Fulton County Ohio Media

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The final round of the Swanton Middle School (SMS) Amazing Shake was held this past Thursday in the SMS gymnasium in front of the entire student body, staff and faculty.  Amazin Shake is part of the Swanton Seven Initiative (SSI), a program that focuses on building soft skills in students, placing strong emphasis on manners, discipline, respect, and professional behavior.  There were several rounds of the competition that began with all seventh-grade students.  The first round pared the number to 20, the second round to 10 and the final round to just four well deserving students, Kourtney Fulton, Brooklyn Kahl, Josie Dryer and Evelyn Keys.

Each of the contestants fielded a variety of questions from 13abc Action News Anchor James Stark, who served as the emcee for the event.  The students were judged on their overall responses and professionalism by six members of the Swanton area business community.  Serving as judges were Jason Kos of McNeill Chevrolet, Jessica Double and Kelsey Kaiser of Worthington Steel, Ashlee Never of North Star Blue Steel, Stephanie Fessenden of Equity Planning Group, Mark Moll of DesignEtics and Delray Busch of the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Kourtney, Brooklyn, Josie and Evelyn all performed very well on stage.  They were poised, confident, articulate and gave well thought out answers to Mr. Stark’s questions.  At the end of the Q & A session, the judges were sent to another room to compare notes and total their evaluations.  In the end, the judges awarded Evelyn Keys the 2025 Amazing Shake Champion.

Prior to the trophy presentation, SMS Principal Leigh Pancoast paid a special tribute to the late Brandon Johnson, former owner of Team Johnson Limo and Charter Bus who served as a judge every year since the beginning of the Swanton Seven Program and was a major financial supporter of the Amazing Shake.  Several members of Mr. Johnson’s family were in attendance and presented the trophy to Evelyn.

“I was extremely surprised.  I was scared, everyone was talking,” said a very happy Evelyn.  “I knew I had to study extra hard because of my opponents.”  The Amazing victory now sends Evelyn to Atlanta and the Ron Clark Academy sometime next year to compete at the national level.  Ron Clark is an American educator who created the Amazing Shake philosophy approach to education.

Click on the link to access photos from the Amazing Shake competition as well as some from the Swanton Middle School’s Got Talent show performed during the intermission. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.

Photo: Evelyn Keys and family

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It took the Swanton Lady Bulldogs a couple of innings to crank up their offense, but when they did, they didn’t stop until they had defeated the Ottawa Hills Lady Green Bears by a five-inning mercy score of 19-5.  The big blast that shot the Bulldogs to a comfortable lead was a grand slam by junior slugger Carli LaGrange, her fourth home run of the season, which tied the Swanton softball single-season home run record.

After the game, Carli brought attention to the overall success at the plate the team is having.  “Everybody is stepping up.  Everybody is putting the ball in play.  I think our hitting has been very good for such a young team,” she said.  As far as her home runs this year, “My mind set is just to make contact.  I’m not swinging for he fences.  I’m not trying to kill it,” explained Carli.  With Carli’s home run, the team total reached 11 for the season.  In the next game, against Evergreen, Jordyn Ramirez hit a grand slam in a 11-4 Swanton victory, to pull within one of the school record of 13 home runs in a year.

Beyla Remer threw three innings of no-hit ball to get the win and had two hits in the game.  Carli LaGrange finished 3 for 4 with two doubles plus her home run.  Lacey Shinaver went 4 for 4 with two RBIs.  Cara Ludlow was 2 for 4 with an RBI.  Josalyn Kahl pitched the last two innings giving up four runs on three hits and three strikeouts.

Swanton’s record for the season is 6-7 and 2-0 in the NWOAL.  They next face the Archbold Lady Blue Streaks, who are also 2-0 in the league, on the road this Monday.

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

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Adam Lemon threw six innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out seven and Luke Marlow scored three runs as the Swanton Bulldogs opened the NWOAL baseball season with a 5-3 home victory over the Liberty Center Tigers at Memorial Park.  The Bulldogs scored single runs in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, then saw the Tigers string together four straight singles in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2.

Swanton responded with two runs in the bottom half of that inning to regain the advantage and added an insurance run in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead into the final inning.  Brady O’Shea come on in relief for Swanton to start the seventh inning.  O’Shea set down the first two batters but experienced control issues and proceeded to load the bases with a hit batsman and two walks. Carson Bond relieved O’Shea and gave up a run-scoring infield single before striking out the last hitter to pick up the save in the 5-3 victory.

The win kept Swanton’s start to the season at a perfect 8-0, including a 1-0 record in the NWOAL.  The Bulldogs play next at Evergreen on Thursday.  Liberty Center drops to 3-2 on the season and 0-1 in the league.  They will be at home on Thursday to play the Delta Panthers.

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

Photo: Adam Lemon delivers from the mound.

Last evening, the Sportsters (20-8), winners of the second half of Sunday night’s DeEtte’s Dream Diner Mixed League, defeated first half winners, The House (18-10), 866-856 to win the 10-team league title at the Swanton Sports Center.

First Half Standings:  The House (18-10), Bubba Q Bowlers (18-10), Sportsters (17-11), Balls to the Walls (15.5-12.5), The Neighbors (14-14), Mike You’re Up (13.5-14.5),

Dee’s Dream Diner (12-16), Kwitcherbitchin (12-16), 4 Blind Bowlers (10-18), Gutter Gang (4-24)

Second Half Standings:  Sportsters (20-8), Bubba Q Bowlers (19-9), 4 Blind Bowlers (18-10), The House (16-10), Mike You’re Up (15-13), Balls to the Walls (14-14), The Neighbors (14-14), Dee’s Dream Diner (9-19), Kwitcherbitchin (9-19), Gutter Gang (6-22)

Season High Scores:

Individual High Average:  Men – Kevin Pelland (206.45), Women Kathy Knapp (140.76)

Handicap Series:  Bubba Q Bowlers (2756), Gutter Gang (2670), Dee’s Dream Diner (2640)

Handicap Game:  The House (976), Kwitcherbitchin (939), 4 Blind Bowlers (934)

Scratch Series Men:  Jerry Donaldson (681), Kaden Hawkins (615), Justin Murray (582)

Scratch Series Women:  Danielle Carr (659), Kellie Lenhardt (502), Taylor Dotson (455)

Scratch Game Men:  Shawn Knapp (268), Rick Nijakowski (248), Thomas Miracola (230)

Scratch Game Women:  Jeannie Dohrmann (191), Brandy Dotson (182), Darlene Long (182)

Photo #1: Sportsters – David Taylor, Rhonda Mattin, Ashley Bork, Thomas Miracola

Photo #2: Tina Pontious, Don Conners, Jerry Donaldson, Kaden Hawkins

Tied for first place at the end of the season with 20 wins and 12 loses, the Gutter Gals defeated the Balls and Dolls in a one-game roll-off to win the Arbors at Sylvania Mixed League Championship on Saturday night at the Swanton Sports Center. 

Standings:  1^st – Gutter Gals (20-12), 2^nd – Balls and Dolls (20-12), 3^rd – Bipolar Rollers (19-13), 4^th – Bad Ass Bowlers (15-17), 5^th – Team 6 (13-19), 6^th – Balls to the Walls (9-23)

Season High Scores:

Handicap Series – Team 6 (2436), Balls and Dolls (2410), Bipolar Rollers (2385)

Handicap Game – Gutter Gals (858), Balls to the Walls (834), Bad Ass Bowlers (817)

Scratch Series Men – Ron Leonard (730), Justin Napierala (348)

Scratch Series Women – Ashley Leonard (440), Tracy Marsh (341), Klyne Myers (325)

Scratch Game Men – Jason Morgan (212), Vezz Braswell (139)

Scratch Game Women – Norma Leonard (165), Nancy Hott (123), Jody Keller (80)

Photo: Gutter Gals – Nancy Hott, Jody Keller, Norma Leonard, (Not Pictured) Stephanie Hehl

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Tonight, tomorrow and Sunday afternoon, the Swanton High School Music Department will present the stage version of “The Wizard of Oz.”  The Musical is based on the 1939 Academy Award-winning movie of the same name which was based on the novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, published in 1900.

The cast is extremely talented and includes not only high school students, but middle school and elementary school students as well.  Despite the large cast on stage occasionally at the same time, they manage to do a great job with the singing, dancing, acting and choreography.  Congratulations to all that were involved in this tremendous production.

Click on the link above to access over 500 photos from the musical. 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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Locked in a tight 1-1 defensive battle entering the bottom of the fourth, the Swanton Lady Bulldogs exploded for nine runs in the inning and went on to run-rule the Northwood Lady Rangers 15-5 in six innings at Swanton’s Memorial Park.  Carli LaGrange powered the offense with two home runs and six RBIs and Beyla Remer went the distance in the circle, giving up just three earned runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

The rest of the hit parade looked like this:  Lacey Shinaver (1 for 5, 1R), Beyla Remer (3 for 5, 1R, 2RBI), Alexa Faber (2 for 2, 3R), Cara Ludlow (1 for 5, 1RBI), Carli LaGrange (4 for 4, 2R, 6RBI), Jordan Ramirez (2 of 4, 1R, 1RBI), Adriana Elliot (2 for 4, 2R, 1RBI), Gabbie Orner (1 for 3, 2R), Myla Goins (1R)

Doubles:  Remer 2, Ramirez 2, Faber, Orner, Bumgarner

Home Runs:  LaGrange 2, Elliot

Swanton moves to 3-6 on the season and will play Toledo St. Ursula on Thursday.

Northwood Lady Rangers:  5 – 8 – 2

Swanton Lady Bulldogs:  15-18-2

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: Carli LaGrange is greeted at home by her teammates after hitting the first of her two home runs

After taking the second half title with a record of 23-5, Team Miracola defeated the first half winners, the Dry Humpers in a one-game roll-off to capture the Swanton Sports Center’s Saturday Night 16-Team Mixed League Championship.  In winning the title, Miracola gained a little revenge on the Humpers who won the first half title with a 22-6 record, beating out Miracola’s 19-9 mark.

Team Miracola game averages on the season were:   Alex Gigax (192), Thomas Miracola (151), Dave Mattin (129) and Ashley Borck (127).  The Dry Humpers’ game averages were:  Chuck Iwinski (187), Lauren Iwinski (131), Clint Poca (122) and Carisca Poca (94).

The combined finishes and records of all 16 teams are as follows:

1^st – Miracola (42-14), 2^nd – Big Pins Small Balls (35-21), 3rd – One Damn Pin (34-22), T4^th – Dry Humpers (33-23), T4^th –  Jerry’s Minions (33-23), 6^th – Lightning Strikes (32-24), 7^th – Munsoned in Nowhere (31-25), T8^th – Balls and Dolls (27-29), T8^th – Meatballs (27-29), 10^th – 7 Beers (26.5-29.5), 11^th – Mine’s in the Gutter (24.5-31.5), T12^th – Turkey Titties (24-32), T12^th – Funny MF’s (24-32), 14^th – Split Happens (22-34), 15^th – Well-Oiled Wood (20-36), 16^th – Little Achievers (5-51)

Other Leading Scores:

Individual High Averages:  Men – Jerry Donaldson (208.95)     Women – Brenda Donaldson (155.00)

Scratch Series:  Men – Ron Leonard (718), John Lauch (714), Brad Wolfe (683)     Women:  Brandy Rhodes (526), Sandy Wanless (506), Patricia Quinto (488)

Scratch Game:  Men – Ricky Bunting (280), Roger Frederick (257), John Hart (246)     Women:  Norma Leonard (210), Tammy Frederick (205), Joy Wilson (187), Lauren Iwinski (187)

Photo #1: Team Maricola – Ashley Borck, Tom Miracola, Alex Gigax, Dave Mattin

Photo#2: Dry Humpers – Clint Poca, Carisca Poca, Lauren Iwinski, Chuck Iwinski

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This weekend, including tonight, Evergreen High School will be presenting the award-winning musical “She Loves Me.”  The romantic comedy, adapted from a play in 1937, hit Broadway in 1963 and London in 1964.  The show went on to produce several revivals over the years, including on Broadway in 1993.  Together, the two Broadway versions were nominated for 14 Tony Awards and won twice. 

The plot has two protagonists who know each other, but are, unknowingly and secretly, communicating with each other and only discover this fact towards the end of the show.  This production has a sort of “You’ve Got Mail” vibe to it and the very talented cast does a tremendous job bringing it to the audience.  You do not want to miss it.

Performances will held in the Evergreen Middle School gym on Friday, April 4th at 7:00PM, Saturday, April 5th at 11:00AM and Sunday, April 6th at 2:00PM.

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

Bowling in the Wednesday Night Tournament League at the Swanton Sports Center, Jerry Donaldson of Delta threw a perfect 300 game to start off the night.  It was the 7^th 300 game of his career.  He followed that up with a 232 and a 248 for an amazing 780 series to lead all bowlers.  Jerry serves as the girls bowling coach for the Delta Lady Panthers and is also the owner of Jerry’s Pro Shop inside the Sports Center.  Congratulation, Jerry!