Fulton County Ohio Media

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Needing a win to capture a share of the NWOAL Softball Championship, the Swanton Lady Bulldogs gave the league-leading Bryan Golden Bears all they could handle before dropping a hard-fought 2-1 pitching duel decision to the visiting Bears lst night.  Swanton entered the contest with a 5-1 league record against Bryan’s 6-0 slate, However, on a larger scale, the DIII Lady Bulldogs were 9-7 overall while the DII Lady Golden Bears sported a 16-1 record and Number One seed in their upcoming OHSAA Sectional Tournament.

Swanton starting pitcher Taylor Forrest was brilliant in the circle, holding Bryan hitless through the first four innings and getting several great defensive plays from her teammates.  In the top of the fifth, the Lady Bears broke through, scoring two runs on one hit and an error.  The Lady Bulldogs responded with a run in the bottom half when Kyleigh Shinaver scored from third on a bunt, but had another runner cut down at the plate when trying to score on a pitch that got past the Bryan catcher.  The Lady Bears were able to hold on from there to win the NWOAL Softball Title outright, finishing at 7-0.

The loss dropped Swanton to 5-2 in the league and a third-place finish behind 6-1 Liberty Center and Bryan.  Forrest finished the game allowing just two singles and one earned run with eight strikeouts.  Payton DeTray had two hits and made two outstanding catches on foul pop-ups from her position behind the plate.

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: Kyleigh Shinaver scores ahead of the throw.

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In consecutive trips to the plate, both with two runners on base, Alexa Faber drove fastballs over the outfield fence for home runs and six RBI to lead the Swanton Lady Bulldogs past the Delta Lady Panthers 12-2 in five innings on Thursday afternoon. Faber finished the game with three hits, a walk, and three runs scored. Swanton leadoff hitter, Lyla Carrizales, scored four runs with two hits and two walks. Taylor Forrest threw all five innings from the circle, allowing one earned run on six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. Mackenzie Clapp had two hits for the Panthers and Mya Martinez had a hit and an RBI.

With the win, the Lady Bulldogs improve to 5-1 in the NWOAL and will have an opportunity to win an NWOAL Co-Championship when they take on the 6-0 Bryan Lady Golden Bears on Monday, May 1, at 5:00 PM in the final league game for both teams at Swanton’s Memorial Park.

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: Alexa Faber about to go deep.

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Taylor Forrest allowed two earned runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in pitching a complete game in a 13-3 victory for the Swanton Lady Bulldogs over the two-time defending NWOAL Softball Champion Evergreen Lady Vikings. The league win moves Swanton’s record to 4-1, just one game behind Bryan and Liberty Center, both at 5-0.

Despite the loss, two Lady Vikings blasted milestone home runs. Sophomore Kira Keller hit her first career round tripper in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, Junior Macy Chamberlain continued her assault on the Evergreen Softball record books when she drove a fastball over the fence in right-center field for her 14th home run of the year. The total set the single-season school record for home runs, eclipsing her own record of 13 home runs she hit in her freshman year.

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: Taylor Forrest delivers a fastball to the plate.

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The National Honor Society of Swanton High School held its Induction Ceremony on Thursday night. Here are a few photos from the evening.

The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in high schools. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achievement), leadership, service, and character. The National Honor Society requires some sort of service to the community, school, or other organizations. The time spent working on these projects contributes towards the monthly service hour requirement. The National Honor Society was founded in 1921 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

National Honor Society groups are commonly active in community service activities both in the community and at the school. Many chapters maintain a requirement for participation in such service activities.

In addition, NHS chapters typically elect officers, who, under the supervision of the chapter adviser, coordinate and manage the chapter as a student organization.

Click on the link above to access photos from the ceremony. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: NHS Inductees for the 2023-2024 academic school year.

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Swanton Sophomore Adam Lemon allowed just two hits while striking out nine in throwing a six-inning complete game 11-0 shutout against the Delta Panthers in a non-league game in Delta.  Lemon gave up a one-out double to Bryce Gillen in the third inning for Delta’s first hit, but fanned the next two batters to keep the Panthers off the scoreboard.  Delta loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning on an error, a single and a walk before Carson Lemons snagged a hard ground to third and stepped on the bag to end the threat.  The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the sixth to reach the mercy rule mark and Lemon set the Panthers down in order in the bottom half of the inning to close out the game.

“A lot of off-speed pitches, getting that first pitch down for a strike,” said Lemon explaining the keys to his success in the 97-pitch victory.  It was his second straight strong start of the week after his earlier outing against the Rossford Bulldogs.  Junior Brody Waugh, Delta’s starter on the mound, pitched well through the first four innings, but Swanton was able to able to scratch across three runs in that time using a small-ball strategy. The Bulldogs scored eight runs in the final two innings to rout the Panthers.

Freshman Luke Marlow sparked the Bulldog offense, reaching base five times in five trips to the plate with two singles and three hit-by-pitches and scored three runs.  Ryan O’Shea also reached base every time up with a single, two walks and a hit-by-pitch and scored twice.  Both Lemon and Drew Smigelski added triples to the hit parade and Drake Harris blasted two doubles.

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: Bulldog Adam Lemon

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In a battle of the Bulldogs, visiting Swanton took Rossford to extra innings before dropping a 6-5 decision to the hosting Bulldogs.

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: Trent Eitiniear scores an early run for Swanton.

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Swanton High School held their annual Junior/Senior Prom last night in the banquet hall of the Bunker Bar on Eber Road in Holland. It was quite a transformation for these young people going from jeans, t-shirts or sports uniforms to classy suits and stylish prom dresses. They clean up very well.

Click on the link above to access photos from the evening. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fulroncountymedia.com website.

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The Swanton Lady Bulldogs scored eight runs after the fourth inning and defeated the Wauseon Lady Indians 9-4 in an NWOAL matchup. Taylor Forrest threw a complete game, allowing one earned run while striking out 12. Swanton moves to 2-0 i9n the league and 5-2 overall. Wauseon drops to 0-2 in the league and 3-7 on the season.

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: Taylor Forrest tags out a Wauseon runner in a close play at home.

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In the first NWOAL game of the season, two-time defending league champion Evergreen Lady Vikings lost a heart-breaking 8-7 decision to the undefeated Liberty Center Lady Tigers. Evergreen held a 7-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning but allowed Liberty Center to tie the game and force the extra frames. In the bottom of the ninth, the Vikings issued a bases-loaded walk to push home the winning run for the Tigers. With the loss, Evergreen falls to 3-5 on the year and 0-1 in the league. Liberty Center moves to 7-0 and 1-0.

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.

Hannah Double scores during Evergreen’s four-run second inning.

During this past winter, the Swanton Sports Center (SSC), Fulton County’s only bowling center, entered into a joint venture with Delta resident and avid bowler Jerry Donaldson, to construct and operate a Pro Shop inside the SSC adjacent to the concourse on the southeast side of the building.  The new shop is now open and is selling bowling balls, shoes, bags and various bowling related items and also offers drilling services for newly purchased balls or balls that require modification.  Mr. Donaldson, who also donates his time to serve as one of Delta High School’s bowling coaches, had been in discussions with SSC ownership regarding the viability of a pro shop for several years, ever since the Panthers Bowling program signed on to use the SSC as their home bowling center.

“We have quite a few leagues now plus two or three high school teams in here every year.  The kids and the adult league bowlers have to go to Southwyck (Maumee) or Juggs (Toledo) or Napoleon for pro shop service,” he said, explaining why the time was right to go ahead with the project.  Currently, the SSC hosts four different leagues with a fifth league to begin next Fall, along with high school teams from Swanton and Delta for practices and NWOAL matches.  Open bowling times generally experience high demand and casual bowlers will also be able to take advantage of Mr. Donaldson’s services. 

Jerry, who has a high degree of knowledge within the bowling industry and has rolled six perfect 300 games in his career, bowls in three of the SSC’s leagues and can often be found there on many “off” nights as well.  “I bowl enough and I’ve spent enough money so I know what it costs.  So, if I can help people out with a good deal when they stop in here and make things right, it all works,” he explained.  Mr. Donaldson, a Delta High School alum, bowled in a high school league in Swanton when it was then known as KC Lanes.  He has coached the Panthers along with Dave Kina since 2010 when his children first joined the team. 

The SSC is only 11 minutes from his home in Delta and just five minutes his job at Tri-County Block and Brick in Swanton so he has just a short distance to travel to meet clients when he is not there.  The new shop plans to maintain a small inventory and has items on display and will place orders on-line with very short delivery times of 2-3 business days.  Appointments can be made by calling or texting Jerry at 419-583-7427.  You can also call the Swanton Sports Center during business hours at 419-402-4102 or leave a message when they are closed.  The SSC is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and opens at 4:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday.  Please check the SSC Facebook page as hours and availability are subject to change.