The Swanton Lady Bulldogs took on the undefeated Leipsic Lady Vikings in the Bob Fisher Holiday Classic championship game and lost 32-24 in a closely played contest. Swanton held an 8-4 lead after one quarter and the game was tied at 18 apiece by halftime. However, Leipsic outscored the Lady Bulldogs 10-3 in the third quarter in route to the eight-point victory.
Leipsic: 4-14-10-4 – 32
Swanton: 8-10-3-3 = 24
Leipsic Scoring: Kyrsten Martinez (12), Whitney Langhals (9), Ava Henry (5), Leah Kirkendall (2), Abby Hasselman (2), Brooklyn Cunningham (1), Maris Hermille (1)
Photo: Swanton Lady Bulldogs – Bob Fisher Holiday Classic Runners-Up
Click on the link above to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
The championship game of the Bob Fisher Holiday Classic lived up to its hype as the Swanton Bulldogs outlasted the Maumee Panthers 49-45 in overtime. Luc Borojevich hit a big three-pointer in OT to put the Bulldogs up 43-42 and, with 17.6 seconds left on the clock, sank two crucial free throws in a one-and-one situation to give Swanton a little cushion at 47-43. “I was like so nervous because I haven’t been shooting to well from the line this whole tournament,” said Borojevich who led all players in the game with 23 points. “I took five deep breaths and trusted the shot.”
The Panthers quickly scored inside to pull within 47-45 and then fouled Cole Mitchey, hoping he would miss at least one of his foul shot attempts. Mitchey went to the line looking calm, cool and collected and drained both shots to seal the win and bring home the Fisher Classic trophy.
The Bulldogs did not have a good shooting night in the first half, but were still in good shape as they trailed only by four points at the break. “We’re a lot better defensively than we are offensively. I think that’s pretty evident,” commented Swanton head coach Bruce Smith. “When you can go 2 for 10 from the arc and 3 for 8 from the free throw line and be down just four points at the half, you’re doing something right. But we got a lot of clean-up to do.”
Maumee, out of the basketball-strong Northern Lakes League, defeated the Maumee Valley Country Day School Hawks 49-34 to advance to the finals. “They’re a quality team,” said Coach Smith. “I’ve watched them. I’ve seen them on tape. I knew they were bigger than us, I knew they were stronger than us, I knew they were faster than us. Other than that, we were fine.”
The Bulldog victory moves their record on the season to 9-0. They begin league play this Thursday when they travel to Patrick Henry to take on the pre-season favorite Patriots.
Photo: Swanton Bulldogs – 2022 Bob Fisher Holiday Classic Champions
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.
The Swanton Bulldogs opened the Robert L. Fisher Classic basketball tournament by scoring the first 12 points of the game against the Van Buren Black Knights and went on to cruise to a 54-30 victory to advance to the championship game. Swanton proved too fast and too athletic for the visitors while getting balanced scoring from their line-up in moving their record to 8-0 on the season.
Van Buren: 9-5-10-6 – 30
Swanton: 15-18-13-8 – 54
Van Buren Scoring: Parker Beilharz-9, Jackson Gregory-5, Hudson Sendelbach-4, Reese Reichley-4, Seth Gregory-2, Mason Thorla-Lopez-2, Lucas Harrington-2, James Homan-2
Photo: Bulldog Cole Mitchey (5) tips off against Black Knight Jackson Gregory (12).
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.
The Swanton Bulldogs boys junior Varsity basketball team lost in the Van Buren Black Knights in the first round of the Robert L. Fisher Classic then rebounded in the consolation game to defeat the Maumee Valley Country Day School Hawks.
Photo: Keyon Johnson shoots a short jumper from the baseline.
Click on the link above to access photos from the game against Van Buren. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
The Delta Lady Panthers took on the 8-0 Leipsic Lady Vikings in the semi-finals of the Robert L. Fisher Classic Basketball Tournament in Swanton and dropped a 44-32 decision in a game that was closer than the final score indicated. Down by seven points at the end of the first quarter, Delta outscored Leipsic 9-5 in the second to pull within 19-16 at halftime. The undefeated Lady Vikings regrouped in the third frame with a 13-5 advantage and maintained that lead the rest of the way.
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.
The Delta Lady Panthers Junior Varsity team dropped a close game to the Leipsic Lady Vikings in the semi-finals of the Robert L. Fisher Classic basketball tournament in Swanton.
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 NBO CHARGE couetesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
After two years of lower donations due to unexpected and unavoidable circumstances, the shoppers at the Kroger grocery store in Swanton stepped up in a big way to donate to the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive during the holiday period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The heartbreaking passing of Joe Kahle, who organized the Drive for years and spent countless hours making the Swanton Kroger contribution the most successful in Northwest Ohio, and the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined to drop donations to seriously low levels.
In 2022, Bonnie Holdeman took on the painstaking organizing and scheduling of the Red Kettle Drive and was able to find bell ringers to fill all the two-hour slots. The bell Ringers included many individuals, duos and even an entire family (See Photo). Thanks to the efforts of Bonnie, local businesses and organizations, dozens of residents and, of course, the Swanton Kroger and its employees, the 2022 donations jumped over 40% from 2021. Donations totaled $10,059 in 2021 and rose to $14,162 in 2022.
All monies collected in the Swanton Drive will be allocated within the Swanton community. According to the Salvation Army, “the donations we collect during the holiday season not only help us provide gifts to children who would otherwise go without, but they also help us provide food, shelter, and utility assistance to those who need it most every day of the year. Every dollar dropped into a red kettle helps give local families the Christmases they deserve and the yearlong support they so desperately need.”
Photo: All hands on deck for a good cause. The children of Betsy and Luke Gardner took their turn ringing the bell to help their fellow Swanton residents.
The Swanton Lady Bulldogs bowlers dropped a 1643-1264 match to the Bryan Lady Golden Bears. Madison Roytek topped the Swanton team with a two-game 250 series while Ashley Grymonprez rolled a 297 for Bryan. The Swanton boys’ team was short-handed, only three bowlers, due to illness and lost 2312-1179. Conner Williams had a two-game series score of 353 for the Bulldogs and Caleb Muhe tossed a 402 for the Golden Bears.
Swanton Lady Bulldogs Scores: Madison Roytek (121+129 = 250), Audrey Gossett (112+109 = 221), Makayla Balonek (92+117 = 209), Anna Urbina (84+90 = 174), Kaycee Scherger (63+62 = 125), Baker Games (93+128+94 = 315) Total = 1264
Bryan Lady Golden Bears Scores: Ashley Grymonprez (148+149 = 297), Haylie Federspiel (170+105 = 275), Mya Federspiel (145+97 = 242), Yris Arrizon (88+149 = 237), Polly Sleesman (109+96 = 205), Baker Games (132+148+107 = 387) Total = 1643
Swanton Bulldogs Scores: Conner Williams (192+161 = 353), Matt Bates (157+158 = 315), Matthew Chovan (146+141 = 287), Baker Games (65+62+97 = 224) Total = 1179
Bryan Golden Bears Scores: Caleb Muhe (212+190 = 402), Issac Stoy (221+174 = 395), Dakota Brandeberry (190+161 = 351), Oliver Proxmire (133+160 = 293), Trevor Craig (189), Aaryan Singh (146), Baker Games (158+163+215 = 536) Total = 2312
Photo: Lady Bulldog Madison Roytek
Click on the link above to access 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.
With the primary goal of stream-lining its own meetings, the Swanton Village Council, at their December 12th meeting, discussed major changes in the meeting agenda format that would make the sessions more efficient and concise by eliminating committee wait times and reporting redundancy. Early in this meeting, Village Solicitor Kent Murphree explained to the Council members what their options were to make changes as spelled out in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC).
Currently, there are four committees (Finance, Public Safety, Public Service, Water & Sewer) each with three assigned Council members assigned and one serving as a chairperson. There is also the Committee of the Whole where all Council members participate. According to the ORC, the date and starting time of each committee meeting as well as the official Council meeting must be publicized and cannot be changed after a certain date. For example: The Finance Committee will be scheduled for 6:00 PM, the Public Service Committee for 6:30 PM and the Council Meeting for 7:00 PM. If a committee adjourns any time before the next meeting is scheduled to begin, the ORC states the next committee must wait until the previously scheduled start time. “One committee can finish its business in 15 minutes and we have to wait 15 minutes before we can resume,” explained Mayor Neil Toeppe. “The next committee may only take 10 minutes and then we have to wait another 20 minutes before the Council meeting is allowed to begin.”
Another delay is built in to the format when each committee, and the business it tasked with, is only on the agenda every other meeting, often extending the time it takes to resolve certain issues. Once the actual Council meeting begins, each committee chairperson will give a report on what was discussed and relate any recommendations to be considered for possible legislation which is basically a repeat from earlier in the evening.
The proposed changes to the committee structure and the agenda format would be to eliminate all committees but include all pertinent issues in every meeting agenda, regardless of what committee responsibility they would have fallen under. The recommended starting time for a Council meeting would be 6:00 PM and the agenda would be followed without intermittent delays. There would be no committee reports, no putting an issue on hold until that specific committee meets again in four weeks and motions for legislation could be made at any point. “All the Council members attend the committee meetings anyway and they can offer input so, this would be no different,” said Mayor Toeppe.
All Council members voted to move forward with the new protocol. The first Village Council meeting of 2023 is scheduled to take place on January 9th at 7:00 PM. It is in this meeting the Council members elect a Council President and establish the “Rules of Council” for the rest of the year. At this time, it is expected the aforementioned changes will be enacted and will go into effect for the following meeting on January 23, 2023.
The Swanton Lions Club held their annual Giving Tree gift distribution last Wednesday evening at the Swanton Sports Center. On behalf of the Club, I would like to thank the incredibly generous people of the Swanton Community who helped make this a much better Christmas for many of the children in the Swanton Area School District.
The Club would also like to thank the Swanton American Legion Post 479, You-nique Boutique, CK Sweets, First Federal of Delta, DeEtte’s Dream Diner and Club Salon for passing out the Stocking Tags and collecting the gifts and the Swanton Sports Center for staging all the gifts and serving as the distribution center. Thank you all again and please have a wonderful holiday season.
Fulton County Ohio Media 