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(04/15/09 4:00am)
For some college students, turning 21 isn't coming soon enough. That vertical ID just isn't appealing and many are turning to a secondary source—a fake ID. This raises the question: The occurrence of people under the age of 21 using false identification without considering the consequences is reaching an all time high. I think the usage of fake IDs is allowing our youth to grow up a lot sooner than they should. Most people who regulate bar entrance are really clueless and unaware of the consequences that should follow after catching someone using a fake ID. Before I get any deeper, I just want to call attention to all underage fake ID holders: In case you didn't know, the Ohio law prohibits the use of false identification to obtain alcoholic beverages. While I'm giving out fast facts, I believe that it's important to know that according to Ohio law, the possession or display of a fabricated ID is a first-degree misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for this offense is six months of jail time, a $1,000 fine or both. If a person using a fake ID were caught trying to purchase alcohol or enter an establishment that serves alcohol, other than restaurants, a minimum fine of $250 may stand. A license suspension up to three years is also possible. Is it worth the intoxicated fun? The police may arrest you for misrepresenting your age, which is a first-degree misdemeanor or they could slap you with a felony for falsifying a government document. I've found it disturbing that many people who use fake IDs get away with a simple warning. I've been to places where I've seen people simply turned away for using a fake ID. This sort of scares me. If authorities are allowing people to get away with falsifying government documents, I wonder what else people have been allowed to get away with? The next issue that needs to be addressed is directed towards the upperclassmen. Many assume that simply loaning your horizontal ID puts you in the clear and poses no harm to your record. This is false. The consequences to those who loan their IDs may actually be more substantial. Loaning your ID is illegal. If a fake ID is discovered in a bar or restaurant, the person who discovers it is supposed to confiscate the ID. According to senior business administration major and bartender at Little Bar in Columbus, Brett Henderson, bringing fakes into bars and restaurants is becoming a bigger problem. "We don't want to cause embarrassment or lose business," said Henderson, "but it's something that we have to do because of liability. We could lose our liquor license or even shut down." Senior political science major James Dodderer feels confident with the current government limitations on age. "I think that age restrictions are made for a reason and although they may seem unfair people should respect the age limits. Fake IDs have the potential of being very dangerous." I fully agree. I think that this is a huge issue and it needs to be addressed more seriously. t&c;KATELIN DAVIS IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM AND PUBLIC RELATIONS MAJOR AND STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.;
(02/26/09 5:00am)
Atlanta rap superstar Clifford Harris, more commonly known as T.I., T.I.P., the King or Rubber Band Man, is scheduled to go to the big house this March. Before putting on the bright orange jumper, he is reaching out to seven troubled youths in a new reality series, "The Road to Redemption."Currently, he is the No. 1 artist in the country. He has topped several Billboard charts and is one of the most respected rappers.He also has a bad streak with the authorities. His most recent run-in left him with one year in prison, 1,000 hours of community service and an 11 p.m. curfew.He was charged with possession of unregistered machine guns and obtaining firearms from a convicted felon.When I heard about this concept and this show, I became a bit skeptical.I began to wonder how someone who can't stay out of trouble is going to help others change their lives. Then I watched the show and I changed my mind. Who better to show these kids around then someone who has been there?Most people with the charges that T.I. possesses would receive up to 30 years in prison. Is the one year and 1,000 hours of community service reasonable? According to senior business major Melissa Tubbs, this is very rational. "Because he is famous, his community service will have a larger effect on people. So, yeah, famous people might get away with more but at least he's doing something positive."Senior political science major James Dodderer had somewhat of an opposing view. "The guy is a crook. He shouldn't receive any lesser punishment. He had enough weapons to open his own gun shop. The last time I checked, bodyguards work pretty well." t&c;KATELIN DAVIS IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM AND PUBLIC RELATIONS MAJOR AND STAFF WRITER FOR THE T&C;
(01/30/09 5:00am)
An end-of-the-year poll created by The Other Paper, recorded that Otterbein had wilder parties then Capital, with Otterbein at 61 percent and Capital at 39 percent. I know we are rivals, but can't we just compete in sports or food drives like in elementary school? No? Well, here goes... When I started asking Otterbein students about parties, I received a lot of laughter on their end. From what I gathered, several students disagreed with the results of the poll. According to junior Megan Cooper, Otterbein keeps parties on a smaller scale. "Because it's a smaller campus, there are a bunch of smaller gatherings. Nothing extremely crazy," said Cooper. According to Capital University student Taylor Mackenzie, the weekends get pretty rowdy in Bexley. "It doesn't really get considered a party unless there are two kegs there," said Mackenzie. "Then the entire campus shows up and it usually gets busted within a matter of minutes." Parties being busted seem to be a similarity between Otterbein and Capital. Both schools are located in smaller communities, and, therefore, the cops know which houses have the parties. And if things do get out of control, they definitely know how to clear out a house. Mackenzie had an idea about another reason security is so tight around Capital. Gov. Ted Strickland lives in the Capital area, which forces security to stay on top of parties and to keep situations in order as much as possible. Another factor that may have affected the results of the poll is the number of students who participate in Greek life. Greek life at Otterbein is huge, whereas at Capital it's not as big of a deal. According to Capital University student Kaitlyn Litten, the parties at Capital are less segregated. "The parties are at different houses but it's all the same people," said Litten. One thing that Capital does have as an advantage over Otterbein is its easy access to bars. Bexley is a mere five to seven minutes away from Ohio State's campus, which has a bar on just about every corner. They also have a local bar called The Zig, which is within walking distance. Otterbein has Old Bag of Nails and Classics. If one wants to venture around Polaris, he/she won't find much excitement. I feel that at most colleges and universities you're probably going to run into underage drinking and rowdy behavior, some more than others. For being smaller private schools, Otterbein and Capital have their fair share of parties. I wouldn't really refer to either school as a wild party school, especially after I transferred from Ohio University. While in Athens, I was witness to the following: a couch burning in the street while a policeman on horseback mauled a shirtless, intoxicated man after he ran around screaming "Seabiscuit," at the top of his lungs. At this point I really don't think Otterbein or Capital have even scratched the surface of having a wild party.t&c;
(11/13/08 5:00am)
Cutting it close proved to be the theme for the 2008 Otterbein men's soccer team. After finishing their season with an overall record of 7-7-3, and 4-4-1 in the OAC, the Cardinals just missed making the play-offs due to a tie-breaker. The team walked off the field for the last time this season after a 2-2, double overtime tie with the Capital Crusaders. Goalie David Dziedzicki felt that the team showed a lot about their character in the last game. "It makes sense that we would come back and tie it up like we did. This was something that we proved to a lot this season and it proved how resilient of a team we were," said Dziedzicki. Resilience is one word that head coach Gerry D'Arcy agreed characterized this year's team. "We played five teams who were ranked in the national top 25 this year and came out 2-2-1 in those games," said D'Arcy. "Three of these teams are still alive in the NCAA tournament this week. We were competitive in all these games losing by the odd goal to Wittenberg and OWU, tying after overtime with Capital and shutting out both Ohio Northern and Baldwin Wallace for 1-0 wins." Five of the Cardinals' seven losses came after a difference of only one goal. Three games resulted with ties and three games went into double overtime. Sophomore, Byron Horton, said that this year's team was definitely full of excitement. "Nothing can beat the overtime wins at Baldwin Wallace and Heidelberg," said Horton. "Both games were on the road and under lights, and when the ball hit the back of the net the emotion that we felt was amazing." Dziedzicki said that the Heidelberg game stood out in his mind. "I think it showed how much character we had after coming back from behind on the road in a great atmosphere, and stealing a victory away from a very physical team. Everyone showed up to play that night and it was a great win for us," said Dziedzicki. The Cardinals benefited from a mix of talented underclassmen that matched well with two strong senior captains, Dan Ensign and RJ Lindquist. Lindquist was the only Cardinal named first team All-OAC. "As a senior on the team, of course I am not satisfied with the result. I will always wish we had a chance at another game. But we were young and this team deserved everything it accomplished. For the first time in years we were united," said Lindquist. "We had a strong belief that we could play with anyone out there. We worked very hard all season, and left it all on the field. I am satisfied with that." Dziedzicki feels there will be two large holes to fill next year with the two seniors leaving. "The two seniors on our team this year will most definitely be missed next year. They had a great impact on this program the three years I've been here, and have had a great impact on me as a player," said Dziedzicki. Ensign was named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic Team and was also named the OAC Scholar-Athlete of November. Junior, Auggie Fisher, was also named to the magazine. Other Cardinal standouts include Horton, who led the team with 7 goals, and goalie Dziedzicki, who tallied 68 saves. Coach D'Arcy is looking to build for the future. "Our existing players are very committed to improving themselves as they did from last year. This year's freshman group also has great potential for growth," said D'Arcy. "Finally we must recruit a couple of players who are simply goal scorers. We had a balanced offensive effort this year and with the help of a special player or two we can be very competitive next year." Horton agrees that there is room for improvement for the Cardinals."This off season should be a busy one for the men's team. Every one of us needs to get stronger, faster and work on our skills," said Horton. "If everyone puts the time in and continues to develop, next year we can be at the top of the OAC. I know this group of guys wants to return the program back to what it used to be, and next season we are looking to do so." t&c;
(10/29/08 4:00am)
At this Saturday's game, an early goal left the Otterbein men's soccer team to rely on their concrete defense to defeat Ohio Northern 1-0, and improved their record to (7-6-2, 4-3 OAC) as they draw closer to the OAC tournaments. With the Polar Bears being ranked 23rd in the nation, the Cardinals had their work cut out for them. Head coach Gerry D'Arcy was feeling anxious going into the game. "Being a nationally ranked team, I knew this was going to be one of our toughest games," D'Arcy said. "They also had the home-field advantage where they only lost one game all season. The lone goal by sophomore mid-fielder, Byron Horton, came 24 minutes into the first half. Horton took a perfectly centered pass from mid-fielder Auggie Fisher, and found the back of the net. "After scoring, I realized we still had a lot of soccer left to play and it was going to be a battle for the rest of the game," Horton said. After Horton's goal and the remaining 66 minutes of action, the Polar Bears didn't ease up with their numerous shot attempts. Senior captain Dan Ensign commended his team on their strategic game plan. "When an early goal is scored, we like to play and think more defensively for the next 10-15 minutes to make sure we can stop any kind of surge of energy the opposing team might have," Ensign said. "In our game on Saturday, those 10-15 minutes ended up being more like the rest of the game." Otterbein goalie David Dziedzicki tallied three saves before he was injured in the first half. Undeniably the aid of freshman goalie Alex Kamphaus came in handy. Kamphaus played an excellent game, tallying seven very impressive saves for the Cardinals. "Without the great play of our goalkeepers and defenders, there is no way we would have won this game," Horton said. The Polar Bears held a 23-12 shot advantage and attempted 11 corner kicks, compared to just two for the Cardinals. As time wore down, the Polar Bears were unable to find the back of the net, leaving the final score at 1-0. Ohio Northern is the second nationally ranked team that the Cardinals have brought an upset to, after beating Heidelberg the previous weekend. "We were pumped that we upset a nationally ranked team, even though it wasn't very pretty," said Ensign. "It just shows that the score at the end of the game is really the most important thing." With the end of the season approaching, the Cardinals have their hopes set on the OAC tournaments. "We're taking it one game at a time. We have to take care of business now so we can get into the tournament," Horton said. "Coach keeps telling us that this is a time when a lot of teams check out early and that we have the ability to control our own destiny." The Cardinals lost 3-0 to Muskingum on Tuesday night, and must beat the Capital Crusaders on Friday afternoon for a chance at making the tournaments. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m., here at Clements field. t&c;
(10/15/08 4:00am)
var uslide_show_id = "63baf56a-2b06-4b83-8b7b-8bf2643525b6";var slideshowwidth = "230";var linktext = "";The team combination of senior captain Dan Ensign and junior Matt Beckett has brought two recent upsets in favor of the Otterbein men's soccer team. Last Saturday in Berea, the combo struck first, with Beckett scoring the game-winner in the second OT, off an Ensign cross. The goal proved the difference as the Cardinals defeated No. 7 ranked Baldwin-Wallace by a score of 1-0. Lightning struck twice this past Tuesday, as Ensign set Beckett up for the header in the 87th minute to surpass Mount Union by a score of 2-1. Before facing the Yellow Jackets the Cardinals did their homework, and it paid off. "I knew they were a tough team and played a lot of fast paced possession," said Ensign. "They have scored a lot of goals in their previous games, which made me a little worried." "We were win less in our first two league games and a third consecutive loss would put us in a terrible hole to start off the OAC," said senior captain RJ Lindquist. "We knew this game was to be very challenging for us." As the first and second halves were marked with matching zeros, it was clear that at the end of regulation neither team was letting this game go without a fight. "We were feeling confident because we have played in multiple overtimes already and our fitness is good," said Beckett. "In an earlier game this season against Wilmington, we went into overtime and we had a mental lapse that cost us the game," said Lindquist. "All I was thinking about was keeping the team focused and ready to play." said Lindquist. The focus paid off as they brought the upset to BW. "Everyone put in their piece of the puzzle to make it happen," said junior midfielder Harrison Jones. "As with a lot of our games, we were just missing a few things but on that night we put it all together and it was exciting to see the results of hard work." Otterbein out shot BW 19-18 during the game and both teams recorded six corner kicks. Junior goalie David Dziedzicki had 10 saves. Tuesday night's game against Mount Union was a come from behind win. As the first half ended, the Raiders were ahead 1-0. At the 52nd minute mark, junior Auggie Fisher tied up the score when he headed a cross past the Raider goalie. Beckett scored the second goal in the 87th minute. Though Mount Union was able to outshoot Otterbein, the Cardinals were still able to finish first with a score of 2-1. Both teams had five corner kicks. Goalie Dziedzicki had 2 saves. "We are a great team and these wins opened our eyes to our potential," said Beckett. With three weeks and six games to go, the Cardinals are looking to make the OAC playoffs. After two big wins, they seem to be on the right track. "We're going to need that same intensity and focus for 90 minutes each game in order for us to make it to the post season," said Lindquist. "We have now proven to ourselves that we deserve respect in the OAC." The Cardinals travel to Tiffin to face Heidelberg this Saturday at 7p.m. Otterbein moves to 5-5-2 overall and 2-2 in the OAC with their two latest victories. t&c;
(10/09/08 4:00am)
The secret is out. Yes, it's true, there is in fact a girl on the Otterbein football team. Our very own Cardinal, Kristin Osborn, has already accomplished two of Otterbein's very firsts. Osborn will be tagged as the first girl to come aboard Otterbein's football team, as well as the first girl to kick an extra point in the JV game this past Tuesday at Wilmington. When hearing about Osborn, I found it almost impossible to track this girl down. After talking to a few of her teammates, I discovered that when Osborn is not kicking field goals she's hitting the high notes, literally. Osborn is also a first soprano in the Otterbein choir. She confesses that being a music major and playing football is very stressful. "I have to sprint from my voice lessons to get to practice on time," she said. "Because I have such a passion for football and music I have to force myself to balance them out." Osborn says that she is lucky to have such a great family as a support system. "When I decided that I wanted to play football my whole family was a little bit confused because we were all more of a soccer family, but once we were all on the same page everything was good," said Osborn. As you can imagine Osborn's family members weren't the only ones confused. For many years now, Osborn has been participating in a "man's sport," and she has been turning the heads of many people. "I find it interesting that it's such a big deal...I'm not anything special I'm just another player," said Osborn. "There will be people willing to do whatever they can to discourage you, but you just learn to not let them get in the way." Osborn seems to have found another support system within her team members. Fellow kicker, Dave Brewer says that Osborn has great ability. "If she needs help she asks, and she has no problem giving advice," said Brewer. Teammate Syvon Keys has begun to come around. "At first it baffled me because you don't see girls on a guys football team, but my thoughts have changed because I've seen her play and can clearly see that she is here for a reason," said Keys. "If anyone were to talk about her in a negative light I would think they were ignorant because she is just a part of the team as anyone else, so the fact that she is a girl makes no difference." Being around 150 guys at once, one has to wonder what Osborn learns each day. "Sometimes I hear things that I wish I wouldn't have, but guys are guys and they aren't going to change just because I'm there," said Osborn. "It was such a relief when I got to meet the guys and discovered that they were all so cool and very welcoming." As a whole, "welcoming" was the word Osborn used to describe her first four weeks here at Otterbein. "I'm not here to try to make Otterbein's football team look like a joke, I'm here because I have a passion for football just like any other player on this team," added Osborn. The Cardinal football team beat Heidelberg College 52-14 last Saturday to move to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the OAC. The Cardinals are off to their best start since 1981 and are tied for a share of first place in the OAC. Next up for the Cardinals are the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin-Wallace University. The Yellow Jackets are 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the OAC. They are coming off a 48-3 drubbing at home, versus #1 Mount Union College. The Cardinals are looking for a little redemption from last season, since the Yellow Jackets came from behind to beat the Cardinals 37-27 in Berea last year. Game time is 1:30 at Memorial Stadium. t&c;
(09/25/08 4:00am)
In an intense match, Otterbein men's soccer team (2-3-1) battled the Washington and Jefferson Presidents (PA) (2-3-2) to a double overtime, 0-0 tie on Saturday afternoon at Clements Field. "We're all pretty frustrated with the tie," Graduate Assistant Brett Neiderman said. "We were very unfortunate to have a goal called back but we need to get more productivity out of our offense... this was a game we could have won." Aggressive play came from the Cardinals in the first half, receiving six shot attempts, seven fouls and two yellow cards. During the second half, both teams began looking more dangerous on offense. The Cardinals were able to get the ball in shooting range nine times, compared to Washington and Jefferson's five goal attempts. With two minutes left in the second half, junior midfielder Auggie Fisher, was almost a hero as he dodged around the goalie and put the ball inside the right post; however, the goal was called off after a foul was called on Otterbein. During both overtimes, Otterbein was able to control possession, successfully moving the ball and putting pressure on Washington and Jefferson's defense, unable to convert their opportunities into goal-scoring chances. Senior captain Dan Ensign expressed that once the offense settles in, the Cardinals will be on the right foot. "The offense needs to be worked on," Ensign said. "110 minutes of soccer without a goal is unacceptable, however, we did have some very good chances on goal that we just couldn't finish. As long as we can start capitalizing on set pieces, we will be okay." Junior midfielder Harrison Jones is confident that the offense will have the opportunity to put big numbers up on the board. "We created a lot of chances. This has been the case for most of our games so far, but we just haven't been able to punch some goals in, but I know things will start clicking for us up top," Jones said. The Cardinals managed to get off 20 shots while the Presidents only had 11. On the defensive end of the field, things seem to be standing solid. Junior goalie David Dziedzicki, who recorded four saves for the Cardinals, is secure in goal. "The defense played very well against Washington and Jefferson," said Dziedzicki. "The three in the back did very well to handle their counter attacks and did an awesome job at closing all passing lanes. We also defended very well in the midfield." At this point, the Cardinals have nothing to hang their heads about, having lost to Wittenberg, Kenyon and Ohio Wesleyan who are all very good and potential nationally ranked teams. "We have had great work ethic but we are a young and developing team and have been trying people in different positions and different formations," Ensign said. "Our focus is not on our record, but being the best team we can be by the time conference play starts." The men's team has been made home to 24 new freshmen and only has three senior veterans. "I think this is going to be a good season for the Otterbein men's soccer team. We have some young talent on the team, this combined with some of our upper classmen, will allow us to do very well in the conference this year," said Dziedzicki. The Cardinals also tied Denison University Wednesday night 2-2. Next up for the Cardinals is Oberlin on October 1. The Cardinals start OAC play October 8 at Marietta. t&c;
(05/22/08 4:00am)
With spring practice wrapping up at the end of this week, the 2008 Otterbein football team is seeking consistency as they fine-tune their system. "The number one goal for spring practice is for everyone to learn their position better. We do not put the pads on for the spring so it is more mental than physical," said coach Joe Loth. "Our goals for next fall are to improve all three phases of our football team: offense, defense and special teams." Returning quarterback Jack Rafferty is pleased with the way the team has come together during the off-season. Rafferty said the main objective during spring ball was getting everyone to know their assignments, increasing the intensity and mastering the system. "The dedication and hard work that everyone has put in over the last couple of months seems to be paying off," said Rafferty. "I think that if we can keep our positive attitude through the summer, and continue to work hard, we will put ourselves in a good position once the season comes around." The team has some holes to fill with the graduation of a productive senior class. Wide receivers Scott DeLong and Josh Bope will be graduating this year. Delong finished fourth in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) for all-purpose yardage, averaging 105.3 yards a game. Bope finished with an average 49.8 all-purpose yards a game. Junior defensive linemen Mark Vuich feels the graduating seniors will be missed, but trusts the rest of the team to fill their leadership roles. "We have had a great group of guys waiting in the wings to take their vacated spots," said Vuich. "The people that will be stepping up into those spots have learned from the guys leaving and are just as talented if not more so." The Cardinals will return many play makers, including Vuich, Rafferty, senior offensive linemen Andy Fries, senior linebacker Eric Burnsides and junior running back Eric Yates. Head coach Joe Loth feels the incoming seniors have a tremendous amount of potential and a chance to compete in the OAC. The return of several key offensive players gives the team hopes of continuing the success the Cardinals had last year with the number two offense in the OAC. "For the offense, the sky is the limit," said Vuich. "They have worked hard and improved so much that it will be very exciting to watch them take the field." With the defensive line coming off an up-and-down season, they are looking to get solid up front. "From the work we've put in the weight room and the way our concentration has been throughout spring ball, we should surprise a lot of people and teams with the vast improvements we've made," said Vuich. During spring ball the team has stressed the importance of special teams. "We are trying some different things on some of our special teams that I hope we can find success with," said Fries. "When it comes down to it, it is a total team effort out on the field." With spring ball coming to a close, the team will be hitting the weight room this summer. The Cardinals will be working with programs that the coaches have designed to increase their speed and strength. "We will spend a good amount of that time working on the techniques that we've learned. It will also be a good time to bond with everybody dedicated to being around during the summer months," said Vuich. The expectations for this team are great. "As a whole, the team expects to be one of the best, if not the best, in the OAC," said Fries. The Cardinals finished 5-5 last season overall and had a 5-4 record in the OAC. The coaching staff's tenure combined with the team's dedication and talent should put the 2008 Otterbein football team on the brink of a breakout season. t&c;
(05/08/08 4:00am)
The Otterbein softball team finished the 2008 season with a 13-23 overall record, and a 6-12 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). With seniors Corey Bernard and Morgan Braun refusing to lose the last game of their careers, the team split their last doubleheader with Mt. St. Joseph, losing the first game 4-3 and dominating the second 10-1. "Of course we would rather take two wins than split, but when I look back on this season I won't think about how we split our last doubleheader," said freshman Britany Byers. "Instead I'll think about how our two seniors both played great final games."The Mt. St. Joseph's pitching lineup had nothing on Bernard in the first or second game. Bernard's bat seemed to have made friends with the left-field fence. In the first game Bernard had the first home run of her softball career; however this wouldn't be her last. In the second game, Bernard hit another solo shot over the left-field fence. Then Bernard's last at-bat for the Otterbein softball team called for the bases to be loaded, and, as anyone could guess, she turned on a fastball and drove it yet again over the left side of the field. "I had never had a home run before so I really wanted one as a senior, so I was really pumped about the first one, and in pure shock after the grand slam," said Bernard. "It was the best last at-bat possible and I was really happy to end that way." Braun, who was a major contributor to the Otterbein pitching personnel, also left her mark. "Morgan was our ace pitcher, and had a very positive attitude. She told it like it was, and always tried to get us to work harder," said sophomore teammate Kelsey Beers."It was a true pleasure coaching Corey and Morgan these past four years," said head coach Deb Torman. "They brought a sense of family and energy. Their leadership and contribution will truly be missed."Sophomore Brooke Stull felt that this year's record didn't serve the team justice. "We just kept beating ourselves, we probably got beat three conference games and all the other ones we lost we beat ourselves."Kelsey Beers felt that ending the season with a split sent herself and her teammates out on a very positive note for next season. "We have the potential to be a very good team, and after a somewhat disappointing season, a split makes us know we can be better next year," Kelsey. Though they weren't pleased with their final standings, the Otterbein softball team still has many reasons to be proud. They defeated tough OAC teams such as Baldwin Wallace, Wilmington, Heidelberg and top team Muskingum. Kelsey and Kendy Beers both finished with All-OAC second-team honors. Junior center fielder, Kelsey finished with a .320 batting average, 12 stolen bases and 15 RBIs. Junior second basemen Kendy completed her season with a .309 batting average, 25 hits, and 13 RBIs. Also receiving OAC honors was, junior Janelle Jones who earned an honorable mention. The fierce third basemen led the team with a .379 batting average, a .486 on-base percentage. During the summer the girls will lift and condition on their own. Losing only two seniors and returning a very strong and talented assortment of girls may be in the works for a destructive 2009 season. "I had a lot of fun and leave with a bunch of great memories," said Bernard. "This team has the potential to be great and make it to the (OAC) tournament next year and I wish them the best of luck." t&c;
(04/24/08 4:00am)
Identical twins, Kendy and Kelsey Beers, have been two of the greatest hits the Otterbein softball team has received within the last three years. The Beers twins have a great deal of softball experience under their belts. Having started playing at the age of nine, and making two state appearances in high school, it's no wonder why these two ladies were on top of Otterbein softball's recruitment list. Beginning their freshman year here at Otterbein, the Beers twins had much to prove, and they did so in a short amount of time. They have both demonstrated that they have a strong presence at the plate and that they have the defensive skills to match. Kendy helps lead the infield at second base and shortstop, while Kelsey has become an expert in the outfield. "Together I think we bring a lot to the team, people know us as fun and hardworking at the same time," said Kendy. Anyone who knows the Beers twins would say that they come as a package deal. Both on the field and off the field they highlight each others personalities. It's easy to see why having these two around would bring comic relief. "I think people see how much we like being around each other, and how goofy we are together," said Kelsey. "We like to make people laugh, and we can do that so much better together than apart. Having two of us around means there's always a story to tell and I think people enjoy what we bring to the team as twins."Senior teammate, Corey Bernard, agrees that a story always follow the Beers twins. "Kendy and I always pretend to fight and so things are a bit off when we don't give each other a little attitude," said Bernard. "She also always has berry chapstick with her and usually a can of Mountain Dew, neither of which she can live without.""Kelsey, on the other hand, always has a Pepsi in her hand," said Bernard "She is one of the nicest people I know. She gets really excited once in awhile and that really pumps the team up." Even though the twins are so alike that it's sometimes scary, they seem to bring different aspects to the team.According to roommate, friend and teammate, Janelle Jones, the twins have different charismatic traits during games. "Kendy brings a leadership aspect to the team that not a lot of girls do," said Jones. "She is very vocal on and off the field and is very good at staying positive even when things are not going in our favor." "Kelsey, on the other hand, is more on the quiet side. She is loud on the field when needed, but off the field, tries to keep the team chemistry very tight and maintain a peaceful environment." Head coach Deb Torman also feels that the twins bring different strong points. "Kendy brings a lot of fire and energy to the team. Kelsey brings a sense of calm confidence," said Torman. "They both are great in the team atmosphere and one on one." If one thing is certain it's that the Beers twins have integrated their sisterly/twin feelings into their team. "They bring a close family bonding aspect to team which improves our team chemistry overall," said Jones. Last week the Beers twins were unable to make the John Carroll games due to academic reasons. "You could definitely feel that their presence was missing," said Bernard. "The two of them feed off of each other very well which makes its way into the team and keeps us pumped and into the games."During their stay here at Otterbein Kendy and Kelsey have become known as "the twins." This just gives them more inspiration. "It makes me feel awesome to know that people refer to us as the twins," said Kelsey. "Everything I am is because I'm a twin, and I'm proud to say that she is my best friend." "Honestly, I forget that being a twin is kind of unique because I'm so used to it," said Kendy. "So when people say stuff like that it makes me feel special and I love it." t&c;
(04/10/08 4:00am)
Otterbein's softball team (7-9, 2-4 OAC) lost 3-2 and 7-4 in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader against Mount Union's softball team (23-3, 6-0 OAC).In the opener, the Raiders scored two quick runs in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Cardinal junior Janelle Jones answered back with a solo home run. "After hitting the first home run, I thought, all right hopefully this gives us some momentum to keep going and come out with a victory," said Jones. The score remained 2-1 until the top of the seventh inning when senior Lindsey Rower of Mount Union added a solo home run making the score 3-1. Jones responded with another solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. "At this point I really thought that we had a great chance of winning," said Jones. "But we just weren't able to pull it off." In the first game, Otterbein only had four hits, two runs and two errors compared to Mount Union's 11 hits, three runs and no errors.In the second game, the Raiders connected with the ball early in the first inning. The Cardinals allowed three runs in the first inning. The Raiders added another run the next inning, giving the Raiders a 4-0 lead. The Raiders extended their lead to 7-0 by the end of the fourth inning. This would be the end of Mount Union's scoring rally. The Cardinal's bats didn't come to life until around the sixth inning. The first batter, junior Kendy Beers, singled through the left side. Then junior Tressa Ragor tripled to right center allowing Beers to score. Freshmen Kirsti King flew out to second base. Ragor was able to make it home off of the sacrifice. The Cardinals second-hitting rally came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bernard and junior Erica Walter all walked. This loaded the bases for Beers, who doubled to left field bringing in two RBIs. Beers' two RBIs cut Mount Union's lead to only three, with only one out.But Ragor flew out to left and Felicia Vermaaten grounded out to end the game. "After only losing 3-2 in the first game, I thought we had some confidence going into the second game," said Jones. "We didn't make things happen until the bottom of the seventh, and at that point we ended four runs shy of a victory." Coach Deb Torman hopes to get back on track after the Mount Union losses by focusing on Ohio Northern. "We need to make adjustments and go strong after Ohio Northern," said Torman. "If we want to make the conference tournament we need to bounce back from these losses and get back into the hunt by beating Ohio Northern." The Cardinals are 2-4 in the OAC, but they still have a chance to make a strong comeback. "We still have six conference games left to play, and we still have a lot of fight left," said Bernard. "We're very strong and very capable and we just need to stay optimistic.""All in all, I feel that this is the most well-rounded team I have yet to be part of here at Otterbein," said Jones. "When our pitchers are on, our hitters are hitting, and our defense is solid, I feel that we are able to beat anyone."Otterbein's next game is at John Carrol University. Game time is 1 p.m. t&c;
(03/13/08 4:00am)
When reflecting back on the 2008 women's indoor track and field season, one would find that the women hurdlers have many reasons to be proud. These leaping ladies demonstrated their strength from the beginning of the season and continued to strive forward, making their presence known in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Highlighting the season for the hurdling team were the dynamic performances of: junior Lauren Rausch, junior Stacey Schall and graduate student Kelli Peirano. Also, rounding out the team with key contributions were: freshmen Sarah Petraitis, Lisa Coleman and Paris Anderson. The first noteworthy performance that set the tone for the rest of the season came after the Kenyon Kick Off. During this meet, all six hurdlers placed within the top seven spots. "From a hurdle-team standpoint, we obviously wanted to place first through third in the OAC meet," said Schall. "When we realized how talented our incoming freshmen were this season, we had hoped to place first through sixth, although we first wanted to get all six hurdlers into the final to beat our record of five in the final." All thoughts were confident from the very start of the season. "My expectation at the beginning of the season was to be the best," said Anderson. "I figured if I was going to do it, then I needed to reach for the top." As the season progressed, the Otterbein women hurdlers continued to clear all obstacles. The team took the top four spots from meets including: Baldwin-Wallace Mid-January meet, the Greater Columbus Invitational and the Last Call meet at Capital. They took the top three spots from the All-Ohio meet, and the OAC qualifier. They also captured the top two spots from the OAC relays at Ohio Northern and the OAC championships.With times of 8.36 seconds and 8.48 seconds respectively, Rausch and Peirano both qualified for the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships on Friday and Saturday."It didn't come by luck; it came through everybody's hard work. I knew our women's team would be able to compete not only within our conference, but throughout the region," said Rausch. As an individual, Rausch finished first in seven out of the nine indoor season meets. She finished first at the Kenyon Invitational, the Baldwin-Wallace Mid-January meet, the OAC relays, the Greater Columbus Invitational, the All-Ohio meet, the OAC qualifier and the OAC championships. "I personally, and the rest of the hurdlers, all set high expectations for ourselves and our teammates, which is why I think we were so successful. If we ran a great time, it wasn't good enough," said Rausch. "We always put it behind us and tried to run even faster the next time. We were never satisfied with results and continued to improve with every opportunity." During the season the six team members were able to leave their mark on the 55-meter hurdles by breaking and tying previous records. "As a hurdle team, we managed to tie our record of five in the final, which was an amazing feeling to have an entire fast heat dedicated only to your team," said Schall. "We were also able to break our record of points earned in an event, scoring 30." This successful season was in no way handed to these women. They put in the long hours and even ran into overtime. They started their off-season training in September. All of their hard work in the weight room and on the track paid off when it was time to compete. "Preparing for the challenges faced with this year began immediately following last year's season. We knew we wanted to accomplish a lot this season and to do that we had to work hard in the off-season," said Rausch. This hard work will continue to pay off as they look forward to spring. "We can only get better in the outdoor season, and this indoor season was only a great starting point from which to improve," said Schall.OTTERBEIN:-Captured top three spots at the All-Ohio Meet-Rausch and Peirano qualified for Nat'l Championship-Rausch won the OAC 55-meter hurdles-Swept top three spots at OAC Championship-Schall, Rausch and Peirano received All-OAC Honors-Schall took All-OAC honors in the distance medley t&c;
(02/27/08 5:00am)
It may be the last chance for some, but not for the Otterbein track team. A total team effort was needed on the track and in the field to secure the second-place finish for Otterbein at the Rick Meindl Last Chance Meet at Capital last Friday.The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams dominated the meet, with Capital finishing first, Otterbein second, Wilmington third and Muskingum fourth."Our primary goal last Friday at Capital was to try to qualify more people in open events. It was a very good meet for us," said head coach Doug Welsh. The women ran away with eight first-place finishes. First place was awarded to two of the field team members. Junior Kyra Smith finished first in the high jump, clearing 4-11.75. Junior Allyson Tobin also finished first with a shot put distance of 43-05.25. The other six first-place awards were pounded out on the track. Five of the finishes came from distance runners. Freshman first place winner Jocelyn Hennon met the "A" qualifying standard for the conference meet in the 500-meter run. "I'm excited that I got the standard because now I can hopefully contribute some points to the team at the conference meet," said Hennon.Other first-place victors were freshman Lindsay Main in the 800-meter run, junior Sarah Blaney in the 1000-meter run, junior Abby Ludwig in the one-mile run and sophomore Nicole Reese in the 5000-meter run. Like usual, the Otterbein women hurdlers were unstoppable. These players are setting the bar high for the OAC championships. First place finisher Kelli Peirano, who came back from an ACL surgery, was pleased with Friday's results. "I was really happy with how I ran at the Last Chance meet because it's been an inconsistent season for me, and I finally finished at a time I hoped I was still capable of running," said Peirano. "It's great to have the awesome hurdler teammates that I [have] because we all push each other to be our best and we are always right there with each other at the finish line."Other hurdling standouts include junior Lauren Rausch, freshman Sarah Petraitis and freshman Paris Anderson who received second, third and fourth respectively.The men's indoor team took fifth out of 10 teams. Standouts include sophomore Alex Simko, who took second in the 500-meter run, and junior Michael Lash, who took third in the 55-meter hurdlers. Both the men's and women's teams will be competing at 5 p.m. Friday at the OAC qualifier in the Clements Center. The qualifiers from this meet will then prepare for the OAC championships, which will also be held here at Otterbein the following weekend. With impressive performance results from the two previous home meets, both the men and women have shown that they're comfortable in the Clements Center. "I think our team has done some amazing things so far this season," said Peirano. "We're looking forward to good competition at the OAC championships."
(02/13/08 5:00am)
The Cardinal men's and women's track teams were determined not to fall behind the competition at the home turf invitational Saturday. The women's track team finished first and the men finished second at the Greater Columbus meet. The Greater Columbus Invitational was the first meet to be hosted in the Clements Center. The Cardinals were definitely feeling comfortable at home, based on the high finishes from both men and women. The women finished on top with 147 1/2 points (compared to the second-place Capital with 132 1/2). Finishing third with 128 points was Ohio Wesleyan, followed by Muskingum with 49 points. It came as no surprise that the Otterbein women dominated the 55-meter hurdles once again. The team swept the top three spots, along with fifth and sixth place. Lauren Rausch, Kelli Peirano and Stacey Schall walked away with the gold, silver and bronze. Also placing at the top was Paris Anderson, who took fifth; Lisa Coleman took sixth. "We are so lucky to have each other," said Rausch. "Not only are we teammates, but we all are actually really good friends, so that always makes practice fun for us, considering how doing the same thing day after day can become a bit monotonous."The success of these women is starting to turn heads. "We have a hard-working group of hurdlers and we love what we do," said Peirano. "Our coach is amazingly dedicated and all of us push each other to reach our potential. We are often our biggest competition, which really helps each of us improve every day at practice."Other standouts for the women included Kali Dudley, who placed first in the 300-meter dash and helped the 4 x 200-meter relay team finish fourth. Senior Ashley Suffel finished first in the 800-meter run and freshman Jocelyn Hennon captured the top spot in the 500-meter dash.The men's performance also left nothing to be ashamed of. The team walked away with second place overall. The Cardinals finished after Ohio Wesleyan--but with a firm foot clearly in front of Capital. "We knew it was going to be tough to win the guys' side this year due to many illnesses, but we still came out for the fight," said senior Matt Kleinknech. "We had a lot of our guys compete very well and our team was the most supportive it has been this year." The 4 x 400 relay team, which consisted of CJ Carroll, Ryan Kennedy, Kleinknecht and Alex Simko, came in a respectable second place. Simko's additional speed helped advance the relay team from third place to second.Simko also took the first-place title for the 1000-meter run, with teammates Jared French and Tyler Congrove finishing close behind. Not only did French finish as the runner-up in the 1000-meter run, but he also finished first in the one-mile run.The Cardinals compete next at Kenyon this Friday at 6 p.m. The teams will be returning home to host the fifth annual all-Ohio meet Saturday in the Clements Center, scheduled to begin at noon.
(01/31/08 5:00am)
The men's and women's indoor track and field team topped the charts this weekend at the Baldwin-Wallace invitational. The men's team took the top spot in four events. Junior Alex Simko went nose to nose with Ohio Wesleyan's Kyle Herman in the 500-meter dash. Simko finished with a time of 1:09.09, scarcely beating Herman's time of 1:09.27. Senior Ryan Kennedy was first in the 300-meter dash, and freshman C.J. Carrol also took first in the 400-meter dash. Jared French left his competition in the dust in the 3000-meter run, with a final time of 8:43.35. Though the men continue to show great potential, it is clear that Ohio Wesleyan and Mt. Union will be among their greatest competition this year. "I think we showed that, at this point in the season, we matched up very well against Mt. Union--which says a lot since they were last year's indoor and outdoor track champs," said Simko. "However, I feel that we also still have much room for improvement and that we are working towards that daily."The Cardinal women's track team conquered the meet, placing in the top of almost every single event. They took the top three spots in the 55-meter hurdles, with first place going to Lauren Rausch, second going to Kelli Peirano and third place captured by Stacy Schall. Sarah Petraitis took fourth place in this event. "Our success is only possible because we have each other to push in practice each and every day. I think this is the biggest factor in our success. Every day is like a race-time situation. We have four girls that--at any time--could win, and that keeps us always on top of our game," said Rausch.This dominance was similar to the scorings after the Kenyon Invitational that took place the previous weekend. The Cardinals took the top five spots. It is becoming very evident that the team is exerting an edge on the competition with their polished hurdling skills."It was really cool to see six Otterbein girls out of eight hurdlers line up at the starting line for the 55-meter hurdle finals at the Kenyon meet," said Peirano. The Cardinal relay team had a reason to be proud, thanks to the efforts of Lisa Coleman, Kali Dudley, Paris Anderson and Tanesha Graham. Combined, they won the 4 x 200 relay with a time of 1:54.78. Also contributing to the Otterbein muscle-flexing was Ashley Suffel, who finished first in the 1000-meter run. Both the men's and women's track teams will be back in action tomorrow when they compete in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) relays meet at Ohio Northern University. "I think that we can do some great things in our conference that have never been done before, and it's very exciting to be a part of it," said Periano.On the following weekend, Feb. 9, the Cardinals will be hosting the 2008 Greater Columbus meet.