Observer
Bye bye Browns: Cleveland’s football team to move to new stadium after 2028 NEWS
Zachary Treseler News Editor
On Oct. 17, local NFL team the Cleveland Browns announced their intention to vacate their current lakefront stadium and build a new domed stadium in Brook Park, Ohio. This move will be completed by 2028, when the lease on the Browns’ current stadium ends. First announced by Fox8 and then confirmed by an Instagram post and Online statement from Mayor Justin Bibb, this move has been marred in controversy from local and statewide leaders, further complicating the city’s relationship with major league sports teams.
Bibb noted that he is “deeply, deeply disappointed that [despite] our exhaustive efforts, the Haslam Sports Group has chosen a move to Brook Park. [The Haslam Sports Group] had the opportunity to reinvest in Cleveland, transform the current stadium into a world-class facility, enhance the fan experience and remain highly profitable. We put those options on the table in good faith. But unfortunately, that was not enough.”
At a press conference hosted at City Hall, Bibb argued that the relocation would lose the city “$30 million annually” while also “disproportionately affecting communities of color and low-income residents” and “weaken[ing] public assets.”
Edward Orcutt, mayor of Brook Park, said in an interview with News5, “I feel that we’ll be fine in the end, when we all sit down at the table and we are able to work together on putting something in Brook Park that will help the entire region when it comes to revenue.”
The stadium is estimated to cost $2.4 billion, with the Browns’ owners, the Haslam family, looking for half of that cost to be covered by public money, a quarter from the state and a quarter from local governments. Governor Mike DeWine has yet to explicitly comment on the new stadium, but Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has already expressed opposition to the move.
“Executive Ronayne has made his position clear: the Browns stadium should remain Downtown,” reads his brief public statement. This follows previous public statements where he claimed the potential move to Brook Park “does not make fiscal sense.”
The current 1999 stadium, Huntington Bank Field, cost $285 million, of which 75% came from public sources. It is estimated that the stadium has cost Cleveland taxpayers $350 million in ongoing funding and maintenance, and the city is still paying off this debt.
The potential move of the stadium started in 2022, with the team supposedly considering two other sites in downtown Cleveland. Arrangements to purchase the Brook
Park location, the site of a former Ford factory, started in February 2023, with the team releasing a rendering of what this facility would look like in August.
Then, the City of Cleveland announced a proposal to cover $461 million to renovate and repair the existing stadium. With the September announcement of the city’s intent to close Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport, they also pitched the idea of building a new stadium on the land once the airport closes.
The Browns claimed that the latter choice “is cost prohibitive and not feasible, especially with no certainty regarding potential timing of closure of the Airport,” while Bibb’s office instead claims that the team asked for too much public money.
The team claims that “[t]he transformational economic opportunities created by a dome far outweigh what a renovated stadium could produce with around ten events per year.” Regarding the dome covering, the mayor said, “The Haslam Sports Group may want a roof over their heads, but my responsibility is to ensure Cleveland residents have a roof over theirs.”
In August, the Browns said, “We acknowledge that a move to Brook Park may have a near-term impact on downtown, but we believe that the year-round activity of a domed stadium can still positively impact the downtown economy, particularly when coupled with the possibilities of a reimagined lakefront absent the stadium.” This statement echoes a recent plan to revamp the current lakeshore.
More than just local leaders spoke out against the move. Senator Sherrod Brown, who is up for re-election this month, said, “The Cleveland Browns should be in Cleveland.” Councilman Brian Kazy, whose district represents Downtown Cleveland, said, “The Haslams are looking to pit City against City to fleece taxpayers out of money to build a shiny new fortress.”
The new location in Brook Park is located directly opposite the airport terminal of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which is located within Cleveland city limits. For Case Western Reserve University community members, this will mean crossing into the west side of the city to catch a Browns game. Though, for fans without a car, the new site is located in between two RTA Red Line stations—the ones for the airport and Brook Park respectively. As of now, there is no good way to get from either of the stations to the new site, but various developers note that the current plan calls for a sprawl of surface level parking lots.
2028 will be the first time since 1946—minus a four-year stint in the 1990s—when the City of Cleveland will not have a football team. The city will also lose its status as a city with three major sports leagues,
which it has held since 1994 when the Cavaliers moved to a stadium in Downtown Cleveland.
The Ohio Legislature passed what became known as the “Art Modell Law” in 1996, which required taxsupported sports teams to get permission from their original area to move or give a six-month notice to allow for the city or someone else to buy the team from the area.
Some in Cleveland’s political circles are calling for the city to frustrate the move to Brook Park
NEWS
by suing the move under the Modell Law. Former Mayor, former Congressional Representative and 2008 Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich notes that if the Cleveland City Council does not evoke the law, he will.
Even if the impact of the future stadium move is small for the CWRU community—minus more traffic to and from the airport on game day—it is set to have both economic and cultural consequences for the city we call home.
New Wade Park Community Engagement Center connects local, campus community members
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Shejuti Wahed
Media Content Creator
On Oct. 15, Case Western Reserve University held a ribboncutting ceremony for the newly opened Wade Park Community Engagement Center located at 11310 Wade Park Ave. This restored historic home has been a part of Cleveland’s Magnolia-Wade Park neighborhood for 100 years, but it has now been renovated to facilitate community-facing programs and meetings with surrounding neighborhoods.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony included speeches from President Eric Kaler, including Congresswoman Shontel Brown, Council-
man Kevin Conwell, Co-Chairs of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) Trevelle Harp and Janice Eatman-Williams.
CWRU acquired the property in 2017 from developers with plans to tear down the facility. Glenville residents “fought them tooth and nail,” according to Eatman-Williams, who is also CWRU alumna and Cleveland resident. Thanks to the efforts of local community advocates, the house remained untouched until the current administration agreed to the idea of a community engagement center to bridge community and university interests.
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Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb stands in the Browns’ stadium. The Browns plan to move from this stadium to a new location in Brook Park. Courtesy of Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns
Wade Park Community Center from page 1
Barbara Wilcher-Norton sat in many of the conversations regarding the fate of the building. She is the chairperson of Neighbor to Neighbor, a grassroots organization connecting Glenville residents to opportunities and events around the neighborhood. Having been a resident of Wade Park for more than 40 years, she mentioned that this center is a “final recognition of institutions listening to residents, of there being a mutual understanding [that] there can be progressive development without there being destruction to the community.” Several residents, both at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and in the Neighborhood Advisory Council 2023 Community Dinner, spoke to feeling like this is the first time they are being heard and seeing CWRU make efforts to engage with the community.
The Community Engagement Center has been open since its official Open House during the 2024 Glenville Heritage Festival. Residents were invited to tour the property, create artwork that will be displayed in the meeting rooms and meet with university staff. Many staff and administrators from the Office of Local Government and Community Relations have had their offices moved to this building, and so far several community meetings have already
been held here.
Know Your Neighbors, a student organization focused on integrating CWRU students with neighborhoods surrounding campus, held two general body meetings in this space. These meetings are open to the community, and residents of Hessler Road and Wade Park have attended to hear more from students and bridge the gap between residents and student housing concerns. Zoё Wagner, co-president of Know Your Neighbors, said, “One resident commented that this was the first time he had been invited to campus like this in the entire time he has lived in Cleveland. I’m really proud to be part of this student group that is committed to building connections while acknowledging and learning from the harmful actions of this university’s past.”
The university foresees the center as being a space for a variety of community meetings and partnerships. Julian Rogers, associate vice president of the Office of Local Government and Community Relations, said, “Whether it’s offering health screenings, youth programs, or small business workshops, the Wade Park Community Engagement Center will be a hub for growth and partnership, benefiting the entire community.”
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Local officials and community leaders gather in front of the newly opened Wade Park Community Engagement Center for the celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony. Shejuti Wahed/The Observer
Zachary Treseler/The Observer
Lucas Yang/The Observer
Hannah Johnson/The Observer
Clay Preusch/The Observer
Clay Preusch/The Observer
“Developing People, Power, and Partnership” brings CWRU and community together in honest but necessary conversation
This year’s Climate Action Month has thus far been an incredible series of collaborations between different Case Western Reserve University organizations about how to address climate change on campus. While many events have involved community members, such as the “What We Do To Nature, We Do To Ourselves” film and discussion with local farmers and advocates, last Saturday’s “Developing People, Power, and Partnership: A Community and CWRU Conversation on Climate” was the first event to bring together the Cleveland community in the discussion of environmental injustice and its effects on Cleveland.
“Developing People, Power, and Partnership” was a collaboration hosted by the CWRU Climate Action Network to advance conversations beyond the CWRU academic bubble about the impacts of climate change on our community, particularly in surrounding neighborhoods and Black communities. As a student intern who has been working with the Climate Action Network for quite some time now, finally getting to see the culmination of months of hard work, focus group studies and community connections was incredible.
The event was held in the East Cleveland Public Library (ECPL), a beautiful facility that is definitely underappreciated by the CWRU community. Less than a 10-minute HealthLine ride down Euclid, the ECPL is an original Carnegie library and home to a lovely collection of print and digital media. From the start of the event, various community organizations were tabling in the Icabob Flewellen Room—a beautiful, open glass area featuring historical archives from Icabob Flewellen’s collections and his dream to build an Afro-American museum in Cleveland. Several groups spoke to event attendees about their environmental justice and/or community goals. Some, like the Cleveland Solar Cooperative, focus on helping groups of neighbors with their sustainability projects to support their mission of bringing energy back to the people. Others, like the Neighborhood Advisory Council, were CWRU organizations dedicated to bridging gaps between the university and Cleveland residents. Walking around, I was excited to see many high school students and children of all ages learning about Cleveland’s sustainability initiatives, and some were even there to represent organizations they also were involved in, such as the East Cleveland Parks Association. Around the room and downstairs were several activities for children who were attending, such as a solar powered car activity and spectrom-
eter (that kept me occupied for a while) as well as a book reading for the younger children.
After some mingling throughout lunch and tabling, attendees were ushered into the auditorium to hear from speakers. The keynote guest speaker, Simone Lightfoot, spoke about the importance of developing partnerships with the community and how these relationships mutually benefit both the university and their community partners through achieving common goals. Her speech focused on her with the NAACP, the constant struggles and roadblocks they faced while organizing and the importance of consistent effort from both ends in advancing initiatives that support the
Black community.
USG President Amman Spencer also attended the event, and I was happy to hear that this year, USG is also hoping to engage students more with the Greater Cleveland area. He told us, “I believe in the responsibility of higher education institutions such as Case Western not only to use our resources and expertise to forge connections with, uplift, and support their surrounding communities.” As time passes, hopefully there is a culture change on campus, and the days where students are told “don’t go past that bridge!” during Discover Week are over.
The last part of the event featured the Climate Action Network
research team on a panel to describe the results of their “Culture Change for Climate Change” focus group studies. Associate Professor Cassi Pittman Claytor of the Department of Sociology provided valuable context of growing up in East Cleveland near the infamous “dump”—a mountain of toxic demolition debris that ended up in the backyards of East Cleveland residents. “One of those neighbors was my babysitter … who lived to be 105,” she recalled. “Can you imagine if you always had a garden, and you’re a 100-year-old woman, and then someone opens up this facility that has all types of construction debris, possibly asbestos, in your backyard?” Her point illustrates the environment’s early and extended ties to the well-being of residents. Dr. Ina Martin and Dr. Cyrus Taylor spoke to the fears and awareness of the impact of climate change that transcend age, gender and socioeconomic background, both from university representatives and community members.
The Q&A session was the most genuine part of the event for me. Residents and students alike engaged in the panel with personal thoughts and questions. One student commented, “It does feel a bit disingenuous to know the administration is supporting genocide that have a real lasting impact on the environment and generations to come … What is Case Western’s responsibility to take action?” Younger audience members asked how children and students still in middle school and high school could contribute to environmental efforts, while an older audience member asked how to bridge the divisions between younger and older generations in combating the climate crisis. All of the voices in the room were passionate and spoke to their lived experiences and desire for change—thus, even though many of these questions were difficult or even impossible to answer, it was reassuring to know that others were concerned and working on the same issues from the grassroots level.
Overall, the event successfully brought students and the off-campus CWRU community, fostering a sense of community in our shared goals of protecting the environment. Although I left feeling as though I still had so many questions to be answered, I was encouraged by the early signs of future partnerships taking shape. After speaking with East Cleveland residents, I have gathered that when the university tries to forget their history with surrounding Black communities, our shared goals will never be met. However, when the university is receptive to building trust and alliances with the community and recognizes the value of advancing the goals of local groups, we have a chance at getting somewhere and uniting together against the climate crisis.
Shejuti Wahed Social Media Content Creator
Simone Lightfoot spoke for the CWRU Climate Action Network this past weekend about the importance of developing relationships with the community. Courtesy of CWRU Climate Action Network
Left to right: Jeri’ Avery, Amber Ndukwe, Dr. Ina Martin, Dr. Cyrus Taylor, Associate Professor Cassi Pittman Claytor and Social Media Content Creator Shejuti Wahed attend the “Developing People, Power, and Partnership: A Community and CWRU Conversation on Climate” event. Courtesy of CWRU Climate Action Network
Amtrak to the Land
Zachary Treseler News Editor
Cleveland is an oddly positioned city, located nearly 300 miles from Chicago and Washington D.C. and 400 from New York City. With distances as awkward as these, driving to one of these destinations can take an uncomfortably long five to seven hours. The other option is a flight, which means arriving at the airport two hours early and being in the air for an additional hour. It is clear that these two forms of travel to some of Cleveland’s closest metropolitan neigh-
bors are impractical, time consuming and frankly stressful. But there is a solution: Amtrak. Without a shred of doubt, this solution is already far from ideal. Cleveland’s Amtrak station serves two lines and four trains a day, going to Washington, Chicago, Boston and New York. By the end of the year, the train to Washington will be extended as far as Miami. However, all the trains arrive into the Lakefront station, squished in between Ohio State Route 2 and City Hall, from 2-6 a.m. Off the bat, while I see how these times are far from ideal, they are frankly okay for college students. With our crazy schedule, a train that
arrives at a time when many of us are still awake studying at the Kelvin Smith Library is reasonable. The 6 a.m. train is a similar situation— judging by the volume of flights that leave from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport at the same time, we can easily catch those trips. On my most recent Amtrak trip, I went from Chicago to Cleveland, leaving the Windy City at 9:30 p.m., allowing for a full day of exploring, trying new foods and seeing the sights.
Part of the allure of taking the Amtrak is avoiding the hassles of air travel: a schlep to a far corner of the city and queuing in many different lines. Thankfully with the Amtrak life, it’s a quick subway or Uber to the downtown station, and only one line to board your train. Each passenger is placed in a car based on their end destination, resulting in a fair amount of Case Western Reserve University students all meeting and recognizing one another. The train left from the impressive Chicago Union Station right on time. Throughout the trip, there was so much to enjoy. For example, there is free Wi-Fi and power outlets that actually work, allowing me to mindlessly doomscroll through Instagram reels and do some work on my laptop. There are also plenty of creature comforts on the Amtrak—there is both a Cafe service and no restrictions on the amount of food and water you can bring, along with free water in each car.
Time just seems to fly when taking a long-distance Amtrak train. I remember my longest train trip from Cleveland to New York, which
had me leave from the Lakefront Station at 6 a.m. I spent my time graciously cycling between doing a little personal reading, writing a scholarship application on my laptop, texting my friends and looking endlessly at the rolling landscapes. On my most recent night train, just throw a lot of sleeping into the mix.
While the idea of sleeping on a moving train might scare most firsttime riders, I have never had a problem with dozing off on an Amtrak train. The seats are large and have an impressive amount of legroom, and with only four seats in a row, it’s easy to spread out and get comfortable. This is aided by a generous recline in addition to a leg and foot rest. It beats my first night in Clarke Tower, and if many CWRU students can sleep there, taking the Amtrak is sure to be a good experience.
And with that, just as we approached Cleveland, I was awoken by the conductor shouting, “Cleveland in 20 minutes.” Checking my phone, we were just west of North Olmsted, then passing next to the site of the new Browns Stadium, the airport and the sleepy west side suburbs. Within 20 minutes of the train’s arrival into Cleveland, I was already back home.
In all, I cannot recommend taking the Amtrak enough if your travels bring you somewhere along the routes it serves. Avoiding the stress of the airport and the cramped conditions of flying is well worth the extra time the train takes— along with the ability to get some work done or sleep or make use of the journey in any way you see fit.
Hinds and The Happy Return take audience engagement to a new level at The Grog Shop
Kate Gordon Life Editor
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Spanish indieOn Tuesday, Oct. 22, Spanish indie rock duo Hinds brought an infectious energy and rockin’ tunes to Coventry’s alternative music venue The Grog Shop. Alongside opening band The Happy Return, both acts took advantage of the more intimate venue and brought a level of crowd interac-
tion and lighthearted fun to the stage that exceeded all of my expectations. For those who are unfamiliar with the band, Hinds hails from Madrid and has only been performing as a duo for just over a year now. The original pair, close friends Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote, remains intact, but bassist Ade Martín and drummer Amber Grimbergen both announced their departure from the band in July of 2023 without giving any reason as to why. Factoring in another split from
their management team, a canceled tour due to COVID-19 and a lost record deal, Cosials and Perrote had plenty of material to draw upon for their most recent album “VIVA HINDS,” released this past September. And despite all their troubles, the two artists were nothing but upbeat onstage, talking about their journey to get back on tour in a tongue-in-cheek manner that I personally never could have mustered. Before I get into the review itself, I do want to acknowledge that my friend and
I had quite the lucky streak that night and it definitely colored our perceptions of the two bands in an overwhelmingly positive way. We got to The Grog Shop pretty early and secured a spot right in front of the stage—I could have reached out and touched Perrote if I wanted to. I also won the merchandise table’s raffle and ended up taking home a signed Hinds setlist, and my friend somehow ended up with the opener’s list after it got passed through the front row. Most unexpectedly, right before The Happy Return went on, their drummer gave us a disposable camera so we could take pictures of the band for a video soon to be posted on their social media account.
The Happy Return themselves had surprisingly good music for a band I had never heard of before that night, but I think they shined the most with their sense of humor. They told us jokingly that they’d only heard good things about Ohio online before coming here, and that we were the first crowd not to boo them offstage. They also sang a song named after and dedicated to Annabeth from the book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which in retrospect is both sweet and kind of weird if you look too closely at its lyrics. Since I was right at the front I really had to hide how hard I was laughing, since I didn’t want it to seem like I was making fun of their performance when in reality the subject matter was just a little too much for me. No matter how you look at it, though, they definitely engaged their audience and set the tone for the rest of the night.
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Even if the Amtrak train arrives in Cleveland at odd hours of the night, the service is a stressless and seamless way to travel between the East Coast and the Midwest.
Zachary Treseler/The Observer
This past week, the Indie rock band Hinds and opener The Happy Return came together to put on an amusing and engaging show at The Grog Shop. Auden Koetters/The Observer
Hinds at The Grog Shop from page 4
Hinds only continued the enthusiastic energy set up by The Happy Return. I’ll admit that I don’t know most of Hinds’ songs by heart, but it was hard not to get sucked in by the music anyway. I don’t think they played a single track that I disliked. My favorites were probably “Boom Boom Back,” which is their most-streamed song on Spotify, and “The Bed, The Room, The Rain And You.” The duo and their current touring bandmates bassist Paula Ruiz and drummer Maria Lázaro danced and jumped around the stage and sang their hearts out. By the end of the concert, there was a genuine mosh pit in the middle of the floor, which if you’re familiar with The Grog Shop you’ll know is no mean feat in a space that small. I thought some of the people moshing were taking it a little far for a Tuesday night—I personally feel like there’s never a need to push and shove anyone—but I guess it was nice to see how into the music they were.
Hinds also continued the night’s themes of humor and crowd engagement. After the first few numbers spent dancing, Perrote revealed that she had been wearing a boot the entire time and put a picture of her foot’s X-ray on the front of her microphone stand, where it
stayed for the rest of the night. For their final number, the pair even asked if anyone in the audience knew how to play guitar, and pulled two people onstage to play and sing alongside them. After the show was over, they stuck around to sign people’s merch and take photos with fans, both of which I took them up on. I almost never buy concert merch, but the t-shirts were honestly really cute— Hinds mentioned during their set that they see fashion almost as an extension of music, which is why they design their own merch—so I had to snag one.
All in all, I had a fantastic time. I would highly encourage Case Western Reserve University students to seek out smaller concerts—they’re cheaper and more lowkey than most mainstream shows, but with far more opportunities to get to see artists up close. Plus, The Grog Shop is about as close to campus as you can get, making them a great venue for CWRU students. My friend and I were actually able to take a Safe Ride to get there—it doesn’t get any easier than that. Whether at The Grog Shop or otherwise, I don’t think you can go wrong with seeing any concert as long as the artist brings even a fraction of the energy and enthusiasm that Hinds had onstage last Tuesday.
“It’s about celebrating our heritage”: Columbus Day parade in Cleveland faces shifting perceptions
Dena Leydiker Contributing Writer
On Oct. 14, 2024, Cleveland’s LiOn Oct. 14, 2024, Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood once again came alive with the annual Columbus Day Parade, a lively event celebrating Italian-American culture. Starting at noon, the parade traveled through closed-off streets in the heart of Little Italy, including Mayfield and Murray Hill Roads, attracting a large crowd of enthusiastic spectators. Organized by The Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), this tradition is a point of pride for Cleveland’s Italian-American community, though questions about its future have surfaced as public perceptions of Christopher Columbus continue to change.
For many in Cleveland’s ItalianAmerican community, the parade is more than just an event—it’s a symbol of their immigrant history and contributions to the city. “It represents not only the history of our country but the history of the Italian-American immigrants in this country,” said an event organizer. “It’s important to celebrate all ethnicities in their original form. We are a nation of immigrants, and this is a day for the Italian-American community to be recognized.”
The parade featured colorful floats, cars adorned with Italian flags and festive displays from various Italian organizations. Local high school marching bands, police officers, firefighters and sheriffs marched proudly through the streets. Children eagerly awaited candy thrown from passing floats, while adults waved and cheered from sidewalks and porches wrapped in the vibrant colors of the Italian flag. The sense of community was clear as many residents
greeted each other along the parade route.
Despite the festivities, conversations about Columbus’ legacy loom large. Across the country, calls for replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day have gained momentum, acknowledging the impact of European colonization on Native Americans. When asked about changing perceptions, the event organizer reflected, “I’ve noticed shifting views toward Columbus, but I haven’t seen much criticism of the parade itself.”
This reveals a delicate balancing act within the Little Italy community—upholding a tradition that celebrates their identity while acknowledging the complex history surrounding Columbus. The organizer further commented, “I believe the Indigenous Peoples should have their own day to celebrate, just as we do. Everybody deserves their own day.”
The parade—historically held in Downtown Cleveland—wasn’t originally focused on Christopher Columbus at all, according to one Italian-American attendee. “Columbus wasn’t really a central figure back then. It’s more about the culture,” he explained, reflecting on the parade’s shift over the years. He also expressed frustration with the political debates surrounding Columbus, stating, “They’ve turned it into a business, a politician thing. Back in 1978, people didn’t even know who Columbus was.” Despite this, the attendee emphasized that the parade is still a meaningful celebration of Italian-American heritage, regardless of the changing views on Columbus himself.
For the Italian-American community, the Columbus Day Parade remains an important way to honor their ancestors and contributions to Cleveland. But as the debate around Columbus intensifies, the parade
may evolve in the years to come. For now, Cleveland continues to observe both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day on separate dates, allowing both celebrations to coexist.
As the conversation about Columbus’ legacy continues, the Columbus Day Parade remains a cherished tradition, serving as a reminder of the community’s roots. Whether or not the parade changes, it will likely continue to be a central part of Cleveland’s Italian-American identity, connecting past and present through celebration and reflection.
The Grog Shop’s smaller size makes for a more intimate concert experience, where fans have the opportunity to get up close to performers. Kate Gordon/The Observer
The annual Columbus Day parade in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, an important tradition for Italian-Americans, has been a subject of debate in recent years because of new negative public perception of Christopher Columbus. Courtesy of Dena Leydiker
Overheard CWRU
Compilation of out-of-pocket things heard across campus
"HCM? More like HCR ... Human Capital Robbery."
"I sit in the front row of Chris Butler's class"
"Just twerk a little bit."
Easy Sudoku Puzzles
"This simple salt trick will make your wife thank you."
Easy Sudoku Puzzles
"I'm not sure why he put Estrogen Flow next to Ignorance." "FBI
Shivangi Nanda/The Observer
Auden Koetters/The Observer
Elie Aoun/The Observer
Zachary Treseler/The Observer
Editorial Board Members
Word search: Editorial Board members
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Siya
Katherine
Auden
Clay
Anjali
Elizabeth
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Shareen
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Weekly Horoscope
Word Bank
1. auden 2. kate 3. shareen 4. clay 5. isabella 6. mulan 7. shejuti 8. darcy 9. noah 10. esha 11. aambar 12. lucas 13. moses 14. ella 15. sahar 16. siya 17. tyler 18. anjali 19. tea 20. joce 21. elie 22. katherine 23. hannah 24. zachary 25. elizabeth 26. mahika 27. kamila
Opinion
What would actually happen if Trump wins?
Milo Vetter Staff Writer
Whenever presidential elections happen, people tend to misunderstand the powers available to the president of the United States. They view the president as the main contributor to everything that is currently happening in America. Obviously, it’s a major stretch to blame the current president for gas prices, but even beyond that, the president doesn’t make the laws. While the president has influence over people in Congress, they are ultimately unable to pass any laws if Congress is against them. But that’s exactly what Republicans are trying to change this November.
So with November’s election rapidly approaching, it’s a good time to take stock of what exactly former president Donald Trump will do if he is elected as opposed to the vague warnings that you may be tired of hearing. You’ve probably heard of Project 2025, a set of plans outlined by the Heritage Foundation to make a potential second Trump presidency more organized and effective than his famously disorganized first term. While many parts of Project 2025 are unrealistic or unlikely to happen, I’d like to focus on two of the most realistic effects that it might have: the appointment of federal judges and a transformation of the executive branch of the federal government.
First, Trump has already actively appointed judges. This presidential
role has been historically nonpartisan and ceremonial, but Republicans— Trump especially—have begun to view the appointment of judges as another avenue by which they can impose their political will on the country. The effects of Trump’s appointments have been subtle because most court cases presided over by federal judges are fairly low-profile. An obvious example is the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been famously partisan in the past few years because of Trump’s appointments. Another example is found in the famous criminal case against Trump, which was dismissed by Aileen Cannon, a federal judge whom he appointed. Currently, the forces backing Trump are preparing for a second term by creating a list of candidates for judicial positions specifically tailored for political outcomes. This differs from his first term when selections were made at his whims.
The more obvious consequences of a second Trump presidential term are the changes to the executive branch that Project 2025 is advocating for. The executive branch consists of departments and agencies with two types of employees: “political” and “career” workers. Political positions include department secretaries and other high-level officials tasked with setting the general direction of their department, while career positions are skilled bureaucrats who handle the day-to-day responsibilities to make sure the administration can do its job. But here’s Trump’s problem: While
political employees answer directly to the president, career employees serve the Constitution, which means they’re fairly independent from the president’s whims. This means that government functions that should remain apolitical can become politicized under Trump. The most famous example of this tension was during Hurricane Dorian in 2019, when Trump claimed the hurricane would hit Alabama. When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pointed out that his prediction had no factual basis, he held a press conference with an NOAA map showing the hurricane’s trajectory that he had modified with a black sharpie to include Alabama.
To return to Project 2025, one of the prescriptions within it is to fire thousands of career employees and replace them with political appointees. There’s disagreement over whether Trump would have the stamina to hire so many people or if he would actually have the legal authority to do so, but it speaks to a belief that federal agencies shouldn’t serve the people, they should serve the president. Can you imagine the precedent it would set if the NOAA had agreed with Trump’s obviously false claims about the hurricane? Federal agencies don’t just push paper around: They facilitate the basic organization of the entire country, from economics to law enforcement to disaster relief. If you know anyone who works for the federal government in any capacity, a Trump presidency could seriously downsize their role or
force them to compromise on the values and standards of their job in order to be more loyal to the president.
The likelihood of all this happening also depends on whether or not this election gives Republicans a majority in Congress. While Trump’s advisers intend to make these changes with or without the consent of Congress, having that consent would make the process much smoother. This is part of why it’s so hard to convince people to vote against Trump. If anyone other than Trump wins, we will hopefully see a return to a president who takes bipartisanship and ceremonial duties seriously and doesn’t twist them cynically for maximum political gain. That also inherently makes the opposition less exciting. Trump’s pitch on immigration is that he’ll deport millions of “illegals” and build a wall along the border of the U.S. and Mexico. Meanwhile, Harris’s pitch is that she’ll sign a border reform bill into law … if Congress passes it, which is definitely not a sure thing.
Democracy is boring and frustrating. If you initially got into politics at some point after 2016, you may not remember a time when the president was a representative first and a lawmaker second. It’s a hard sell to return to that time, especially when America’s biggest issues have only gotten more pressing with years of deadlock in Congress. But America’s government won’t survive for much longer if we allow the executive branch to be filled from top to bottom with moronic cultists.
Why we should not be ashamed to be self-centered
Catherine Choi Staff Writer
The word “self-centered” means “preoccupied with oneself and one’s affairs,” and our society tends to have a negative perception of people described this way. They are perceived as too self-absorbed, only caring about themselves and completely disregarding others who live alongside them. However, it is necessary that we primarily focus on ourselves rather than being swayed by our surroundings. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with being self-centered.
Being self-centered enables you to advocate for yourself against mistreatment. When we care for other people too much, we accommodate their point of view, making numerous attempts to adapt even if we disagree with them. Being self-centered enables us to stand our ground and makes it easier to embrace our negative feelings about other people’s misbehavior. For instance, if what someone said offends you but most people don’t find it offensive, you are likely to think that you are just being sensitive. However, this is not necessarily true. Being self-centered serves as a reminder that you are offended and do not want someone to behave that way again. This allows us to disregard other people’s opinions and not be afraid to politely fight back. Being self-centered gives us an opportunity to get to know ourselves. While we consume a lot of information about others and their interests and preferences, we spend less time thinking about what we like as in-
dividuals. Although it is important to accept other people’s interests to form close relationships, we often spend too much time trying to fit into social norms. In an effort to fit in, we try to learn what is trending and popular. We also try to force ourselves to like trends even when they are not our cup of tea. By doing this, we lose the uniqueness that sets us apart from others, and everyone becomes a clone. Being self-centered and priori-
Lucas Yang/The Observer
tizing what we like, rather than what other people tell us to like, lets us discover new things about ourselves and gives us a better understanding of how to navigate our lives.
Being self-centered also allows space for self-improvement. As we get to know ourselves more, we begin to notice the strengths and weaknesses we missed by spending too much time caring about other people’s opinions. Our traits can either
help or harm us. For instance, having a lot of knowledge about niche topics can save us by giving us a rare skill set in a necessary moment. It could also harm us if we decide to prattle on to our friends who do not care about the subject one bit. By being self-centered, we can decide which areas of our lives need improvement and how we are going to make them. Additionally, we can alter our deeplyrooted shortcomings by being wary of and intentional with the way we act and speak.
Lastly, being self-centered lets us take good care of ourselves. Instead of wasting time satisfying others or worrying about things that are beyond our control, we can use this energy to take care of our priorities—such as school and work—navigate our feelings, do things that we originally did not have time for, exercise and rest. Worrying, stressing and feeling anxious takes up a lot of energy, and worrying mainly about ourselves can help cut out a lot of the underlying sources. Acknowledging the fact that a lot of things are beyond our control and figuring out ways to accommodate them can be a stepping stone in the right direction in life.
Being focused on yourself does not mean that it is okay to be disrespectful to others and inhibit other peoples’ freedom and well-being in the pursuit of yours. However, being able to say that what is true for a lot of people may not be true for you, using your time in a way that is beneficial to you and not others and getting to know yourself at your own pace is a huge accomplishment that can help you in so many ways.
How my experience as a poll worker made me more optimistic about US elections
Snehal Choudhury Staff Writer
As I thought about voting this year, I reminisced fondly about being a poll worker in November 2021, back when I was a high school senior, horribly burnt out from the whirlwind of college applications. That year, my government teacher asked if any students wanted to work the polls that fall. I had no idea what to expect, but always open to trying something new, I eagerly signed up. Poll working was an incredible and eyeopening experience.
Before Election Day, I took a special pollworking class where we practiced setting up polling stations and learned how to check in voters. On Election Day, I arrived at my polling station at 5:30 a.m. and prepared to open the polls an hour later. That day, a group of other poll workers and I set up and dismantled polling booths, greeted voters at the front door, checked them in and ensured voting went smoothly for everyone.
The other people I worked with came from all walks of life and adhered to various political beliefs. I worried that, due to our disparate backgrounds, we would not get along. But pollworking unified us. We all shared a larger purpose: to ensure the electoral process worked seamlessly for hundreds of people. Some seasoned poll workers took me under their wing and taught
me about the voting process. During scarce moments of free time, we spoke about our personal lives.
I felt an immense sense of connection with my fellow poll workers as we ran the polling station like a well-oiled machine. Experiencing that much selflessness made me reconsider my feelings about political polarization. Initially I held the pessimistic view that we were divided beyond repair.
Pollworking made me realize that we may be somewhat exaggerating the severity of polarization. I’m aware that political partisanship is a major issue in our society today. But if we take a moment to look past the superficial characteristics of people—say, their political affiliations—and see them as humans first, you may find that they have some wonderful traits and share common ground with you on a wide spectrum of topics.
Todd Rose, a neuroscientist who founded the nonpartisan think tank Populace, has found that many Americans experience “collective illusion”— that is, we mistakenly believe that many people on the other side hold more extremist views than they actually do. We overestimate our level of division. Oftentimes, the opinions that Americans outwardly express don’t reflect what they privately believe. In fact, by taking the time to know each other’s personal opinions, it is certainly possible to find common ground somewhere. I am hopeful, even in today’s fraught politi-
cal climate, that we can still peacefully coexist.
During my 16-hour workday, I interacted with hundreds of people. But I’ll never forget the conversation I had with an older gentleman. He said it was great how someone my age was participating in the political process. While he meant it in an encouraging way, his words made me think twice. Why should I get a pat on the back for being there? Thinking back, with the exception of another high school student, the other poll workers were either middle-aged or retired. Almost everyone who voted was decades older than me; nearly no one my age came to vote. While this could be attributed to people voting early or filling out absentee ballots, it reaffirms a long-standing reality: Even though American voters aged 18-29 have voted at historically high rates in recent elections, we are still the demographic with the lowest rates of turnout and political participation. Reasons for this occurrence include inexperience, challenges with voter registration and obtaining proper ID and most importantly low political efficacy—people believing their vote will not matter in the face of a seemingly incorrigible political system. Feeling hopeless is not limited to young people; a recent AP News poll found that over 66% of adults are pessimistic about the state of U.S. politics.
I used to feel the same way before becoming a poll worker.
For many students in the U.S., civics education is sorely lacking. So, while I knew voting was good, I didn’t understand the significance of voting or how I could contribute to the electoral process in other ways besides voting.
In November 2021, I couldn’t vote and desperately wished to counteract the helplessness I felt about the state of politics. Being a poll worker diminished how powerless I felt because now I had the ability to somehow contribute to a functional democracy.
I used to think my vote was worthless. But then I saw how excited people were to vote. One woman was overjoyed when we gave her a way to vote without proper ID. It didn’t matter that it was an election in which the incumbent was destined to win a position of power again. These voters’ unrelenting excitement was infectious and showed me why voting mattered. From then on, I had an impetus to vote because it felt good to do my due diligence as a citizen. It instilled in me a firm belief that my vote will be meaningful regardless of the election outcomes for my hometown, state and country.
Although so many question our political system’s integrity, I saw firsthand how well-run the polls were, enabling hundreds of people to successfully vote. Seeing our right to free and fair elections remain steadfast and resilient gives me a sense of optimism in our country’s ability to uphold democracy this fall, come what may.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you
should: Stop posting 20-picture photo dumps
Kate Gordon Life Editor
I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s made a grave mistake on Instagram recently. You open the app, see the first post on your feed and begin swiping through its photo carousel. Swiping, swiping … until suddenly, you realize that you’ve gone far beyond Instagram’s previous 10-photos-perpost limit—you’re 15 photos deep for a person you don’t even know very well. Worst of all, this phenomenon will happen to you again and again, as there’s no way to know what you’re getting yourself into before you decide to swipe. If you’re one of the people who have been posting 20-picture “photo dumps” as of late, I urge you to reconsider. While they’re fun on your end, for anyone other than you and your friends, these posts are nothing short of an (albeit minor) annoyance.
I can’t really blame anyone who’s fallen victim to Instagram’s latest update. Launched this past August, the 20-picture update is the perfect culmination of the photo dump trend, which I admittedly do enjoy in moderation. For anyone unaware of what a photo dump is, The New Yorker encapsulated a pretty good image in their article, “The Desperation of the Instagram Photo Dump.” These posts, which are typically upwards of five photos, “seemed to be chaotic jumbles, but the collections of images often conveyed an over-all atmosphere—a vibe—by way of juxtaposition, with the disparate scenes cohering like the elements of a collage.” Photo dumps include everything from 0.5 selfies to group photos to mirror photos to pic-
tures of food, pets, clothing, parks, city skylines, friends and family, sunsets, Spotify screenshots, vacation photos and anything else that can possibly add to the type of “vibe” you want to create. Making these kinds of posts is definitely fun, but I think it’s time for all of us to admit that we’ve taken the photo dump too far.
With the sheer volume of new 20-picture dumps, I feel as if the whimsiness has been sucked out of them. A 20-picture post doesn’t curate a vibe; it beats it to a pulp. I think it’s fun to be constrained just a little bit. Having to work around a set limit is challenging, and a 10-picture limit is generous enough to be constraining but not frustrating. The whole debacle reminds me of when X—then known as Twitter— doubled its character limit from 140 to 280 back in 2017; sure, you could now post longer tweets, but all of the funny ones were, and still are, going to be short. Aesthetic considerations aside, I’m sick of the longer posts clogging up my feed. To quote The New Yorker again, “I don’t have time to flip through monthly recaps of the lives of everyone I follow at once!”
So the next time you go to post on Instagram, I implore you to consider whether the vibe you want to put out into the world is overbearing and uninspired. Because that’s what these 20-picture posts are: annoying and lacking in creativity. I’m not sure how much longer the photo dump will stay in pop culture’s good graces, but until it’s gone for good, I’d encourage us all to be good social media neighbors and respect one another’s space and time. Just because you can now put 20 photos in a single post doesn’t necessarily mean you should.
Mulan Ma/The
Mental health is important—let’s treat it as such
Editorial Board
Often at Case Western Reserve University you will hear about the importance of therapy. People will say it’s imperative that we take care of our well-being to make sure that we can show up as our best selves in our academic pursuits. Yet there seems to be a disconnect between this advice and genuine therapy attendance. In many ways, society has changed to become more mental health positive, with less stigma surrounding the idea of therapy. On campus, we have many clubs and offices that champion mental wellness, such as University Health and Counseling Services, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Self-carE, Xoxo You! (Se-Xy) just to name a few. Yet actually making sure you are mentally well at such a rigorous university can take a lot more effort than attending one therapy session or doing a couple wellness activities a week. Additionally, accepting that you may not be doing well can be a tough pill to swallow, as many try to convince themselves that these are problems that concern other students, not themselves.
Many of us come from homes where academics are considered paramount to success in life. Our parents may be working hard to afford our education, or maybe they don’t even believe that non-severe mental illnesses, such as moderate anxiety and depression, exist. Perhaps when you’ve expressed your concerns about burnout to your mother or father, they’ve chided you for being lazy or claimed that when they were younger, they just suffered so you should do the same. They may even say that you are working hard so that someday you’ll be able to support yourself—that’s when you can finally relax. It’s likely that, as a result, you were one of the highest achievers in your high school classes, pushing yourself to accomplish more and more from an early age. It makes sense, then, why you’d be so set on stretching yourself thin. You could be harboring anxiety that you’re fully aware of but don’t believe that you have enough time to genuinely tackle.
A 2020 study identified some of the main barriers that prevent children and adolescents from seeking professional mental health advice. Some of the factors are the following: “limited mental health knowledge and broader
perceptions of help-seeking,” “social factors, for example, perceived social stigma and embarrassment,” “young people’s perceptions of the therapeutic relationship with professionals” and “systemic and structural barriers and facilitators, such as financial costs associated with mental health services, logistical barriers, and the availability of professional help.” At CWRU, it is likely that working out the logistics of therapy prevents a lot of students from seeking help. It can seem daunting to make that first step, and instead it may appear easier to try not to poke at the problem for a fear of making it worse. Resources on campus consist of appointments from University Health and Counseling as well as TimelyCare, a third-party online service which allows you to make an appointment with a therapist. The problem with these solutions is often availability. For example, there are only so many staff members at a time in the Health and Counseling office that can see students. Additionally, by using a third-party app, it can be difficult for students to establish a connection with one therapist if the person they are able to see is always changing based on availability. If you have many topics that you feel you must cover in a session, it can be difficult to get everything out without having the stability of time or familiarity. In fact, you could end up wasting time simply explaining the backstory of your problems rather than working on genuinely rectifying them. Thus, after a session, students may get frustrated or become convinced that therapy isn’t for them. They may begin to believe that continuing to suffer is the most painless course of action.
A larger issue could exist with our generation’s increasing self-isolation. Due to technological innovations such as smartphones, laptops and social media, we’ve become increasingly connected to people over a digital space. While giving the illusion of appearing to be more connected to each other, this hyperconnectivity allows for comparison between individuals. We can see all of the highlights of our friends’ lives, even the highlights of people we don’t even know. We compare how much we study to other people, communicate through comments sections and lament over the fact that we don’t seem to be having as much fun on nights out. Additionally, these devices act as distractions for both boredom and our problems. We cling to our phones,
hoping that self-help advice online will help us to fix our mental problems and regulate our thoughts, when in reality, all we may need is to talk to someone. Many of us are guilty of keeping our true feelings to ourselves for fear of inconveniencing others. In fact, social media discourse about friendship often pops up on platforms such as X, formerly known as Twitter. Posts with someone complaining about their friend asking them to pick them up from the airport or talking too much about their own life always generate heated arguments in the comments, with people commiserating about their “overbearing” friends or claiming that the original poster is simply a bad friend. In this increasingly digital age, we need to be willing to be more gracious to each other and provide a safe
space for our friends to vent.
In addition to providing a safe space for others, we need to do the same for ourselves. So the next time you are feeling like it is better to suffer in silence, maybe take a closer look at the information you have been fed which has forced you to believe such. Getting yourself into an overall better headspace doesn’t always come with a quick fix. Relying on the beliefs of people who have come before you in survival mode is only going to ensure that you continue to spread their narrative that hard work always comes with suffering. As we go forward into the second half of the semester, try to break out of that cycle that you may be in and reach out to someone about your problems. Who knows? It may help you develop your own story to tell.
The Case Western Reserve Observer
Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University
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The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer via e-mail at observer@case. edu.
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Sports
CWRU football extends win streak to six after two home games against St. Vincent and Thiel
Darcy Chew Sports Editor
On Oct. 12, returning to DiSanto Field after two away games against Geneva College and Allegheny College, the Case Western Reserve University football team faced off against St. Vincent College, earning their first shutout of the season. The Spartans continued to dominate the following weekend when they bested Thiel College on Oct. 19, further extending their win streak to six with Saturday night’s win and taking sole possession of first place in the PAC.
On Oct. 12, the first points of the game came from first-year running back Andy Kavcic, who rushed 3 yards down the middle to put the Spartans
on the scoreboard with the first drive. The Spartans then proceeded to force a three-and-out on the Bearcats’ first drive. On the next drive, the Spartans doubled their advantage. Third-year quarterback Aaron Filips passed to fifth-year quarterback Alex Fromberg after taking the snap which Fromberg then connected back with Filips for the touchdown. The Spartans forced a second three-and-out on the Bearcats and followed with a third touchdown after Fromberg connected with fourth-year wide receiver Noah Coyne. For the remainder of the second quarter, the Spartan defense kept St. Vincent off the scoreboard, while adding 2 more touchdowns and bringing CWRU up 35-0 into halftime. Fromberg rushed 1 yard down the middle for the fourth touchdown of the game and connected
with Coyne in the endzone for the fifth touchdown in the following drive.
The Spartans ended the night with a 49-0 shutout after a touchdown was made in both the third and fourth quarter. Following an unsuccessful drive, the Spartans increased their lead after Fromberg connected with fourthyear wide receiver Ethan Dahlem. The final touchdown of the night came from Filips who passed to open second-year wide receiver Jake Otto at the 40-yard line. Otto notched his first career touchdown with the play.
Defensively, third-year linebacker Henry Busch led with 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack. Graduate student linebacker Gabe Troch contributed 5 tackles, with 2 tackles for loss. The Spartan defense held the Bearcats to a total of 97 yards, and the win marked CWRU’s first shutout of the season.
On the first day of fall break, the Spartan football team beat Thiel 52-7. With their win against Thiel and Grove City College’s loss against Washington and Jefferson College, CWRU took sole possession of first place and is the only remaining undefeated team in the PAC.
The Spartan defense made program history by holding the Tomcats to only 74 yards, the fewest in a single game. They were led by graduate student defensive lineman Kaden Tong who recorded 8 tackles, with 1 sack and 1.5 for loss. Another key contributor to the Spartans record breaking defensive squad was fourth-year linebacker Brody Roth with 6 tackles, 1 sack and 2 tackles for loss. Roth also recorded his first career interception during the third quarter.
Offensively, the Spartans made 7 touchdowns, with Fromberg completing 13 out of 17 passes for a total of 243 yards and notching 4 touchdown passes. The first points on the board came after Fromberg connected with thirdyear wide receiver Alec Angello, and the Spartans forced a three-and-out on the Tomcats’ drive and followed up with another touchdown as Dahlem received a 29-yard touchdown pass from Fromberg. Kavcic successfully rushed 1 yard for CWRU’s third touchdown, bringing them up 21-0. For the following 2 touchdowns, Fromberg connected with Coyne, completing a 30-yard and 43-yard touchdown pass, giving CWRU a 35-0 lead going into halftime.
During the Spartan’s first drive of the second half, CWRU added another touchdown after Filips connected with Coyne in the endzone for Coyne’s third touchdown of the night, bringing the Spartans up 42-0. Despite fumbling on three straight drives after their third quarter touchdown, the Spartans bounced back with a field goal and a final touchdown during the fourth quarter, solidifying CWRU’s 52-7 win. The Tomcats were able to score a touchdown after an 18-yard touchdown pass.
The Spartans will be on the road for their game against Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 2. This game will open their four-game stretch against the other top PAC teams, including No. 21-ranked Washington and Jefferson, No. 15-ranked Grove City and No. 18-ranked Carnegie Mellon University.
Spartan swimming and diving opens the 20242025 season with dominating performances
On Oct. 13, the Case Western Reserve University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams opened their 2024-2025 season, dominating the Early Season Invite hosted by Oberlin College. Both teams placed first out of four teams, with 954.5 and 1030 points scored by the men’s and women’s teams, respectively.
In total, the Spartans placed first in 26 out of the 38 events, with the men’s team winning 10 and the women’s team winning 16.
On the women’s team, fourth-year swimmer Gabriella Chambers contributed to seven of the Spartans’ wins, with three individual first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle (24.56), 100yard freestyle (53.26) and 200-yard freestyle (1:57.62), as well as a total of four first-place relays with first-year Marina Oria and fourth-years Kate Menzer and Angeli Paull in the 200yard freestyle relay (1:38.80), fourthyear Simone Vale, Paull and Menzer in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:38.76), fourth-year Erica Rice, Menzer and first-year Sayjel Tan in the 200-yard medley relay (1:50.78) and Rice, Menzer and third-year Julia Cho in the 400-yard medley relay (4:05.37).
Fourth-year diver Abigail Wilkov swept the women’s diving events with a score of 266.60 points in the 1-meter dive and 245.35 points in the 3-meter dive.
On the men’s team, fourth-year swimmer Peter Meng contributed four wins, with three individual victories in the 500-yard freestyle (4:41.24) , 400yard individual medley (3:58.14) and 200-yard backstroke (1:56.80). He was also on the 400-yard freestyle relay team with fourth-year Ben Zuo and third-years William Froass and Mason Bencurik, taking the first-place finish in 3:09.39.
For their performances at the Oberlin Invite, Chambers, Wilkov and Meng were named UAA Athletes of the Week.
“I was really excited to see that. That’s something that I’ve always wanted to achieve since I was a freshman. I’ve always [tried] every year to just start off strong so that maybe one day I’ll get noticed through the conference. So to start off the season and have that after the first meet, I was very happy about it,” Chambers said.
On Oct. 19, the teams split up with the fourth-years and graduate students traveling to Gambier, Ohio to compete in the Kenyon Relays and the underclassmen traveling to Ashland, Ohio for the teams’ first dual meet of the season against Ashland University.
Both teams swept Ashland and placed second in the Kenyon Relays, with 79 points for the men’s team and 85 for the women’s team.
The Spartans won a total of 24 events in Ashland. On the men’s team, Froass led the squad in contributed wins with four total events. Individually, he won both the 100-yard and
200-yard backstroke with times of 52.34 and 1:57.08, respectively. He also claimed the 200-yard medley relay with teammates Bencurik, thirdyear Julian Kim and first-year Edward Steward (1:34.95), as well as the 200yard freestyle relay with Bencurik and third-years Ben Borvendeg and Zach Halsey (1:26.52). Both Bencurik and Steward contributed an additional two individual wins each, with Bencurik touching the wall first in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle and Steward in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly.
In the distance events, third-year John Drumm and first-year Sam Schultz won the 500-yard and 1000yard freestyle with times of 4:51.78 and 10:16.96, respectively.
On the women’s team third-year Claire Kozma led the Spartans with four wins, including two relays. She contributed to the Spartans’ 24 wins, with individual first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle (24.61) and 100-yard butterfly (58.47). With her teammates Cho, Tan and third-year Eliza Dixon, the team placed first in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:50.34. Kozma was also part of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team with Dixon, Cho and Oria, finishing in 1:40.85.
Second-year Ava Ellis added a pair of wins for CWRU, touching the wall first in the 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley with times of 2:34.15 and 2:17.65.
At Kenyon College, fourth-year diver Alex Waltman claimed the 3-meter
dive with a total of 275.40 points and fourth-year diver Jocelyn Schechter also claimed the 3-meter dive with 272.85 points, in addition to her second-place finish in the 1-meter dive with 255.45 points.
In the swimming relays, the women’s teams had one second-place finish in the 3x500-yard freestyle relay and a trio of third-place finishes in the 200-yard butterfly relay, the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard individual relay. The men’s team also had a trio of third-place finishes in the 200yard breaststroke relay, the 400-yard individual relay and the 3x500-yard freestyle relay. The Spartans also recorded one second-place finish in the 200-yard mixed relay from the team of Vale, Zuo, Chambers and fourth-year Kevin Hu.
As of Oct. 23, the men’s team ranks 16th and the women’s team ranks 17th nationally among Division III teams.
“We’ve been creeping up that rank. I think last season we finished 13th at NCAA, and that’s something I didn’t think would happen and to be able to be a part of that is really special. Everyone’s been contributing little by little, and we’ve been moving up as a team. So overall, I think we’re off to a pretty good start. And we were just getting started, so there’s a lot to still come and hopefully we’ll finish off really well,” Chambers commented.
This coming weekend, the Spartan teams will host Ohio Wesleyan in Veale Natatorium for their second dual meet on Oct. 26 at 1 p.m.
Darcy Chew Sports Editor
Fourth-year defensive backs Dominic Sais (left) and Nate Cikalo (right) hype each other up during the game. CWRU won 49-0 over Saint Vincent College. Phillip Kornberg/The Observer
Men’s soccer drops 0-2-1 in UAA play after road contest against Emory and home game against Rochester
Abhishek Nambiar Staff Writer
Over the past two weekends, the Case Western Reserve University men’s soccer team continued their UAA play with two matches: one against Emory University on Sunday, Oct. 13, and one against the University of Rochester on Saturday, Oct. 19. Both games saw CWRU fall to the opposing team, leaving their record in UAA play at 0-2-1 and their overall record for the season at 5-4-3.
The game against Emory took place in Atlanta and saw the Spartans drop the contest with a 0-2 loss to the Eagles. The two successful shots recorded by Emory occurred during the 27th and 87th minutes.
CWRU attempted 7 shots over the course of the match, coming courtesy of five members of the squad. Out of those five, fourth-year forward Kysen Kroeger came on top with 3 attempts, 2 of which were on goal but were ultimately unsuccessful. Notably, thirdyear goalkeeper Bradley Winter saved 6 shots by Emory during his tenure in front of the net, preventing a larger blowout by the Eagles.
Following their loss to Emory, the squad returned to Cleveland to play against the University of Rochester on DiSanto Field on Oct. 19, determined to bounce back; Unfortunately, this did not quite come to fruition as the Spartans fell 3-2 to the Yellowjackets.
CWRU had a strong start during this match. Second-year midfielder
Adam Pluszczyk received a deflected
ball at the top of the box before firing it into the top corner of the net during the ninth minute, giving the Spartans the first score of the contest. The goal also marked the third of Pluszczyk’s career and his first in UAA play. Later, during the 37th minute, firstyear forward Amir Awais received a long pass, kicked the ball over one of Rochester’s defenders and fired it into the bottom left corner of the net, putting the score at 2-0. With this score, Awais achieved the second goal of his career and his very first in a UAA contest.
Going into the second half, CWRU saw its lead slowly erode as a result of an offensive surge by Rochester, which saw the Yellowjackets make 3 goals within the second half. The first goal occurred during the 55th min-
ute, the second during the 78th minute and the third within the final two minutes of the match, all but sealing a victory for Rochester as the Spartans found themselves unable to answer any of the Yellowjackets’ goals. Within this contest, seven members of the squad had an attempt on goal; Pluszczyk was the only one with multiple shots. Meanwhile, Winter made 5 saves over the course of the match. This weekend, the squad will be looking to make a comeback as they hit the road for their only two-game UAA weekend of the season. On Friday, Oct. 25, they will be traveling to Chicago to compete against the University of Chicago, before heading to St. Louis on Sunday, Oct. 27, for a match against Washington University in St. Louis.
Fourth-year forward Kysen Kroeger maintains possession of the ball against players from Rochester. Phillip Kornberg/The Observer
Scores and Upcoming Games
Men’s Soccer
CWRU at Emory (10/13) - L 0-2
CWRU vs Rochester (10/19) - L 2-3
CWRU at Chicago (10/25)
CWRU at WashU (10/27)
Cross Country
Mike Woods Invitational (10/19)
Men’s team: 9th of 32 teams (259 points)
Women’s team: 7th of 29 teams (245 points)
Football
CWRU vs Saint Vincent (10/12) - W 49-0
CWRU vs Thiel (10/19) - W 52-7
CWRU at Westminster (10/26)
Swimming and Diving
Oberlin Invite (10/13)
Men’s team: 1st of 4 teams (954.5 points)
Women’s team: 1st of 4 teams (1030 points)
CWRU vs Ashland (10/19)
Men’s team: W 196-80
Women’s team: W 175-111
Kenyon Relays (10/19)
Men’s team: 2nd of 5 teams (79 points)
Women’s team: 2nd of 5 teams (85 points)
CWRU vs Ohio Wesleyan (10/26, 1 p.m., Veale Natatorium)
Volleyball
UAA Round Robin #2
CWRU vs NYU (10/13) - L 0-3
CWRU vs Brandeis (10/13) - W 3-2
CWRU vs Muskingum (10/19) - L 2-3
CWRU at Otterbein (10/19) - W 3-1
UAA Round Robin #3
CWRU at Carnegie Mellon (10/27)
CWRU vs Chicago (10/27)
Women’s Soccer
CWRU at Emory (10/13) - L 0-2
CWRU vs Rochester (10/19) - L 0-2
CWRU at Chicago (10/25)
CWRU at WashU (10/27)
Second-year defender/midfielder David Pineda lines up a kick while playing against Rochester. Phillip Kornberg/The Observer