Blog

By Caia Bevins

This week, we saw the end of one season and the beginning of another so let’s talk about it.

Men’s Basketball started off their season against Division 1 Cleveland State last Wednesday. They started off the game strong and stayed within ten points of the Vikings for the first several minutes but were soon overtaken by Cleveland, and they finished the first half with a score of 48-21. In the second half, the Jackets started off strong with two 3-pointers by #22 Landen Swanner, and #23 Evan Park scored two layups and a triple. The game ended with a score of 102-41. #23 Evan Park led with points scored, and #11 Clay McCorkle and #22 Landen Swanner led with two assists each. DC had a field goal percentage of 34%, had 22 rebounds, and 11 assists.

The Jackets kicked off the 48th annual Purple and Gold Tournament on Friday against Beloit and had a rough start, but were able to recover and went into the second half with a score of 44-32 in favor of Beloit. In the second half, the scores stayed fairly close until the end when the Buccaneers were able to pull away and create a 17-point lead, ending the game with a score of 81-64. #22 Landen Swanner led with points scored, #21 Cole Wojciechowski and #22 Landen Swanner tied with five rebounds each, and #0 Jacob Trevino and #23 Evan Park led with assists. Overall, the team ended with a field goal percentage of 48.1%, 35 rebounds, and 12 assists.

On the second day of the Purple and Gold Tournament, the Jackets played against Miami-Hamilton on Saturday. DC took an early lead in the game and were able to retain that lead throughout the first half, which ended with a score of 30-22. Going into the second half, the Jackets kept up their momentum and were able to best the Harriers in what ended up being a close game with a final score of 71-68. #33 Sherod Brooks led the team with points, #21 Cole Wojciechowski led in rebounds, and #22 Landen Swanner led with assists. Overall, DC ended with a field goal percentage of 44.2%, 30 rebounds, and 7 assists. At the end of the game, two players from each team were awarded all-tournament selections, and the two DC players honored were #22 Landen Swanner and #0 Jacob Trevino.

The Football team played their final game this season and their final game as a Division 3 NCAA team against Bluffton. The Beavers were the first to put points on the board with a touchdown in the first quarter, and they racked up three more touchdowns in the second. The Jackets scored their first touchdown in the second half after #23 Cooper Sloan caught a touchdown pass of 14 yards, and we went into the second half with a score of 21-7. If this team has proven anything over the last season, it is that they are a second-half team, and they proved it. We scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and another two in the fourth, while Bluffton scored only twice the entire second half. Despite a valiant effort, the Jackets were unable to pull off a win and lost 42-35. #9 Jordan Ambrose led in passing yards, and #0 Tyshaun Freeman led in rushing yards. Overall, the team ended with 243 passing yards, 203 rushing yards, and had a time of possession of 26:25.

By Hanna Young

Landen Swanner for the Yellow Jackets struck first, sinking a three pointer to give Defiance the first lead of the game. The scoring went back and forth for a while, Defiance still maintaining the lead majority of the first half. The Harriers earned a one-point lead early in the game after a foul shot. The Yellow Jackets answered with a three pointer by Landen Swanner and then a jump shot by Sherrod Brooks to add a few points to Defiance’s lead. With less than a minute left in the game, Will Gehlhausen made two three pointers to extend Defiance’s lead to 8 heading into halftime.

It was the Harriers who struck first in the second half, making a pair of free throws. Jakob Trevino swished a three pointer to score the first points of the half for Defiance. Miami-Hamilton gained the lead just once in the second half after a jump shot gave them a one point advantage. The lead was quickly regained by Defiance when Clay McCorkle swished his own jump shot. This was followed by a free throw by Cam Martin and then a three pointer by Clay McCorkle to extend the regained lead. The Yellow Jacket’s remained in the lead nearing the end of the second half going on a brief scoring run to keep Miami-Hamilton at bay. Landen Swanner made a three pointer, followed by a pair of free throws by Clay McCorkle. The Harriers then made a three pointer which was followed by a pair of free throws from Defiance’s Cole Wojciechowski. The Harriers score one final basket to end the game with a final score in favor of the Yellow Jackets 71-68.

The Yellow Jackets not only recorded the most points in the contest, but they also had the most rebounds, offensively and defensively. There were 37 rebounds, 26 of which were defensive. Cole Wojciechowski led the team in defensive rebounds with 6, followed by Will Gehlhausen and Cam Martin who each added 4. Sherrod Brooks, Jordyn Jury, and Cam Martin each captured 2 offensive rebounds for the Yellow Jackets. Sherrod Brooks led the team in points scored earning 13 points, Landen Swanner, and Clay McCorkle followed closely behind scoring 11 and 10 respectively. Sherrod Brooks also led the team in steals recording 3 of the team’s 5 steals. Defiance also recorded 19 assists, Landen Swanner led with 6, he was followed closely by Jakob Trevino who added in 4. 

The Yellow Jackets will be back in action on Saturday, November 18th 2023, against Kalamazoo at 2pm. 

By Hannah Feldman

The Christmas season is a time of joy, generosity, and celebration. However, the festivities often have a financial strain that can linger long after the last ornament is packed away. Crafting a thoughtful budget for the holiday season is crucial to ensure the merriment doesn’t become a financial burden.

To start, it’s essential to outline a comprehensive list of all anticipated expenses. This includes gifts, decorations, travel, food, and any other festive activities. By clearly understanding what is needed, one can allocate funds accordingly and avoid last-minute splurges.

Setting a realistic spending limit for each category is the next crucial step. Consider your overall financial situation and determine how much you can comfortably allocate to holiday expenses without compromising your financial stability. Be honest with yourself about what you can afford, and resist the urge to overspend in the spirit of the season.

Embracing a cash-based approach can be a powerful tool during the holiday season. Using cash for purchases instead of credit cards makes it easier to track spending and resist the temptation to go over budget. This also helps prevent the accumulation of post-holiday debt, allowing you to enter the new year on solid financial ground.

Another valuable strategy is to start early. Begin your holiday shopping well in advance to take advantage of sales and discounts. This stretches your budget further and reduces the stress associated with last-minute shopping.

Consider alternative gift-giving approaches, such as homemade gifts or organizing a Secret Santa among family and friends. This adds a personal touch to the season and eases the financial burden for everyone involved.

Lastly, embrace the spirit of frugality. Look for cost-effective ways to celebrate, whether it’s through DIY decorations or potluck-style gatherings. The focus should be on creating meaningful moments rather than extravagant expenditures. A well-thought-out budget is the key to enjoying a festive Christmas season without the looming shadow of financial stress. By planning, setting realistic limits, and embracing frugality, you can ensure that the season of giving doesn’t become a season of financial strain.

By Caia Bevins

It was a slow week for women’s sports as only volleyball played, so let’s discuss.

They played against Bluffton on Wednesday and went for four sets, with the scores being 18-25, 25-22, 18-25, and 8-25, respectively. In the first set, the Jackets started off strong and took the lead, but the Beavers responded quickly and took back the lead. They went back and forth, scoring points for the rest of the set, with Bluffton coming out on top with a 25-18 victory. The second set was very similar, with the Jackets taking an early lead. Again, the two rivals went back and forth with scoring points, but Defiance won this set with 25-22. The third set saw the Jackets start strong again, but they were unable to maintain their lead for long and lost that set, as well as the fourth. #2 Jamia Murray led with twelve kills, #21 Courtney Maxwell led with thirty-three assists, and #5 Emma Chafins led with fourteen digs. Overall, the team ended with fourty-six kills, fourty assists, and fifty digs.

Last Saturday was Senior Day for the Volleyball team, so let’s take a second to recognize these outstanding students. #4 Kayla Boettger is majoring in integrated social studies education and history from Archbold, Ohio. #11 Madison Schoenauer is majoring in business management. #13 Kairston Moorer is a social work major. #22 Katlin Barrett is majoring in forensic science and is also a member of the basketball team. Finally, #25 Hope Yost is a double major in psychology and business administration and was an orientation leader for Defiance College.

The Volleyball team played their final game this season against Mt. St. Joseph and played three sets with scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 23-17, respectively. The Lions took an early lead, but the Jackets responded quickly. The Lions retaliated and won the set 25-13. The second set went back and forth for the first several points, and the Lions slowly built their lead to win the set 25-17. In the final set, the Jackets and the Lions both played hard, and the score was close the entire set, and both teams struggled for the upper hand. In the end, the Lions scored the final point and won the match.

By Caia Bevins

Women’s Basketball started up this week, so let’s get into it. 

Women’s basketball started off their season against Ohio Wesleyan at home and had a slow start. #25 Zadria King was the first to put points on the board for the Jackets, but the Bishops came back and scored 17 points to take a further lead. The Jackets were able to score a few more times, and they went into the second half with a score of 48-14. In the third quarter, Wesleyan continued to dominate, but they were able to rack up another 30 points over the last two quarters, and they finished the game with a score of 101-44. #3 Karrie Smith led with points, #34 Taylor Bates led in rebounds, and #11 Ali Mowen led in assists. Overall, the team ended with a field goal percentage of 26.7%, 25 rebounds, and nine assists.

Women’s basketball played again on Sunday at Heidelberg and started off the quarter strong with points made by #3 Karrie Smith, #30 Teagan Hunt, and #12 Addy Allen. In the second quarter, the Jackets lost a bit of their momentum, and they went into halftime with a score of 38-29. #4 Kaiya Albert was the first to score going onto the third quarter, and #25 Zadria King was the last, and they finished the quarter with a score of 56-45. DC scored another 20 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with a score of 79-65. #4 Kaiya Albert led with points scored, #25 Zadria King and #34 Taylor Bates led with eight rebounds each, and #25 Zadria King led with four assists. Overall, the team had a field goal percentage of 36.8%, 35 rebounds, and eight assists.

By: Jessica Reynolds

I would like to introduce you to Dr. Goodrum. He is the Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. He has been working at Defiance College for nine and a half years. When asked the question why he decided to work at DC, he stated “There were a number of factors that made me decide to work at the College. However, the warm, friendly, and welcoming environment I received when I took a tour is what sealed the deal for me.” His favorite part about working at Defiance College is “watching the students grow and move closer to reaching their goals.” Prior to working at DC, Dr. Goodrum worked as a State Trooper for the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 25 years. Dr. Goodrum earned his Bachelor of Art in Psychology from the University of Toledo, followed by his Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Homeland Security from Tiffin University and then went on to get his PhD in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Public Safety from Capella University.

One movie that Dr. Goodrum could watch over and over again and not get tired of would be Crimson Tide with Gene Hackman. One thing on his bucket list is going back to Alaska and spending more time in the wilderness. Dr. Goodrum likes to listen to hip-hop, country, the blues, and rap music. The best piece of advice that Dr. Goodrum has received is “Trust in God!” Some tips or tricks that he has learned from his career path is “In life there are very few shortcuts. If you want to get ahead, you must do the work. Embrace the grind!” Another interesting fact about him is that his greatest joy in life is being a family man.

Dr. Goodrum’s office can be located in Schauffler 208.

By: David Heidelburg

Lets face it, while we are in school whether you are Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior the times are only shortening as the days go on. No matter how you think about it. That is the fact. Although college can have some ups and downs whether it is academics or etc.. These are the last few years before getting into the real world. My best advice to you is to make the best out of it.

Not everyone goes or has the opportunity to go to college which is ok of course, but for those that are in school it is also a great step of accomplishment. Some more advice I would give of how to embrace the college life while you can is maybe try events on campus. Since being here at Defiance College I realize that there are a ton of activities here on campus and a lot of them are fun and interesting. I have been to quite a few myself from painting pictures to campus carnivals before the school year begins. And so many more activities on campus just mentioning the few I have been to. 

Another thing I have noticed is that college goes by quickly  weather you believe it or not. It really seems like yesterday that I came here for a visit back in 2021. When I had classes my freshman year, I remember Ms. Lisa mentioning to the Freshman class that it goes by quick. I didn’t believe it at first but when you get through one week it just flies by from there.

I say all of that because I believe it is important that because we pay to go to school at Defiance College you might as well try to make the best of it. Trying new things maybe one step at a time, trying to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. When my time is done at Defiance College I don’t want to have regrets about what could have been or any what if’s.

By Caia Bevins

This wasn’t a busy week for men’s sports, so let’s talk football.

The football team faced off against Rose-Holman, which had a 6-2 record prior to the game. The Yellow Jackets were the first to score a touchdown and put seven points on the board, but the Engineers quickly responded with a touchdown of their own. Towards the end of the first quarter, Rose-Holman got the ball and was able to score another touchdown. However, they missed the extra point, making the score 13-7. The Jackets scored another touchdown, and the Engineers scored a touchdown and made a two-point play, putting the score at 22-13 going into the second quarter.

Both teams played hard in the second quarter, and Rose-Holman struggled for the majority of the quarter before scoring and the Jackets responded quickly by scoring a touchdown of their own. The Engineers scored again, and the score was 36-20 going into halftime. The third quarter saw a comeback for the Jackets as they scored another touchdown and held back Rose-Holman’s offense, making the score 36-27. 

In the final quarter, the Jackets and Engineers went back and forth scoring touchdowns, and the game ended with a score of 78-54. Despite their loss, the Yellow Jackets played well, and our offense scored more touchdowns than any other team this year. #9 Jordan Ambrose set a career record with seven touchdowns in one game. He threw for 280 yards and made 127 rushing yards, setting a school record. #2 Thomas Coltrain led with nineteen tackles, a career-high, and #4 Jaylen Redd made sixteen. In just a few short days, the Jackets will finish up the season against Bluffton, so make sure you come out and support them against our rival on Saturday 11th.

By: Hanna Young

The Perfect Marriage, by USA Today’s Best Selling Author, Jeneva Rose left me wondering what the heck just happened. This book is set in Washington D.C. where Sarah Morgan lives with her husband Adam Morgan. The book also has scenes set in Prince William County where the pair has a vacation home on a lake. 

Sarah Morgan is one of the best defense attorneys in Washington D.C. and that is not an understatement, she is already a partner at her law firm. Adam Morgan is a writer who started off his career with a debut best seller, but the ship that brought him fame has come and gone. With his writer career struggling and Sarah’s career striving she spends more time at her office than at home. This causes Adam to get bored of their marriage and find someone else, a breath of fresh air. Adam meets Kelly Summers at the coffee shop she waitressed at and they hit it off, both of them being married already and wanting something on the side. The pair start rendezvousing at the lake house. One morning after Adam and Kelly had met at the lake house Adam was arrested for Kelly’s murder. The evidence seems stacked against Adam and as one of the best defense attorneys in town Sarah is Adam’s only hope of getting out of this mess. 

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. On one hand the ending had me completely thrown for a loop, it was something that I was not expecting. On the other hand though, I was left a little annoyed with how much of the book was set up giving background information versus how much was used explaining the court case and verdict as well as explaining the person that committed the crime and why. This was a really good book, it just had a lot of stuff that seemed like filler and a really fast resolution to the book. 

Overall, I gave this book a 3/5. This is because of the proportions of the book. I was really taken aback by the ending, but I just can’t get past the amount of the book that was used just for filler information.

By: Hannah Feldman

The debate over when to put up your Christmas tree is a perennial holiday conundrum that divides households and sparks passionate discussions among friends and families. While some people eagerly embrace transforming their homes into winter wonderlands as early as November, others staunchly believe that Christmas decorations should remain in storage until December. So, when is it too early to put up your Christmas tree?

Traditionally, many people wait until after Thanksgiving to set up their Christmas trees. This practice allows Thanksgiving to be in the spotlight before the holiday season transitions to full-fledged Christmas mode. However, in recent years, the trend of decorating earlier has gained momentum.

The argument for early Christmas tree decoration often revolves around the idea of spreading joy and creating a longer-lasting festive atmosphere. In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming and stressful, the sight of twinkling lights and festive ornaments can provide a much-needed emotional boost. However, it’s hard to deny the excitement of seeing children’s faces light up as they help decorate the tree or the joy of hosting early holiday gatherings with friends and family.

On the other hand, those who prefer to wait until December to put up their Christmas trees argue that doing so too early can lead to holiday burnout. By pacing the festivities and decorations, you can maintain a sense of anticipation and keep the holiday spirit fresh. Additionally, putting up a Christmas tree in November detracts from the significance of other important holidays, like Thanksgiving, which deserves its own time in the spotlight.

Ultimately, the timing for putting up your Christmas tree is a matter of personal preference. There’s no strict rule that dictates the “right” time to decorate, so it comes down to what makes you and your family happiest. Consider factors like the climate in your region; if you live in a place with cold winters, the presence of a Christmas tree can bring a cozy and comforting ambiance.

The question of when it’s too early to put up your Christmas tree is subjective. Some choose to decorate in November to extend the holiday season and create a cheerful environment, while others wait until December to preserve the magic and prevent burnout. Whatever you decide, the key is to savor the moments and traditions that bring you the most joy during this special time of the year. After all, Christmas is a season of celebration and togetherness, and the timing of your tree’s debut should reflect the love and warmth you wish to share with your loved ones.