. Kuiper attended Bowling Green State University to earn her Ph. D. in media and communications. Some things really motivate her to work hard at what she does. Some of those things are that she loves what she does, communication in general, and learning new things.
During the interview, I asked some personal questions to Dr. Kuiper. When asked if she could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be, she responded, “hiking in the mountains with a picnic or a full day at the beach where I read, swim, and chill out.” Dr. Kuiper’s favorite food is sushi. The last question that was asked was what her two pet peeves are. In the interview, she gave me three pet peeves: the letter “U” is not a word, leaving the milk on the counter, and not changing the toilet paper roll.
2/14: Defiance (OT) 99 (7-17), Earlham College 97 (5-19)
The Yellow Jackets’ celebrate after senior Jabryis Heidelberg scored the game-winning free throws!
The Defiance College men’s basketball team welcomed the Earlham Quakers to the Karl H. Weaner Center Tuesday evening for an HCAC conference showdown. The starters in this contest included (senior) Te Jones, (sophomore) Landen Swanner, (sophomore) Clay McCorkle, (freshman) Cole Wojciechowski, and (freshman) Jakob Trevino. Fifteen seconds into the contest (19:45 left in the 1st), senior Jaden Terry scored the first points of the game for Earlham, as he managed to fight his way to the rim for the layup (2-0). Twenty-four seconds later (19:22 left in the 1st), senior Tommy Makabu punched in a layup of his own following a missed basket from freshman Jakob Trevino, which put the Quakers up 4-0 early. Earlham would end up scoring the first six points of the contest, before senior Te Jones finally put the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard with 17:08 left in the first half, as he converted on an open layup (6-2). The Quakers would stretch out to a nine-point lead (13-4) with 15:56 left in the first half, as Defiance simply was having a lot of difficulties finding the bottom of the net. With 13:13 left in the first half, junior Sherod Brooks would splash home the Yellow Jackets’ first triple of the contest and cut the Defiance deficit to six (13-7), but that did not last long. Earlham would respond to Brooks’s triple by going on an 11-0 scoring run over the course of the next three and a half minutes (9:46 left in the 1st) to take a seventeen point lead (24-7). Junior Sherod Brooks would knock down another triple with 9:23 left in the first half to end the Quakers scoring run (24-10), but that would unfortunately lead to another big scoring run. Earlham would go on another run this time 8-2, as they found themselves up by nineteen (32-13) with 5:20 left until the half. Defiance would outscore the Quakers 15-6 in the final five minutes of the first half, as the Yellow Jackets cut the deficit down to ten (38-28) into the halftime break. Defiance and Earlham would go back and forth scoring the basketball in the first five minutes of the second half, as the Yellow Jackets trailed by eleven (53-42) with 15:00 left to play. This is the moment that Defiance took off, however, as they would go on a quick 5-0 scoring run in just one minute of play (14:00 left) to cut the deficit to six (53-47). The Quakers would respond with a quick 6-2 scoring run of their own over the next thirty-four seconds as they regained a double-digit lead of ten (59-49) with 12:55 left to play. With 11:42 left, Defiance found themselves down by twelve (64-52) as senior Jaden Terry converted on an old-fashioned three-point play following a foul by freshman Evan Conrad. The Yellow Jackets would still trail by twelve (65-53) with 10:54 left. Defiance would trail by 10 (71-61) with 7:54 left, but from this point on, the Yellow Jackets would start gaining steam. Forty-nine seconds later (7:05 left), Defiance had cut the deficit to just five (72-67) following a pair of triples from senior Jerome Johnson. The Quakers would stretch the lead back to eight (79-71) with 3:58 left in regulation, but the Yellow Jackets would keep fighting back. With 3:46 left, senior Jerome Johnson splashed home another three-pointer, this time a contested one, which put Defiance back to within five (79-74). This time, the Yellow Jackets would keep with the Quakers as they still trailed by five (83-78) with 2:08 left. With 1:51 left, senior Te Jones added his name to the Defiance second-half three-point barrage, as he splashed home a triple from the left corner to cut the deficit to just two (83-81). Senior Jabryis Heidelberg would tie the game at 83 apiece with 1:28 left in regulation, as he managed to run past the Earlham defense for the layup off an assist from sophomore Landen Swanner. With just twenty-nine seconds left, Defiance would take their first lead of the entire game, 87-85, after senior Te Jones connected on a pair of free-throws at the charity stripe following a foul by senior Tommy Makabu. The Yellow Jackets lead would not last long, however, as freshman James Holder tied the game back up at 87, following a foul by junior Sherod Brooks. Defiance would tick off the clock and try to set something up for a basket in the final seconds, but unfortunately, they were unable to put up a shot before the buzzer went off, which sent the game into overtime. The first basket of overtime came forty-eight seconds in (4:12 left in OT), as senior Jabryis Heidelberg converted on an open layup (89-87). Fifty seconds later (3:22 left in OT), senior Jaden Terry tied the game back up at 89, as he splashed home a pair of free-throws following a foul by junior Sherod Brooks. With 3:09 left, the Yellow Jackets took their largest lead of the night thus far at three (92-89), as senior Jerome Johnson did what “Jerome Johnson does”, splashing home a triple from beyond the arc. After a layup by freshman Joffrey Nunnally with 2:53 left in overtime (92-91), senior Jerome Johnson hit his fifth three-pointer of the game (on just six attempts), this one from the left wing, which put Defiance up by four (95-91) with 2:35 left. With just fifty-seven seconds left in overtime, senior Tommy Makabu connected on a mid-range jumper for Earlham as he pushed the Quakers even closer to within two (97-95). After a (senior) Jabryis Heidelberg missed a layup with thirty-one seconds left, senior Jaden Terry was able to convert on a deep jumper from atop the arc, which tied the game at 97 with just fourteen seconds left. The Yellow Jackets had the ball for the final possession and they decided to take the last shot, but they were unable to connect. Just as fans thought we were going to a second overtime, the refs called a foul on Earlham senior Tommy Makabu (with 0.5 seconds left), which sent senior Jabryis Heidelberg to the free-throw line with two shot opportunities to win the game. Jabryis not only connected on the first free-throw, but he splashed home the second free-throw as well, to give Defiance the incredible come from behind victory 99-97. Defiance finished with four players in double-figures, including senior Te Jones (24), sophomore Landen Swanner (19), senior Jabryis Heidelberg (16), and senior Jerome Johnson (15). Earlham also finished with four players in double-figures, including senior Jaden Terry, who finished with an impressive 42 points, freshman James Holder with 17, senior Tommy Makabu with 16, and freshman Joffrey Nunnally with 16. The Yellow Jackets shot 50% (32-64) from the field, while the Quakers shot 49.3% (35-71). Defiance hit 17 threes in this contest (on just twenty-five attempts), shooting 68%, while Earlham shot 21.4% (3-14) from beyond the arc. Both teams shot incredibly well from the free-throw line as the Yellow Jackets shot 90% (18-20), compared to the Quaker’s 88.9% (24-27). Defiance out-rebounded Earlham slightly 37-35. Bench points were the difference in this contest, as the Yellow Jackets dominated this category 40-2.
When senior Grant Johnson was asked by The Defender about his thoughts following Tuesday’s overtime victory over Earlham, he expressed, “Tonight was a great team win. We pulled together and battled throughout the night, even when our backs were against the wall. We continued to fight to force overtime, and we brought that same energy into overtime, which allowed us to be victorious.“
2/17: Bluffton University 63 (6-19), Defiance 42 (7-18)
The Yellow Jackets men’s basketball team hosted HCAC conference rival, the Bluffton Beavers, at the Karl H. Weaner Center Friday evening as a part of senior night festivities. Defiance seniors Dejsani Beamon, Grant Johnson, Jabryis Heidelburg, Jerome Johnson, Te Jones, and Easton Lewis were recognized during the festivities. The starters in this contest included (senior) Te Jones, (senior) Jerome Johnson, (senior) Grant Johnson, (senior) Jabryis Heidelberg, and (senior) Easton Lewis. One minute and nineteen seconds into the contest (18:41 left in the 1st), senior Easton Lewis fought his way past his defender and scored an easy layup, which put Defiance on the scoreboard first (2-0). Nearly three minutes into the game (17:04 left in the 1st), sophomore Connor Martin scored the Beavers first points of the contest, as he battled his way inside for a layup (2-2). Senior Jabryis Heidelberg would quickly respond to Martin’s basket, as Heidelberg maneuvered his way inside for a layup of his own twenty-six seconds later (16:38 left in the 1st), as he put Defiance back ahead 4-2. Both teams would trade baskets for the next three minutes, as the game was tied at six at the under 14-minute media timeout. Senior Easton Lewis was called on a foul just prior to the media timeout, which sent sophomore Connor Martin to the free-throw line for two shots. Martin would split the pair of attempts at the line, which gave Bluffton a 7-6 lead with 13:35 left in the first half. The next basket would come nearly two minutes later (11:40 left in the 1st), as junior Cam Rogers connected on a mid-range jump shot (9-6). Both teams were “cold” shooting the ball, as Bluffton only had a 11-6 lead at the midway point of the first half. The Beavers would extend their lead to seven (13-6) with 9:21 left in the half, as freshman JD Stokes converted on an open layup. Nearly a minute later (8:34 left in the 1st), Bluffton would build their lead to nine (15-6) as senior Mike Ketner managed to fight his way inside for a layup. With 7:43 left in the first half, junior Michael Stammen converted on a pair of free-throws at the line following a foul by senior Te Jones, which put the Beavers up by double-digits at eleven (17-6). Senior Kiewaun Graham would finally end the over seven-minute Yellow Jackets’ drought with 7:18 left in the first half, as he managed to score a layup off an assist from sophomore Landen Swanner (17-8). Defiance would start to “warm up” in the minutes ahead, as they would go on a 4-2 scoring run in the ensuing two and a half minutes after Graham’s layup, to cut the deficit to seven (19-12) with 4:51 left until the half. Freshman’s Nevin Robson and JD Stokes would score the next two baskets of the game (both for Bluffton) as they both scored a layup to stretch the Beavers lead back to eleven (23-12). With 2:40 left until the halftime break, sophomore Landen Swanner splashed home a triple from the right wing for Defiance, as he trimmed the Yellow Jackets deficit to eight (23-15). Sophomore Connor Martin would go back to the free-throw line for a pair of free-throws with 1:28 left in the first half, and he would split the pair to put Bluffton ahead by nine (24-15). Sophomore Landen Swanner would score once again, this time from mid-range, with 1:13 left in the opening half as he managed to find separation between himself and his defender (24-17). With forty-five seconds left in the first half, freshman Brady Wheeler converted on a layup, and this put the Beavers back ahead by nine (26-17). Both teams would struggle to score in the final forty-five seconds of the first half, as Bluffton maintained a 26-17 lead into the locker room. One minute and twenty-four seconds into the second half (18:36 left), senior Ryan Rose splashed home a triple for the Beavers, and this three-pointer put Bluffton up a baker’s dozen (29-17). Nearly a minute later (17:42 left), senior Jerome Johnson splashed home a triple of his own, which cut the deficit to eight (29-21). The Beavers would quickly respond to Johnson’s triple, as thirty-four seconds later (17:08 left), junior Michael Stammen connected on a three-pointer from the left wing (32-21). The three-point shootout continued on as senior Jabryis Heidelberg added his name to the three-point “barrage” as he splashed home a triple from the left wing (15:52 left) to cut the Yellow Jackets deficit back to eight (32-24). Following the under 16-minute media timeout, senior Te Jones cut the score to 32-26, after he managed to fight his way past his defender for an open layup. One minute and two seconds later (14:18 left), senior Grant Johnson splashed home an open triple from the left wing off an assist from senior Jabryis Heidelberg, which now made it a 8-0 Yellow Jackets’ scoring run (32-29). Defiance’s run would come to an end with 12:58 left, as senior Miguel Ringer was able to put in a contested layup (34-29). Senior Te Jones would respond with a made mid-range jumper twenty-two seconds later (12:36 left), as he rose up for a shot from atop the arc. Following the under 12-minute media timeout, freshman Brady Wheeler split a pair of free-throws following a foul by senior Kiewaun Graham, which put the Beavers back ahead by four (35-31). Wheeler’s free-throw kickstarted a 5-0 Bluffton scoring run that came to an end just past the midway point of the first half (9:56 left). Senior Te Jones would be the one who ended the Beavers run, as Jones converted on a pair of free-throws following a foul by junior Cam Rogers (39-33). With 9:27 left, Senior Miguel Ringer would push the Bluffton lead back to eight (41-33), as he managed to find separation in the Defiance defense for an open layup. Sophomore Landen Swanner would hit a big three with 7:53 left, as senior Te Jones provided the assist on the triple. Swanner’s triple cut the Defiance deficit to five (41-36). Just eighteen seconds after Swanner’s bucket (7:35 left), freshman Brady Wheeler connected on once again another layup, as he put Bluffton ahead by seven (43-36). Wheeler’s layup kickstarted another Beavers’ scoring run, as Bluffton would go on a 13-0 run over the next four minutes (3:49 left) to take a eighteen-point lead (54-36). With 3:37 left, senior Jabryis Heidelberg ended the long Defiance scoring drought, as he managed to convert on an old-fashioned three-point play following a foul by freshman Nevin Robson (54-39). The Beavers would outscore the Yellow Jackets 9-3 in the remaining three and a half minutes, as they picked up the victory 63-42. Bluffton finished with a pair of players in double-figures, including senior Miguel Ringer with 15 points and freshman Brady Wheeler with 14. Defiance also finished with a pair of players in double-figures including sophomore Landen Swanner with 11 points and senior Jabryis Heidelberg with 10. The Beavers shot 42% (21-50) from the field, while the Yellow Jackets shot 27.3% (15-55). Both teams struggled from three-point range as Bluffton shot 21.4% (3-14), compared to Defiance’s 20% (6-30). The Beavers shot 64.3% (18-28) from the free-throw line, while the Yellow Jackets shot 54.5% (6-11). Bluffton out-rebounded Defiance 47-31. The Beavers bench outscored the Yellow Jackets bench 31-14. Bluffton dominated the points in the paint category 32-14.
Women’s Basketball: Tue. Feb. 14 and Fri. Feb. 17
2/14: Defiance 71 (8-16), Earlham College 58 (2-20)
The Defiance College women’s basketball team traveled to Richmond, Indiana, Tuesday evening for an HCAC conference showdown against the Earlham Quakers. The starters in this contest included (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Taylor Steinbrunner, (senior) Nicole Sims, (senior) Lexie Sparks, and (senior) Lauren Criblez. Forty-one seconds into the contest (9:19 left in the 1st), senior Nicole Sims scored the first points of the game for Defiance, as she managed to find separation in the Earlham defense for the layup (2-0). With 8:42 left in the opening quarter, senior Neely Trenshaw tied things up at two apiece, as she knocked down a mid-range jumper off an assist from sophomore Amari Bradford. The Yellow Jackets would retake the lead fifty-nine seconds later (7:43 left in the 1st), as senior Taylor Steinbrunner splashed home a triple from the right wing (5-2). After the assist on an earlier possession, sophomore Amari Bradford decided to score for herself with 7:10 left in the first quarter, as she knocked down a jumper from close-range (5-4). Defiance would lose the lead with 6:33 left in the 1st, following a layup from sophomore Willow Runyon (6-5). Fifteen seconds later (6:18 left in the 1st), senior Taylor Steinbrunner would give the Yellow Jackets the lead back 7-6, as she capitalized off an open lane to the bucket. Steinbrunner’s layup kickstarted a 5-0 Defiance scoring run, as Defiance stretched out to a four-point lead (10-6) with 5:42 left in the first quarter. Both teams would trade baskets for the next four minutes, as the Yellow Jackets found themselves up by three (16-13) with less than 50 seconds left in the opening quarter. Freshman Kalista Friday would extend the Defiance lead to eight (21-13) at the end of the first quarter, after she finished the final thirty-nine seconds of the quarter on a 5-0 scoring run of her own. Senior Neely Trenshaw would knock down another mid-range jumper eleven seconds into the second quarter (9:49 left in the 2nd) to trim the Earlham deficit to six (21-15). Twelve seconds later (9:37 left in the 2nd), freshman Kalista Friday continued off her first-quarter scoring streak, as she connected on a mid-range jumper from the left wing to put the Yellow Jackets back up eight (23-15). With 7:47 left in the second quarter, senior Kinzi Brooks splashed home her first triple of the contest for the Quakers, which cut the deficit to five (23-18). The triple by Brooks started what would lead to a 7-0 scoring run for Earlham in the next couple of minutes, as the Quakers found themselves only down by one (23-22) with 6:55 left until the half. The Yellow Jackets then went on a 6-0 scoring of their own, as they were back up seven (29-22) at the midway point of the second quarter. Earlham would match Defiance’s energy for nearly the next three minutes of the quarter, until senior Taylor Steinbrunner splashed home a triple (2:13 left in the 2nd) from the right wing to extend the Yellow Jackets lead to nine (35-26). With just twenty-three seconds left in the first half, graduate Taylor Day would push the Defiance lead to double-figures at eleven (37-26) and that would be the final score of the half. Fifty-two seconds into the third quarter (9:08 left in the 3rd), senior Kylie Brinkman splashed home a triple from the left wing, which extended the Yellow Jackets lead to fourteen (40-26). With 7:38 left in the third quarter, sophomore Amari Bradford cut the Quakers deficit to eleven (40-29) as she splashed home a triple of her own from the right wing. At the midway point of the third quarter, Defiance was up by fourteen (45-31). Eight seconds past the midway point (4:52 left in the 3rd), freshman Kalista Friday splashed home a contested triple from the left wing, which put the Yellow Jackets up sixteen (47-31). Friday’s triple would lead to a 7-1 Defiance run in the next two minutes (2:33 left in the 3rd), as the Yellow Jackets extended out to a nineteen point lead (51-32). At the end of the third quarter, Defiance had a sixteen point lead (56-40). With 8:54 left, junior Cait Good splashed home her first points of the contest, as she connected on a triple from the right wing (61-42). Good would knock down another triple with 6:00 left, for her second three-pointer of the contest, off an assist from senior McKenzie Cooper (65-46). The Yellow Jackets would finish strong in the final six minutes of the contest, as they picked up the victory 71-58. Defiance finished with a trio of players in double-figures including senior Taylor Steinbrunner with 16 points, senior Lexie Sparks with 13, and freshman Kalista Friday with 12. Earlham also finished with a trio of players in double-figures including senior Neely Trenshaw with 13 points, sophomore Alexis Gibson with 13, and sophomore Jay Bright with 10. Defiance shot 40.9% (27-66) from the field, while Earlham shot 36.5% (23-63). The Quakers shot 33.3% (7-21) from three-point range, while the Yellow Jackers shot a close 31.6% (6-19). Defiance shot 64.7% (11-17) from the charity stripe, while Earlham shot 55.6% (5-9). The Yellow Jackets out-rebounded the Quakers 48-32, including a 13-7 offensive rebound advantage.
2/17: Defiance (2OT) 85 (9-16), Bluffton University 82 (15-9)
The Yellow Jackets women’s basketball team hosted HCAC conference rival, the Bluffton Beavers, at the Karl H. Weaner Center Friday evening as a part of senior night festivities. Defiance seniors Kylie Brinkman, McKenzie Cooper, Cait Good, Nicole Sims, Lexie Sparks, Lauren Criblez, and Taylor Steinbrunner were recognized during the festivities. The starters in this contest included (graduate) Taylor Day, (senior) Nicole Sims, (senior) Lexie Sparks, (senior) Lauren Criblez, and (sophomore) Teagan Hunt. Forty-four seconds into the contest (9:16 left in the 1st), freshman Katie Newhart scored the Beavers first points of the game, as she was able to find separation in the Defiance defense for the layup (2-0). The Yellow Jackets would score their first points nearly three minutes into the contest (7:04 left in the 1st), as sophomore Teagan Hunt connected on a mid-range jump shot (4-2). With 6:48 left in the opening quarter, sophomore Kayla Prigge splashed home a right wing triple off an assist from junior Maddie Fitzpatrick, which allowed Bluffton to stretch out to an early five-point lead (7-2). Nearly two minutes later (4:58 left in the 1st), freshman Kalista Friday would respond with a triple of her own, as she converted on an attempt from the left wing (7-5). Senior Sammy Shardo would score a layup with 3:42 left in the opening quarter to put the Beavers lead back to four, but Kalista Friday would once again respond as she converted on a mid-range jumper just nineteen seconds later (3:23 left in the 1st) to cut the Defiance deficit to two (9-7). Following Friday’s mid-range jumper, Bluffton would explode with an 8-2 scoring run in the final three minutes of the opening quarter, as the Beavers led by eight (17-9) to start the second quarter. Nine seconds into the second quarter (9:51 left in the 2nd), senior Sammy Shardo would splash home yet another triple from downtown, this time from the right wing, as she extended the Beavers lead to eleven (20-9). Senior Lexie Sparks would split a pair of free-throws at the line thirty-two seconds later (9:19 left in the 2nd), as she cut the deficit to ten (20-10). Both teams would trade baskets for the next five minutes of play, as Bluffton led by nine (25-16) at the under four-minute media timeout (3:56 left in the 2nd). With 3:10 left until halftime, senior Morgan Smith pushed the Beavers lead back to eleven (27-16), as she connected on a pair of free-throws following a foul by senior Cait Good. Senior McKenzie Cooper would respond with a pair of made free-throws of her own with 2:30 left in the second quarter, as she was fouled by Bluffton senior Peyton Henry (27-18). Cooper’s free throws put the game back within single-digits, at nine. With just forty-six seconds left in the first half, sophomore Kayla Prigge would push the Beavers lead back to double-digits at ten (28-18), as she split a pair of free-throws at the line following a foul by senior McKenzie Cooper. The Yellow Jackets would end the first half on a 4-0 scoring run, as freshman Kalista Friday splashed home four consecutive free-throw opportunities, to cut the Defiance deficit to six (28-22) into the halftime break. Freshman Kalista Friday led the Yellow Jackets in first-half points with 9, while senior Sammy Shardo led the Beavers with 8. Fourteen seconds into the third quarter (9:46 left in the 3rd), senior Morgan Smith found a mismatch in the Defiance defense and she was able to capitalize off it by driving to the rim for the open layup (30-22). With 8:13 left in the third quarter, senior Lexie Sparks responded with a layup of her own, as she drove past the Beavers defense (30-24). Twenty-two seconds later (7:55 left in the 3rd), sophomore Kayla Prigge splashed home a triple from the left wing, which put Bluffton back up nine (33-24). Defiance would respond as they went on a huge 9-2 scoring run in the ensuing two and a half minutes (5:26 left in the 3rd), as Defiance found themselves only down by two (35-33). Following a 30-second timeout, Bluffton junior Maddie Fitzpatrick splashed home a triple from the right wing (5:15 left in the 3rd) to end the Yellow Jackets scoring run and also put the Beavers back up five (38-33). Nearly a minute later (4:16 left in the 3rd), freshman Lacie Fenstermaker stretched the Bluffton lead back to six (39-33), as she split of pair of free-throws at the line following a foul by senior McKenzie Cooper. The Yellow Jackets would once again respond though, as graduate Taylor Day converted on a layup (3:56 left in the 3rd) and freshman Kalista Friday made a mid-range jump shot (3:31 left in the 3rd), which cut the Defiance deficit back to two once again at 39-37. In the final three and a half minutes of the third quarter, Bluffton outscored Defiance 11-7, as the Beavers took a six-point lead (50-44) into the fourth quarter. Senior Peyton Henry started the fourth quarter off strong as she splashed home a triple forty-one seconds into the fourth (9:19 left) from the left wing, which put Bluffton back up by nine (53-44). With 6:53 left to play, freshman Kalista Friday would trim Defiance’s deficit back to within seven (56-49), as she splashed home a three-pointer from atop of the arc. One minute and one second later (5:42 left), senior Lexie Sparks cut into the Bluffton lead even further as she managed to fight her way past her defender for the open layup (56-51). The Yellow Jackets would continue scoring as they ended up going on a 7-0 scoring run, which helped cut the Defiance deficit to two (56-54) with 4:35 left to play. Both teams would go “cold” for nearly the next minute and a half, until senior Morgan Smith would split a pair of free-throws at the line (3:10 left) for Bluffton to put the lead at three (57-54). With 2:33 left, sophomore Kayla Prigge came up big once again for the Beavers, as she connected on an open layup from the left side of the rim (59-54). Sixteen seconds later (2:17 left), junior Cait Good trimmed the Defiance deficit back to within a single possession (at three) as she managed to fight her way through the Bluffton defense for a layup of her own (59-56). The next score would come with just fifty-eight seconds remaining, as sophomore Olivia Zender connected on a pair of free-throws at the line to give Bluffton a five-point lead (61-56). The Yellow Jackets would respond with a quick triple from freshman Addy Allen just seven seconds later (0:51 left) which cut the Defiance deficit back to two once again at 61-59. With twenty-one seconds left Bluffton had the ball with an opportunity to add to their two-point advantage, but unfortunate for them they turned the ball over, which provided Defiance with opportunity to either tie or win the game (0:14 left). On the ensuing Yellow Jackets possession, senior Lexie Sparks had a good look at a layup to tie the game, but she missed it, however, freshman Kalista Friday was there to “save the day” as she picked up the offensive rebound and was fouled immediately by sophomore Olivia Zender. Friday would splash home both free-throws at the charity stripe, which sent this game into overtime. Twenty-one seconds into overtime, sophomore Kayla Prigge split a pair of free-throws at the line, but this gave Bluffton the early lead 62-61. Nearly a minute later (3:48 left in OT), senior Sammy Shardo would splash home a triple from the left wing, which provided the Beavers with a somewhat comfortable four-point advantage (65-61). This comfort would not last long for Bluffton, however, as senior McKenzie Cooper splashed home a triple just seventeen seconds later (3:31 left in OT), to trim the Defiance deficit back to one (65-64). The Yellow Jackets were not done there as they would take the lead 66-65, following a made mid-range jump shot from freshman Addy Allen with 2:59 left. The next score would come with 1:04 left in overtime, as graduate Taylor Day would capitalize off a relaxing Bluffton defense for an open layup (68-65). With forty-nine seconds left in overtime, senior Cait Good would foul sophomore Olivia Zender, which sent her to the line for a pair of free-throws. Zender would convert on both free-throw attempts, as Bluffton cut the Yellow Jackets lead to one (68-67). With just ten seconds left, senior Sammy Shardo splashed home a triple for the Beavers which put them back ahead by two (70-68). Defiance was now in need of a bucket and with just three seconds left, senior McKenzie Cooper had a good look from mid-range, but it did not fall. Thankfully, fellow senior Cait Good had good position to grab the offensive rebound, and she was quickly fouled by senior Morgan Smith. With less than a second remaining, Good had two free-throws awaiting her with a chance to tie the game. Good would convert on both free-throw attempts, which sent this game into double overtime. Fourteen seconds into double overtime (4:46 left), sophomore Kayla Prigge pushed her way past the Defiance defense for an open layup (72-70). Senior Lexie Sparks would respond nearly a minute later (3:47 left in 2OT) with a layup of her own, as she tied things back up at 72. Prigge would convert on a pair of free-throws with 3:37 left to put Bluffton ahead by two, but that would not last long. With 3:08 left, senior McKenzie Cooper splashed home a triple and moments later senior Cait Good also splashed home a triple, which put Defiance ahead by four (78-74) with 2:36 left in double overtime. The Beavers would respond though, as junior Maddie Fitzpatrick drained a three with 2:19 left and this cut Bluffton’s deficit to one (78-77). Senior Sammy Shardo would end up tying the game at 80 apiece with 1:15 left, as she was able to splash home a triple following a layup from senior McKenzie Cooper. With just forty-one seconds remaining, junior Aliza Clark put Defiance back ahead by two, as she was able to find her way past the Bluffton defense for an open layup (82-80). Senior Sammy Shardo would end up tying the game once again at 82 this time, as she connected on a pair of free-throws at the line following a foul by senior McKenzie Cooper (0:28 left in 2OT). On the ensuing possession for Defiance, the Yellow Jackets decided to go slow and burn off some clock. With just thirteen seconds remaining, senior McKenzie Cooper had an open look at a layup for the win, but she was unable to connect, but thankfully senior Cait Good was there once again for Cooper, as Good grabbed the offensive rebound and put it up for two. This gave Defiance a slight two-point advantage 84-82 with just nine seconds left. Senior Morgan Smith would have a decent look at the basket with three seconds left, but she was unable to connect. Senior McKenzie Cooper was quickly fouled with just a second left on the scoreboard. Cooper made the first free-throw at the line, but missed the second. Sophomore Kayla Prigge grabbed the defensive rebound for Bluffton, but she was unable to put up a shot before the buzzer went off. Defiance picked up the double overtime victory 85-82. Defiance finished with a trio of players in double-figures including freshman Kalista Friday (21), senior McKenzie Cooper (15), and senior Lexie Sparks (12). Bluffton finished with four players in double-figures including senior Sammy Shardo (23), sophomore Kayla Prigge (14), senior Morgan Smith (11), and senior Peyton Henry (11). The Yellow Jackets shot 39.2% (31-79) from the field, while the Beavers shot 36% (27-75). Both teams shot well from beyond the arc as Defiance shot 50% (7-14), compared to Bluffton’s 45.2% (14-31). The Beavers shot 77.8% (14-18) from the free-throw line, while the Yellow Jackets shot 66.7% (16-24). Defiance out-rebounded Bluffton 58-42. The Yellow Jackets bench outscored the Beaver’s bench 56-43.
Wrestling: Wed. Feb. 15
The Defiance College wrestling team traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday evening to take part in the HCAC Duals at Mount St. Joseph University. Competing schools included Mount St. Joseph University and Manchester University. In the first dual matchup of the evening, the Yellow Jackets took on the Spartans. Defiance forfeited in the 125 weight class, while the 133 weight class was declared a no contest as neither team had a participant available. Sophomore Kliever Joseph (141), senior Alejandro Castro (157), senior Jack Minner (174), and senior Rigo Villa (285), each picked up wins for the Yellow Jackets. Castro and Minner both won by fall, while Villa earned an overtime victory by decision. Sophomore Kliever Joseph also won by decision. In the 149 weight class, freshman Jake Scoville lost to Manchester freshman Keagen Mabie by fall. Senior Keringten Martin in the 165 weight class, lost to senior Ellisston Ross by decision 9-5. In the 184 weight class, freshman Kelvin Ruffin lost by fall to senior Devontay Moore, while sophomore Joey Perez also lost by fall to senior Alex Searfoss in the 197 weight class. Manchester would pick up the dual victory 27-18. In the second and final dual matchup of the day, Defiance faced off against Mount St. Joseph. The 125 weight class was declared a no contest, as neither team has a wrestler available, while the Lions won the 133 weight class matchup by forfeit. Senior Alejandro Castro (157), senior Keringten Martin (165), and senior Rigo Villa (285), all won by decision. Senior Jack Minner (174) won by fall over freshman Noah Johnson. In the 141 weight class, sophomore Kliever Joseph lost by fall to sophomore Jake Cotsonas, while freshman Jake Scoville lost by major decision 14-5 to junior Jordan Zigo in the 149 weight class. Freshman Kelvin Ruffin in the 184 weight class, lost to junior Donovan Page by fall. Mount St. Joseph would pick up the dual victory 28-15.
Women’s Track & Field: Sat. Feb. 18
The Yellow Jackets women’s track & field team traveled to Springfield, Ohio, Saturday morning for the Wittenberg Invitational at Wittenberg University. Senior Lisa-Maria Markau finished fifth in the 60 meter dash finals, while sophomore Lexi Coward recorded a new personal best in the 800 meter run. Freshman Shyla Pemberton rounded out the Defiance runners as she set a new personal best in the 200 meter dash.
Men’s Track & Field: Sat. Feb. 18
The Defiance College men’s track & field team traveled to Springfield, Ohio, Saturday morning for the Wittenberg Invitational at Wittenberg University. Senior Ja’Qway Janvier finished eighth in the 60 meter dash finals with a time of 7.10 seconds, while freshman Marlon Brown finished second in the 400 meter dash. The 4 x 200m relay team of junior Daniel Budwah, sophomore Jonathan Wright-Daniel, sophomore Gavin Maratea, and freshman Isaac Miler completed it in 1:33.99 minutes.
Home
Sunday, Feb. 26
Baseball (0-0) vs Kalamazoo College (0-0)
Location: Defiance High School
(1:00 pm)
Away
Saturday, Feb. 25
Wrestling at Case Western Reserve University (NCAA Central Regionals Championship)
(10:00 am)
Women’s Golf at Nashville National Golf Links (Music City Shootout)
(TBD)
Softball (0-0) vs Carroll University (0-0) (Fontbonne Tournament)
(12:00 pm)
Baseball (0-0) vs Muskingum University (0-1) (Xavier University)
(1:00 pm)
Women’s Track & Field at Mount St. Joseph University (HCAC Indoor Championships)
(1:00 pm)
Men’s Track & Field at Mount St. Joseph University (HCAC Indoor Championships)
(1:00 pm)
Softball (0-0) vs Millikin University (0-0) (Fontbonne Tournament)
(4:00 pm)
Baseball (0-0) vs Muskingum University (0-1) (Xavier University)
(4:00 pm)
Sunday, Feb. 26
Wrestling at Case Western Reserve University (NCAA Central Regionals Championship)
(10:00 am)
Women’s Golf at Nashville National Golf Links (Music City Shootout)
(TBD)
Softball (0-0) vs Monmouth College (0-0) (Fontbonne Tournament)
(12:00 pm)
Softball (0-0) vs Illinois College (0-0) (Fontbonne Tournament)
Noah Pistory is double majoring in Exercise Science and Sports Management and will be graduating this Spring. I recently had a chance to sit down with him and chat about his experiences here at Defiance College as well as his future plans. His favorite memory of being here on campus was actually a fairly recent one. He said that beating Bluffton last fall in football was one of his best memories. He told me how cold it was that day and how difficult it was, but also how rewarding it was and “something I will never forget.”
In terms of future plans, he wants to go to grad school and hopefully be a teacher’s assistant while there. Before coming to Defiance College, he wanted to be a coach and came onto campus as an education major. However, he quickly realized that he had no desire to teach high schoolers, on the field or off, and changed his major. Now his career goals are more fitness oriented, and he wants to become a personal trainer. In fact, that is what he is doing through his internship right now at the YMCA.
College is an enriching experience for everyone, not just in the classroom, and Noah shared with me how much he grew just as a person over the last four years. He said that it taught him independence, “especially since I don’t live at home anymore over the summer.” He also shared how important time management had become and the leaps and bounds that he took in that particular life skill. He admitted that, as a freshman, he “was one of the most unorganized people ever, and now I keep a planner.” He went on to say that “it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I use that and Google Calendar every day, and was weird and still is weird to me.” He also shared that it helped him become more grown up in general, especially over the last few years while talking about grad school. Grad school is something he sees in his future, but he hasn’t chosen one yet.
If you see Noah around campus, make sure to congratulate him on making it to his senior year and, as always, don’t forget to come to graduation on May 13th to help Noah and all the other seniors celebrate their incredible accomplishments.
I would like to introduce you to, Nicole Hoffman. She is the Director of Service Learning and Study Abroad in the McMaster School. She also teaches FYE, GEN 201, and GEN 301 classes. She has been a faculty member at Defiance College since March 2021. She has always wanted to be a teacher, and her time here at Defiance College has led her to new opportunities in her career.
Nicole attended Northern Michigan in Spanish and International Studies for her undergrad. Then she went to Siena Heights University for her Masters. Nicole loves being at Defiance College because she gets to interact with students.
To get to know Professor Hoffman more personally, I asked her some questions. When asked the question “what is your favorite holiday and why”, Nichole answered, “Thanksgiving because I get to see family and the Detroit Lions play that day.” Nicole Hoffman is a Detroit sports fan because she grew up a fan of them. She likes the Detroit Lions and the Detroit Tigers. Professor Hoffman’s biggest fear is drowning. If money was not an issue for Nicole, she would travel the world. Nicole Hoffman has traveled to many places in her life, but her favorite is Peru because she has a connection with it.
She can be located in the McMasters Office in the library.
Three Dudes in Their Twenties is the latest passion project of three DC students who just so happen to be in their twenties, imagine that. Will Garlock, Grant Johnson, and Adam Tobin decided one day to make a podcast and the rest is history. Over the last several weeks, the three friends worked in their free time to get everything ready and turn a desolate room in Dana Hall into a production studio for their podcast.
As I’m sure you can imagine, this all didn’t come together in a day. In fact, it took several weeks of coordinating their busy schedules to make it work. They’ll be the first to admit that it was challenging and there were a lot of late-night trips to the store for supplies (Tobin once went four times in one day) and long hours spent getting everything ready. However, they seemed to think that the extra time that they put in actually helped them find their pace and really solidify what they wanted to do in terms of content.
The three were all really good friends before the process of making a podcast, but working together towards their common goal helped them bond even more. When Tobin came to campus as a freshman, he didn’t really make a ton of connections with people his first semester, but the second semester, he met Will and they became good friends. However, it wasn’t until Tobin became an RA that he really spent much time with Grant. After a few weeks, though, they became best friends, and the trio was formed.
After being friends for several months, Tobin started the idea of doing a podcast. However, this was not the first time that one of them had had the idea. Grant had actually worked with Dean Winslow last year to see what all would be involved in producing and publishing a podcast. However, the idea didn’t really get off the ground until Tobin brought it up. In a way, he was the spark that led to the creation of Three Dudes in Their Twenties. All three pointed out that, even though it was their idea, they could not have gotten to where they have without the outpouring of help and support from faculty and staff at Defiance College.
