Volume 120 Issue 23 Friday, April 1, 2016
OrbitMediaOnline.com
Little Muskies leave big splash at state championship Chris Morgan Orbit Media Reporter
The John Glenn Little Muskies Boys Basketball team delivered the school’s first state championship on Saturday, March 19 by defeating Akron St. Vincent – St. Mary 76-72 in the Division II State Final. John Glenn alumni watched the team with great pride, including 1999 graduate Aaron Spragg. Spragg emceed both of the pep rallies during the celebrations. “It’s been an amazing feeling,” said Spragg. “As a graduate and being around sports and knowing how hard it is to win a state championship, it definitely means
a lot.” The New Concord community has been celebrating ever since the win, culminating with a village block party, championship parade, and a final pep rally on Wednesday, March 23. Several New Concord businesses set up shop outside their buildings with tables filled with food and games while residents roamed around Main Street surrounded by music as the celebration continued to unfold. The championship parade followed the block party, with the team being driven down the street in front of their fans cheering them on and the parade being broadcast live on WMCO 90.7.
The Little Muskies finished the season at 28-1, winning the state championship game. They were also named the first ranked Division II team in the final Associated Press Poll. The team also averaged 85 points per game during the season, scoring 2,465 total points. Their total points rank third alltime for most team points scored in a season. The first and second ranked schools were Vienna Mathews and Pleasant City. “They were so poised all year,” said Spragg. “Seeing the way they led, and never got rattled and stayed together as a team is what Devan Boyer/ Black & Magenta stands out to me.” The John Glenn Muskies enjoy a pep rally to celebrate their inclusion See LITTLE MUSKIES, in the Ohio State Championship game. Continued on Page 4
Senate Committee looks to expand campus recycling Martin Kurtz Orbit Media Reporter
Brenna Busby/ Black & Magenta The Recycling Program, under the leadership of senior Connor Hann, began in Fall 2015. Each week a different organization is in charge of picking up the recycling from each building. There is no set plan yet for how the smaller bins will be collected from the rooms next year.
Student Senate’s Recycling Committee is making progress toward having recycle bins in every dorm room and on every dorm floor on campus. Senior Director of Facilities and Physical Plant, Kevin Wagner, and Interim Vice President for Advancement, Janet HeeterBass, met with the committee about the possibility of adding garbage can-sized bins to each hallway of every dorm by the end of this semester. The committee hopes to put 28 quart-sized bins to each dorm room this summer. In the meeting with Wagner and Heeter-Bass, the Recycling Committee decided to purchase all of the bins and came up with a money figure. It was also discussed that Muskingum University could buy the bins through
Physical Plant because the cost would be cheaper than the whole retail value. “We haven’t gotten a number with what they [Physical Plant] would be working with or if that number that we had would change,” said Connor Hann, Chair of the Recycling Committee. The Recycling Committee hasn’t heard a response yet from Physical Plant and Administration but expects the bins to be bought soon. Once it is approved by Administration, the Recycling Committee will look for funding, which will likely come from Student Senate money. “We would still have to have that conversation, but I believe that [Senate] is one of the directions that we could take,” said Hann. Hann said that the main goal of the Recycling Committee is to make sure that the Muskingum
community continues to be involved in the effort and to keep it going after he graduates at the end of this semester. Hann also said that he wants to see incoming first year senators get invested in recycling on campus that way recycling can become a permanent part of the campus environment. “I don’t think that we should take this [the bins currently in the lobbies] for granted. I think that’s what happened in the past and people think ‘Oh, there’s bins here now. It’s going to be taken care of but this is something the community needs to stay active in,”’ said Hann. Once this project is completed, the Recycling Committee is looking to extend recycling into the buildings on the Quad and they are also planning on making Recycling Committee a standing committee on Student Senate.
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News & Opinion The Black & Magenta • Orbit Media
Muskie team celebrate achievements at national forensics tournament Forensics team places in Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament Logan Weaver Orbit Media Reporter The Muskingum University Forensics team ranked “Excellent” in the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament at the University of Kentucky-Lexington following a second place win in their state competition. Muskingum Director of Forensics and Instructor of Communication, Rachel Pollock, said that the season has been going well thus far. 174 students competed in the interviewing category. Senior Carter Brown and sophomore Jaliah Oglesby placed 20 percent consistently overall in interviewing in the preliminary rounds of Interviewer, Interviewee, and Current Resume categories. 750 students competed in the
Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament from 87 different speech and debate teams and states. Muskingum took home a second place finish in their state tournament at Capital University. Ohio University took first place at Capital and are usually nationally ranked in tournaments according to Pollock. “It felt pretty good to come in behind them,” said Pollock. Leading the team was Oglesby, a second-year member, who took home first and second place finishes in poetry interpretation and programmed oral interpretation, respectively. “That was a big standout win for us this year,” said Pollock. Brown has also been a key member for the team this year. Pollock said that Brown compet-
ed in impromptu speaking, interviewing, and individual debating in the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament. Pollock said that two newer team members, Chris Liddell and Tyler Blaine, both scored a place in the debate category in their first tournament, but both fell ill and were unable to compete in the national competition. Pollock said that some categories in the competition are offered as classes at Muskingum, such as extemporaneous speaking or, her favorite, oral interpretation of literature, that are open to all students that want to take it. Pollock said that students with any major can join the team, as a Communication major is not a requirement of participating. If students are interested in joining the Forensics team they can receive class credit for it.
Hasselers thank the campus community Letter to the Editor Dear Members of the Muskingum Community: Many, many thanks to all who made our “welcome weekend” such a special event. We were very touched by the warm greetings from students, faculty, staff, trustees, and community members. The student-led interviews, receptions, public announcement, and meals provided wonderful opportunities for us to get to know the University and surrounding community. We appreciate the many
Muskingum staff members who worked tirelessly to make this amazing weekend possible. We would like to extend a special heart-felt thanks to President Anne Steele, whose graciousness and expertise are ensuring the smoothest of transitions. Special thanks also to Dr. Lisa Marshall and the Orbit Media staff, who conducted interviews and edited the footage like pros; Dr. Steve Kokovich, a skilled community tour guide and advocate; Mr. Hal Burlingame, Chair
of the Board of Trustees; and Mr. Bob Patin and the entire search committee. We greatly enjoyed our official introduction to the community and look forward to many delightful interactions with all of you in the future. We are eagerly anticipating July 1, when we will officially join the Muskingum community. In the meantime, warmest wishes to all of you for a great semester. With appreciation, Sue and Ken Hasseler
Submission/ Muskingum Public Relations Muskingum Forensics speaker, Jaliah Oglesby, took part in the Communication, Media, & Theatre Department Open House on Tuesday, March 15 in Philip and Betsey Caldwell Hall in preparation for their upcoming tournament. The Black & Magenta encourages Letters to the Editor of 150 words or fewer. Email submission to bandm@muskingum.edu.
Let’s Pick it up New Concord! April 9 9 a.m.
Congratulations to Student Senate’s Organization of the Month:
MAS:BSU Attend their meetings Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the Chess Center.
Arts & Entertainment The Black & Magenta • Orbit Media
PSA: 90.7 host WMCO Weekend for students and community Kayla Rausch & Zackary Huyghe Communities Coalition, and Genesis Orbit Media Reporters HealthCare System were on site following the presentation with games, Muskingum University’s radio giveaways, and a driving simulator station, WMCO 90.7, is hosting a for students. weekend dedicated to serving the On Fricommunity and promoting their sta- day, April tion called WMCO Weekend. 1, WMCO WMCO Weekend started in 2008 is co-sponand has become an annual event for soring “You the station. Didn’t “[WMCO Weekend] has been a K n o w great way to get the community and You Need students involved,” said WMCO It” Bingo Station Manager, Lisa Marshall. with the This year, WMCO Weekend runs Muskingthe rest of the week until April 2. um ProThursday, March 31, WMCO gramming hosted “Maria’s Message” at 11 a.m. Board in with Columbus 10TV’s sportscaster the Walter Dom Tiberi. K. Chess During the presentation, Tiberi Center sotalked about distracted driving. cial hall He began “Maria’s Message” fol- starting at lowing the 2013 death of his daugh- 9 p.m. This ter due to distracted driving. event will “He made it his mission to use his be open to celebrity so to speak, to educate the Muskingstudents about distracted driving,” um students only. Some of the prizes said Marshall. that students can win include school Following the presentation The supplies, tablets, and other safety Ohio State Highway Patrol Zanes- supplies to help while at school that ville Post, Muskingum County Safe can be earned by participating in an
evening of MPB traditional bingo. Saturday, April 2, “Ticket Truck” will bring local emergency response vehicles and law enforcement vehicles on the Quad, and it is open to the public. Anyone w h o attends will be able to touch the vehicles a n d t o u r them. A t each truck or car, you will be able to answer questions about public safety. During WMCO Weekend the students are also able to visit with members of the Muskingum County Sheriff Department’s K9-unit. Stu-
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dents will get to talk with Muskingum University Counseling Services, Tracy Bugglin and Leah Shirer, about on campus counseling and procedures in situation. There will also be a bonfire co-sponsored by Muskingum University Police where students can make S’mores and hot dogs on the Quad. The media group will be collecting both monetary and nonperishable food donations at all of these events for set charities in the local area including Operation Feed, American Red Cross, and Muskingum County Animal Shelter. This year a portion of the Thursday event proceeds also went to “Maria’s Message.” All of the events hosted during the weekend are free and open to all students all weekend. Saturday’s “Ticket Truck” and bonfire is open to community members in addition to Muskie students. “It’s amazing what Muskingum can do without charging people to come to these events,” said Marshall. Throughout its eight years, the campus radio station has raised almost $3,500 and 2,400 pounds of food for local area charities with the events held during WMCO Weekend.
The Order of Omega Presents: Greek Week 2016 Greek Sing Strength of Mind Balloon Toss Tug-Of-War Dodgeball Unity Race Volleyball
Sunday, April 3 at 2:15 p.m. in The Recreation Center. Monday, April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Large Boyd Auditorium. Tuesday, April 5 at 11 a.m. on the Quad. Tuesday, April 5 at 5 p.m. at the Sand Volleyball Court. Wed., April 6 at 7 p.m. in The Recreation Center. Thurs., April 7 at 11 a.m. on the Quad. Thurs., April 7 at 7 p.m. in The Recreation Center.
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tra Cinema Cen Aaron Eno Orbit Media Reporter
One of the most anticipated movies of 2016 came out this past weekend, “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice”. The movie meant to be the launching point for Warner Bros. DC cinematic Universe (DCU) has been met with a wide spectrum of criticism. The movie was scored rather low by critics on major review websites such as Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB. On top of that is a split between the fans. While the numbers would suggest most enjoyed the movie others nitpick at every opportunity on social media. “Batman v. Superman” grossed 424 million on its opening weekend, with 170 million being domestic. The production budget was estimated at 250 million. The next film in the DCU, Suicide Squad releases on August 5. Speaking of Batman, two trailers for The “Lego Batman” Movie dropped over the past week, with a release date sometime next year in 2017.
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Page 4 LITTLE MUSKIES Continued from Page 1 The night concluded with a pep rally held at John Glenn High School hosted by Spragg’s company, Storied Rivals Sports Media. There, Spragg and fellow community members shared their thanks and pride in the team’s work.
SPORTS
The Black & Magenta • Orbit Media New Concord Mayor, Brett Essex, also shared a proclamation form Village Hall declaring March 19 as “John Glenn High School Basketball Day.” “It’s incredible,” said Head Coach Greg Woodard. “I can’t say how happy I am for this community.” Life-long Muskie fan Roger Bates was also in attendance.
Christine Holmes/ Black & Magenta John Glenn players hold up cut-outs of Coach Woodard’s face during the celebratory pep rally on March. 23.
Bates has been following the Muskie teams for most of his life, and finally got the chance to see the team win a title. “Some of the adversity they faced in the season was something they were able to handle very well,” said Bates. Some of the Muskies’ adversity came from the death of Athletic Director, Dan Adams, who lost his battle with cancer in March. The team honored Adams throughout the tournament by wearing patches with his name stitched in on their jerseys. “There’s no doubt Dan’s looking down on this team today,” Woodard said after the game. The Little Muskies now turn to next season with six seniors graduating, including leading scorer, Drew Rackley. The Muskies return six players to the team next year as they will go into the season looking to defend their title.
Muskie bowling streaking into postseason Katie Meddings Orbit Media Reporter The five top Muskingum University bowlers were invited to compete at the Individual Signals Championship Sectionals in Smyrna, Tennessee March 4. Summer Finley, Stacey Tripp, and Brandie Jo Tinlin from the womens team competed in the contest. Jared Shaner and Jordan Ross represented the mens team at the tournament in Smyrna. Doug Smith, Muskingum Head Bowling Coach, said that while the team bowled well, minor mistakes could have affected the outlook of an entire game. “They got down there and they were bowling pretty well, but you throw in one bad one and you sink,” said Smith.
According to Smith, one of the bowlers was ranked 10th at sectionals with a bowling average of 200 pins per game, but after bowling a 129 game the bowler was dropped down to 40th. “The bowler was just a few pins from qualifying from nationals, but even after bouncing back it was too late,” said Smith. Emily Storts, a first year bowling team member joined after 14 years of bowling on her own. “It’s bowling,” said Storts. “[It’s] something to do [and something] that I love doing.” Storts was invited to attend the individual sectionals in Smyrna, but she did not attend. The mens team is done competing, but the women still have one more competition. They will travel to the National Club
Championships, April 9 and 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The men will continue practicing on their own until the end of school and both teams will start back up in September with tournaments to start a new season. “We’ve had a pretty successful season,” said Smith. “For the boys, when Jared and Jordan joined we put on a good charge in the rankings.” Muskingum bowlers competed at a tournament that they hosted Jan. 23, with both the mens and womens teams walking away with a win. Smith is already deeply bedded in the recruiting process for the upcoming seasons. He is hoping to continue to add to the roster by bringing in 10 if not 20 new recruits for next year.
Christine Holmes/ Black & Magenta John Glenn basketball seniors Drew Rackley and Matt Wier ride in a jeep down Main Street during the victory parade on March 23.
Outdoor Track heads into 2016 season Steven Sable Orbit Media Reporter
The Muskingum Outdoor Track & Field team has started the outdoor season. Under the direction of Head Coach Jacob Gleason, they look to improve after a strong finish to the indoor season. “We had a great indoor season, we want to continue to improve from that indoor season [moving forward],” said Gleason. According to Gleason, the team had a great work ethic in the fall that has carried over into the indoor season and he hopes to keep that strong work ethic alive coming into the outdoor season. With two full seasons and many competitions, Gleason said it’s a marathon for his athletes, so keeping them healthy throughout it all is his prime concern. He said the most important thing for the team is staying healthy and being rested up for the upcoming outdoor season. Gleason’s goals are to continue to move up in the outdoor conference like both the mens and
womens team did in their indoor seasons. Gleason said that generally the focus and the objectives are always the same and it’s up to their execution when it comes to the first outdoor track meet. He said the track team was close to Capital on both the mens and womens side during the indoor season and they would like to catch up with them throughout the outdoor season. Gleason also said Heidelberg will be a great challenge for both the mens and womens teams. He plans to carry over their lead on Marietta and Wilmington in the standings and keep them behind them in their outdoor meets too. He hopes to continue to see growth from each individual team member and maybe get to the national meet. According to Gleason he has quite a few athletes that are possible higher conference athletes and all-conference athletes. Gleason said his team has a lot of potential to bring to the outdoor season and is excited for the competition going forward.