Twice in the fourth quarter, the Delta Lady Panthers rallied from a nine-point deficit to make the score a one-possession game. And both times, Wauseon junior Sophie Rupp knocked down three-point shots and knocked down the comeback attempts, leading the Lady Indians to 47-36 victory over the previously undefeated Lady Panthers at Wauseon High School.
Wauseon took a 25-22 lead into the locker room at halftime on the strength of 12 points from senior Johanna Tester then widened the gap with Rupp hitting four triples and scoring 15 of her game-high 18 points in the second half. Delta senior Kendall Sprow helped rally the Lady Panthers with seven fourth-quarter points but the Lady Indians sank five of seven free throws in the final minutes to seal the win.
The Wauseon win improves their overall record to 15-4 and 3-2 in the league. They travel to Ayersville next Tuesday to take on the Lady Pilots. Delta suffered their first loss of the season after winning a school record 17 straight to open the season. They currently sit at 17-1 on the year and 4-1 in the NWOAL. The Lady Panthers are still in contention to win the league title but they must defeat the Liberty Center Lady Tigers on Tuesday and the first-place Patrick Henry Lady Patriots on Thursday. Both games will be at home in the “Jungle.”
Wauseon Lady Indians: 13-12-9-13 = 47 Sophie Rupp (18), Johanna Tester (13), Mackenzie Stasa (5), Aunali Reyes (5), Aizlynn Coronado (4)
Click on the link above to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing an can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Photo: Sophie Rupp shoots her second three-pointer in the fourth quarter
Jeff Mazurowski is special education teacher at the Pike-Delta-York (PDY) Middle School, who, prior to becoming an educator, compiled a lengthy resume of work experiences in many fields. An alumnus of Defiance College, where he also played football for the Yellow Jackets, Jeff has been employed as a construction contractor, a used car salesman, a steel worker and school sports coach in addition to being married and helping to raise three children.
All these experiences have been very beneficial in helping him pursue another avocation, one more personal and related to his current profession. Jeff writes children’s books. And has been doing so for more than 25 years. Previous books included “Auroa and Boris Touch the Sky,” “The Christmas Boy,” “The Bad Creek Gang,” which he wrote in collaboration with this fourth-grade students and “Red, White and Bloo.”
While Jeff is a talented writer, he defers to the more artistically inclined for the illustrations that enhance the overall experience for the reader. His latest book that he published and sold on Amazon last summer was titled “Udder Chaos!” For this new publication Jeff enlisted the services of a young but very talented artist by the name of Keegan Clapp, a Delta High School freshman and a close friend of Jeff’s son Jack. Jack had been taking dairy cows to the Fulton County Fair for several years, which planted the seed for “Udder Chaos!”
Jeff was very familiar with Keegan’s artistic ability and approached him with the offer to create the illustrations. “Back when they were in the fifth or sixth grade, I knew Keegan was a great artist and I said, ‘Keegan. We’re going to write a book about cows and you’re going to draw the pictures.’ We just joked around about it for a few years and then last year I wrote a rhyming book about cows getting loose at the fair and 14-year-old Keegan Clapp drew the pictures and did an amazing job,” explained Jeff. “What he did with the pictures brought the story to life. He has not only great artistic ability to draw but he has an eye for knowing what to draw and how to draw it.”
Before the winter break this past December, Jeff came across some stored copies of his previous books and decided to generously donate them to the elementary students at PDY. “I was actually looking for Christmas decorations in my crawl space and found a couple of boxes of books that I had written and published 20 years ago that were brand new but they were in 20-year-old boxes,” said Jeff. He had enough to give one signed book to each of the approximately 375 students.
“The Kindergartners through second-grade got a copy of my ‘Auroa and Boris Touch the Sky’ book which is a book about the Northern Lights and the third and fourth graders got a copy of the ‘Christmas Boy’ which is more of a short chapter book,” said Jeff. “I’m actually working on a second edition of both,” he added.
“Udder Chaos!” proved to be very popular and many copies were sold at the Fulton County Fair. So popular, in fact, that Jeff is now working on a sequel titled “The Barbeque Bandits Steal a Cow.” Stay tuned on when and where it will become available.
Swanton resident and Swanton High School (SHS) alum, was honored for his service to our country by the Swanton National Honor Society before the start of the Swanton and Delta boys’ basketball game. With Mitch standing in front of the how crowd, NHS member Hailey Frosch read a small bio of Mitch’s time in the military.
Tonight, we are honoring Mitch Warner who was a 1981 Swanton graduate and a United States Army veteran from 1982 to 1990. While in the military, Mitch was sent to Grenada Island, Fort Ord (California), Fort Benning (Georgia), West Germany and Kuwait. He climbed the non-commissioned officer ranks and reached the position of E-8 Master Sergeant. Mitch had orders to attend Senior NCO School to become First Sergeant, but left the military before attending.
Mitch is married to Mrs. Connie Smith who is a study hall monitor at SHS and has seven grandkids who are active in sports at Swanton. Mitch loves doing yard work, going out to eat and spending time with his family. Thank you, Mitch for your service.
On Friday at the Swanton Sports Center, both the Wauson Boys and Girls bowling teams defeated their Delta counterparts in an NWOAL match.
The Indians out bowled the Panthers 2129-1809 with Landon Gleckler rolling a two-game series score of 447. Konrad Hawkins led Delta with a 330 score.
The Lady Indians beat the Lady Panthers 1815-1485 as Ruth Shelt had a two-game series score of 357. Chloe Coll and Serena each bowled a 266 series for Delta.
Click on the link to see photos from the match. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Photo: London Gleckler led all bowlers with games of 225 and 223
Fouled with 0.9 seconds left in the game while attempting a desperation game-winning three-pointer, Swanton point guard Evan Reinhard, his team trailing by two points, did it the hard way and calmly swished all three free throws to give the Bulldogs an almost implausible 49-48 victory over the visiting Delta Panthers on Friday night at the Kevin J. McQuade Gymnasium. Reinhard’s heroics ended a wild finish in the final three minutes of the contest that saw one tie and six lead changes on the scoreboard.
Swanton had fallen behind by as many as 13 points in the first half as Delta, led by NWOAL leading scorer Tyson Bower (25+ ppg), came out strong offensively and defensively. The Panthers held Bulldog big Charlie Wood to just four points in the first two quarters. However, Logan Young drained a three-point shot at the buzzer to pull Swanton within 30-20 at the half. The timely basket shifted the momentum to the Bulldogs heading into the third quarter.
The Swanton offense got untracked, scoring 14 points while shutting down the Delta offense, allowing only six points, just two from Bower after he had 12 in the first half. Entering the fourth quarter with the Panthers ahead 36-34, the Bulldogs were able to tie the game at 41-41 with a Wood layup at the 2:50 mark. Bower gave the lead back to Delta with a baseline jumper 18 seconds later.
Both teams missed scoring opportunities until Reinhard hit a triple to give Swanton it’s first lead of the contest, 44-43 with 1:08 showing on the clock. Another Bower baseline shot put Delta back on top 45-44 with 1:00 remaining. Wood responded with a bank inside to put the Bulldogs up 46-45 at with 42.1 left only to see the unstoppable Bower hit his third consecutive shot at the 29.7 mark for a 47-46 Panther advantage. Unable to score with time running out, Swanton was forced to foul Brady Morr who made one of two free throws, putting Delta up 48-46, setting the stage for the chaotic finish that gave the hometown Bulldogs the win.
Wood led the Bulldogs with 16 points. Brady Haselman scored nine and Brady O’Shea had eight. Bowers led all players with 23 points while Brady Morr tossed in 10. The win places Swanton’s NWOAL record at 1-3 and 9-8 on the year. They next travel to Defiance on Tuesday in a meeting of the Bulldogs. Delta suffers their first league loss and sits at 2-1 with an overall record of 8-8. They return home on Tuesday to face the Evergreen Vikings.
Delta Panthers: 19-11-6-12 = 48 Tyson Bower (23), Brady Morr (10), Alex York (7), Walter Hallet III (3), Vincent Martinez (2), Kade Lintermoot (2), Wyatt Gibbons (1)
Swanton Bulldogs: 13-7-14-15 = 49 Charlie Wood (16), Brady Haselman (9), Brady O’Shea (8), Logan Young (6), Evan Reinhard (6), Adam Lemon (4)
Click on the link to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Members of the Swanton High School National Honor Society recently paid homage to long-time Swanton resident Dr. Roger Schlade prior to tip-off of a Bulldog basketball game. With Dr. Schlade present on the court, a small bio was read to the crowd.
Dr. Roger Schlade: Roger entered the U.S. Army September 20th, 1966 and was honorably discharged September 19th, 1968. Following basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to General Leonard Wood Army Hospital, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri as an X-Ray Specialist.
During his tour, Roger was selected twice as “Soldier of the Month” at Fort Leonard Wood and attained the rank of Specialist E-5. Following his tour of duty, Dr. Schlade returned to Northwest Ohio and served the people of Swanton and Northwest Ohio for over 40 years as a Chiropractic Physician.
Roger is married to Ruth Ann (Yunker) Schlade for over 58 years. They have three children, eight grandchildren (two more on the way) and three step grandchildren. Roger and Ruth reside in Swanton and are proud of SHS, the whole school system and the Swanton community.
The Swanton Middle School (SMS) held a “Hoops for Hearts” basketball tournament on Friday at the end of the school day to raise money that would be donated to the Fulton County Heart Radiothon. Team entry fees to play and admission fees to watch were charged to raise the funds. Seven teams were organized for the single elimination event including the Big Ballaz, Sigma Boys, Basketball Pros, Bandana Mans, Cheese Ballers, Big 3 and Lamike James. The winning team would then take on the SMS Staff.
With the Big Ballaz drawing a bye in the first round, Sigma Boys defeated the Basketball Pros and the Cheese Ballers slipped past the Bandana Mans while Lamike James topped the Big 3. In the second round, the Big Ballaz edged the Sigma Boys and Lamike James outscored the Cheese Ballers to set up the championship match.
The Championship Game lived up to its hype with the winner decided when 7th-grader Nolan Koder hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Big Ballaz to the final game of the day against the SMS Staff. The Big Ballaz played a great game but were not able to overcome the SMS Staff’s significant height advantage and lost in overtime.
Click on the link above to access photos from the tournament. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
On Friday, a luncheon was held in the Media Center of Swanton High School to honor the newest inductees to the Swanton High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. The Class of 2024 included Gene Wilson (1993) and Dr. Rebecca Nelson (1994). Superintendent Chris Lake read each of their biographies to the attendees.
Gene Wilson: The path that Gene Wilson followed to be named a Distinguished Swanton Alumni is quite different and unique compared to the pathways many other Distinguished Alumni have followed. It is a path that has led him to become a successful self-made businessman who is committed to his customers and to public service.
Gene attended Township and Park Elementary Schools, as well as Swanton Junior and Senior High Schools. Upon graduation, he did an apprenticeship program with Northwest Ohio Carpenters Apprenticeship Program. During his apprenticeship he worked for Staford E Thai, earning his journeyman’s card.
Once he received his journeyman’s card, he started a small subcontracting remodeling company known as GA Wilson Builders. This company is still technically in business today but they are known as RoofOhio, Inc. The business primarily focus is on exterior building systems of the home. Over the years, Owens Corning has recognized Gene as a Platinum Preferred Contractor. Having a partnership with Owens Corning has given Gene the opportunity to help a lot of people by providing them with new roofs for their home. It has allowed Gene to grow his business and provides him the opportunity to pursue his second passion which is public service and giving back to his community.
Gene and his company are very involved with several charitable organizations including Purple Heart Homes and Fulton County Habitat for Humanity. They donate their time to help put roofs on homes for families that need just a little bit of extra help. Gene feels very fortunate to be surrounded by a community that likes to give and help those less fortunate. He credits local people including countless teachers, Village administrators, Jeep, hospital workers and other small businesses who have supported him since day one. He believes there is nothing he could ever do to repay the community for how much they have supported him. So, he considers the things he does to help others very miniscule in comparison to what the Swanton community has done for him and his family.
Gene’s advice to the younger generation pertaining to career and their career choices is this. He would advise them to find something they enjoy doing first and foremost, then throw yourself into it. He is proof that not everyone has to go to college to be successful. Also, realize that life throws changes at you constantly and things happen out of your control so don’t be afraid to fail. He says he has failed several times and that is where he learned some of the biggest and best lessons and has gained some of his strongest attributes.
Dr. Rebecca Nelson: Dr. Rebecca Nelson is a proud 1994 graduate of Swanton High School. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Toledo, later advancing her education with a Master’s in Education and ultimately her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2018.
Dr. Nelson’s academic achievements are exemplified by her acceptance to present her dissertation at the prestigious American Educational Research Association—a rare honor with an acceptance rate of less than 10%. This milestone marked the beginning of a distinguished career in education research and public speaking with presentations at numerous conferences across the country.
In her professional journey, Rebecca has become a leader in educational research and curriculum development. She has made significant contributions by designing and updating teacher education curricula to meet ever-evolving demands of classroom teaching. Her research continues to gain recognition with numerous manuscripts published in respected professional journals.
Rebecca has also assumed leadership roles in various Teacher Education departments and committees. She is the Assistant Department Chair for Teach Education Department, the interim Studies Abroad Director and the Director of the Transitional Certification Program.
Her global impact is evident in her selectin to lead the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Studt Abroad Program in the Czech Republic, where she guided students through a 14-week immersive experience. Sha also led a group in Italy for three weeks and taught a course in Palacky University in Czech Republic on American English pronunciations.
Dr. Nelson’s dedication to education, leadership and research exemplifies the values of Swanton High School alumni, and her accomplishments continue to inspire those around her.
On Senior Night at Swanton’s Kevin J. McQuade Gymnasium, the Swanton Bulldogs broke open a close game by outscoring the Fayette Eagles 20-7 in the second quarter and went on to a 54-34 victory in non-league action. Bulldog senior Charlie Wood led all players with 18 points, including several awe-inspiring slam dunks. The backcourt tandem of Brady O’Shea and Evan Reinhard supported the effort scoring 13 and 10 points respectively. Eagle senior Xander Goble scored nine points for Fayette and Caden Leininger and Wyatt Beiber had seven points each.
The Bulldog win improves their record to 8-8 on the season. They will stay at home and welcome in the Delta Panthers on Friday. Fayette drops to 1-13 on the year and will return home to face the North Central Eagles on Friday.
Swanton Bulldogs: 9-20-8-17 = 54 Charlie Wood (18), Brady O’Shea (13), Evann Reinhard (10), Giovanni Ruiz (6), Owen Hurst (3), Carsen Lemons (2), Adam Lemon (2)
Click on the link above to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Photo: Fayette’s Xander drives to the basket for two points
Senior night was held on Tuesday prior to the boys’ basketball game with the Fayette Eagles. Four Bulldog basketball players (Isaiah Bolyard, Adam Lemon, Charlie Wood and Logan Young) were honored along with one cheerleader (Maddy Dodd). All seniors started the game and helped Swanton to defeat Fayette 54-34.
Former Swanton teacher, Betty Jo Sadowski, introduced and read a short bio for each senior:
Our first senior is Isaiah Bolyard. Isaiah is being escorted by Loe and Lori Bolyard. While at Swanton High School, Isaiah has participated in soccer, basketball, football and baseball. His future plans are to attend an undecided college to earn a business degree while continuing to work for Design Entertainment. Senior Isaiah Bolyard.
Our next senior is Adam Lemon. Adam is being escorted by Lyn and Jon Lemon. While at Swanton High School, Adam has participated in Interact, National Honor Society, golf, soccer, basketball and baseball. His future plans are to attend Lourdes College to play baseball and major in business. Senior Adam Lemon.
Next up is senior Charlie Wood. Charlie is being escorted by Inga and Thomas Wood. While at Swanton High School, Charlie has participated in Student Council, Interact, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, basketball and as a 6th Grade Camp Counselor. His future plans are to attend college to major in business and to continue his basketball career. Senior Charlie Wood.
Our last basketball senior is Logan Young. Logan is being escorted by Sara Young and Michael Growden. While at Swanton High School, Logan has participated in basketball. His future plans are to go into the trades for electrical work. Senior Logan Young.
Our senior cheerleader is Maddy Dodd. Maddy is being escorted by David and Casey Terry. While at Swanton High School, Maddy has participated in soccer, cheerleading and track. Her future plans are to attend Bowling Green State University to major in social work. Senior Maddy Dodd.
Click on the link above to access photos from the celebration. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
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