The Collegian - March 24, 2023

Golf on course

Teams look forward to spring season

@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper

Math Blast adds fun for all ages COMMUNITY

MCU no more?

Marvel films lost their appeal PERSPECTIVES

Cast slays onstage Theatre Program adds modern spin to tragedy

Mia Gallagher Staff Writer

While it may be true that “all roads lead to Rome,” the college’s Theatre Program brings Rome to us through their modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.”

This action-packed, drama-filled production promises to not only present this iconic Shakespearean tragedy but do so in a way that gives new life and meaning to the classic text.

“In putting this production together, we face the unique challenge of transporting Shakespeare’s language and story out of ancient Rome and into the modern day. Shakespeare’s verse has not

been substantially altered, so we’ve put tremendous effort into making it feel natural without losing its poetic beauty,” said sophomore Hayden Wehrman, who will be taking on the role of Marc Antony in the production.

“In class, Shakespeare is often read as grand poetry; on our stage, you’ll hear his words spoken exactly like you’d hear modern English – and hopefully it will be just as easy to understand,” Wehrman said.

The play itself, which focuses on the brutal betrayal surrounding Caesar’s assassination and the resulting tragic fallout, masterfully captures the historical context of the event while simultaneously moving the hearts

and minds of actors and the audience alike.`

While very little of the Shakespearean English has been altered, Director Betsy Craig ’77 and the cast have added their own twist to the setting and characterization, placing these timeless archetypes into our modern political climate.

“We’ve transported the story of ‘Julius Caesar’ into the modern day: Our senators wear suits and ties, our show opens with rock music and our words are delivered with intent and urgency. This show is a gripping, violent tragedy that’s part political drama and part war movie. There will be blood on stage, the auditorium will be filled with the sounds of gunfire

Pastor speaks on faith in workplace

Ayden Gutierrez

News Editor

Pastor Warren Sullivan ’83, a graduate of the college, spoke on how to take your faith into the business world

Wednesday evening in Sticht Lecture Hall.

Sullivan spoke on his personal testimony before detailing how the book of Nehemiah can be used to study Christian leadership.

Sullivan said he grew up in the church but wasn’t a member of “the church.” He discussed his time at Grove City College saying he “never thought he’d be someone to go into ministry.”

and the roars of the crowd and the tragedy of Brutus unfolds before our eyes from its inception at Cassius’ hand to the end of his life,” Wehrman said.

These extensive editorial decisions, coupled with the linguistic challenges Shakespearean text can pose, could not be accomplished without the hard work, dedication and talent of the show’s cast and crew. Junior Ransom Coffeen, sophomore Grace Scheller, junior Christopher Tziovannis and sophomore Mary Bargery – who play Julius Caesar, Cassius, Brutus and Casca, respectively – join Wehrman in bringing these feature roles to life.

The countless hours

CAESAR 3

Famed comic book creator to headline conference

David Zimmermann

Editor-in-Chief

Nationally renowned graphic novelist and cartoonist Gene Luen Yang will deliver the keynote address of the college’s annual Christian Writers Conference at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30 in Crawford Auditorium.

Yang’s lecture, entitled “Boxers, Saints and Coders,” will kick off the conference next week.

Dr. Kristen Waha, associate professor of English at the college, became aware of Yang when she saw him at some venues a few years ago and further read about his life story in publications, like Christianity Today.

It was shortly afterward that the English Department invited the storyteller to

novel

CONTRIBUTED

tional Chinese culture and Western

speak on campus.

“I thought it would be interesting to hear from an artist who’s in the mainstream entertainment world but

who seems willing to talk about his faith, too,” she said.

Waha explained how Yang draws inspiration from his Chinese American heritage

and Catholic faith to tell his own stories without explicitly creating Christian art and

Sullivan described a time during his college career when he was hitchhiking in Grove City. After walking down East Main Street until just about the place County Market is now located, Sullivan noted that a blue pickup truck stopped to give him a ride.

The man driving the vehicle was a local pastor. Sullivan noted that he didn’t force Jesus down his throat and convict him of sin. He picked him up when nobody else would. Sullivan stated while he was being driven around, the stranger was really driving him closer to a relationship with God.

Sullivan described this experience as “the power of servanthood.” He credited the start of his relationship with Christ to somebody who wanted to serve him.

Sullivan then began to discuss that true leadership, especially from a Christian lens, is servant leadership. He mentioned the pastor who picked him up had a servant’s demeanor, a servant’s heart and humility.

Sullivan stated Jesus is never called a leader in Scripture, yet he was the greatest leader who ever lived because of his service. To the people in attendance who didn’t believe in Christ, Sullivan stated that Jesus of Nazareth was more influential than any other person in history.

Being a servant and being a leader are the same thing, according to Sullivan. He stated you can be a servant and not a leader, but you will never be a leader without being a servant.

“Serving is leadership, and there is power in the idea of servanthood,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan then gave a background of the story of Nehemiah, prefacing it with the point that he would show multiple examples of servanthood by Nehemiah.

Gene Luen Yang’s graphic

“Boxers and Saints” addresses the violent conflict between tradi

influences during the 1899-1901 Boxer Rebellion in China.

GRACE DAVID

Sophomore Grace Scheller and junior Ransom Coffeen perform as Cassius and Julius Caesar, respectively, in the college’s spring play.

YANG

SULLIVAN

From the Tower

Musings on ‘Mr. Jones’

If you know anything about me, it’s that I love movies and journalism. So I especially love journalism movies. Movies have the power to entertain, inspire and even inform audiences about a particular issue, but journalism movies are the perfect genre for telling hard truths in a narrative form.

There are plenty of great journalism movies out there, from Oscar winners like “Spotlight” and “All the President’s Men” to cinematic classics like “Citizen Kane” and “His Girl Friday.” Then there are the underrated journalism movies like “Kill the Messenger” and “Mr. Jones,” the latter of which I watched for the first time over spring break.

“Mr. Jones” is an especially interesting journalism film, partly because it hadn’t received significant media attention despite its 2020 release date. The film also happens to raise awareness about a 20th-century tragedy I was totally unfamiliar with until recently: the Holodomor, aka Stalin’s famine.

The historical film tells the true story of Welsh freelance journalist Gareth Jones who traveled to the Soviet Union in 1933 and uncovered Joseph Stalin’s man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainian people. While there, he discovered the Russian powers-that-be were running a tightly run propaganda machine preventing the outside world from learning the truth. Facing opposition from the USSR government and even the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Moscow bureau chief of The New York Times Walter Duranty, Jones took it upon himself to investigate “the story no one is talking about.”

What’s unique about the story of “Mr. Jones” is that it perfectly contrasts the journalistic roles of Jones and Duranty: Jones is the young, ambitious reporter who chases the story to find out what’s really going on in the Soviet Union, and Duranty is the experienced, esteemed correspondent who lies for a living in the name of Communism. In other words, the former pursues the truth, and the latter sells his soul to keep his prestigious award and influence. It’s Jones’ “word against Duranty’s Pulitzer,” as said in the film.

This dichotomy makes for an insightful commentary on the state of modern journalism: that the legacy media often prioritizes the agenda over the truth. And in turn, today’s concern with fake news is nothing new; previous generations have dealt with the same thing.

This film demonstrates that The New York Times was complicit in covering up the Holodomor, even after Jones published his groundbreaking story on the Soviet famine. In fact, this incident wasn’t the first time the national newspaper intentionally misreported to alter its audience’s perception of a global event, another notable example being the Holocaust.

One quote in “Mr. Jones” that especially stuck with me was in a conversation between the protagonist and journalist Ada Brooks, during which Jones says, “I don’t have an agenda. Unless you call truth an agenda.” This line serves as the film’s moral thesis, and what all journalists and storytellers should aspire to do – telling difficult truths regardless of the consequences.

David

Zimmermann

Editor-in-Chief

Collegian Staff

Editor-in-Chief

David Zimmermann

Managing Editor

Caleb West

Section Editors

News

Ayden Gutierrez

Community

Violet Whitmore

Perspectives

Grace Scheller

Entertainment

Nick Grasso

Sports

Emma Rossi

Photo Chief

Grace David

In the home stretch A senior’s farewell to Grove

Nick Grasso

Entertainment Editor

Three years ago, I was spending my first week back at home after COVID-19 put an abrupt end to my freshman year at Grove City College, totally unaware of the two-year pandemic that was about to rattle the planet.

and provide me with lifelong friends and a lifelong love. Speaking of love, maybe now is the right time to thank you for giving me my fiancée, Gabrielle.

Copy Chief

Hannah Welker

Business Manager

David Ake

Copy Editors

Emily Fox

Jaina Hershey

Claire Josey

Eve Lee

Jessica Pratt

Maiah Serazin

Staff Writers

Vince Clay

Mia Gallagher

Hunter Oswald

Joel Sledd

David Smith

Isaac Willour

Contributing

Photographer

Maggie Williams

Staff Adviser

Nick Hildebrand

The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.

Green eyeshade award

This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Photo Chief Grace David for her creative photospreads, eye-catching photos and hilarious latenight banter.

The Green Eyeshade Award honors student contributors that

their

Today, I have less than two months left until I say goodbye to a place that has taken over the title of “home.” I’m not known to be terribly sentimental, but as I reflect on the last four years with such little time left until everything changes, I thought it best to address a letter to Grove City College before I bid it adieu.

Dear Grove,

When I first met you on Aug. 17, 2019, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to call your quaint campus and tight-knit-butslightly-cultish community home. I had decided months earlier to commit my next four years to you because I had felt at home in your bookstore on a prospective student visit and because a tour guide shared my interest in the Jazz Band.

Those things drew me to you, but still I couldn’t have known the ways in which you would nurture my faith

That guitar class you offered during my sophomore year felt like nothing more than an easy A, but in truth it was a vessel through which you worked as God’s hand brought two people together, knowing they would spend the rest of their lives with one another. Thank you for that.

I must thank you again, Grove City College, for allowing the Beta Sigma fraternity to occupy your campus and find joy in the dreariness of a cold weather town without much to do. We are few in number, but we owe to you hours of conversation, moments of honest and wellintentioned fun and lifelong memories that will never be forgotten. Thank you.

You, Grove City College, taught me the art of balancing a schedule stacked with classes and exams but also the endless fun made possible by nothing more than an empty basketball court and a ball. I knew not the power of a cup of coffee and a library cubicle until I found myself drowning in the endless river of wonderful classes that simultaneously crushed my soul and provided me with knowledge I would need for a

career. I appreciate that.

For all those times I sat in a room full of Grovers and joined in on the assault of “open hours” rules and questionable gymnasium hours of operation, I’m sorry. You were just doing your best.

What I must thank you for most profusely, Grove City, is the community of believers you surrounded me with. My love for Christ has only grown in the four years I’ve spent with you, though there were ups and downs along the way.

What I’ve learned from your outstanding community building abilities is that it doesn’t matter if life outside the Grove City bubble doesn’t exactly resemble life within it because the values, morals and beliefs we develop while here are ones that remain with us long after we walk across your stage and drive past that Dunkin’ Donuts.

As I wrap up my letter to you, Grove City College, I want to reassure you that the presence of God can be felt in the serene flowing of Wolf Creek, the passionate worship of Warriors on a Thursday night and the sound of a soccer ball kicking off the start of an IM game.

God is everywhere, but especially with you, Grove City. Thank you.

GRACE DAVID

Psych study debunks myth

Ayden Gutierrez News Editor

Professor Lucian Gideon Conway III, along with colleagues Alivia Zubrod, Linus Chan, James McFarland and Evert Van de Vliert conducted a series of 12 studies to debunk the myth that left-wing authoritarianism is a myth.

The findings are based on data collected from more than 8,000 Americans and more than 60,000 people worldwide.

“Our lab has published some influential work on left-wing authoritarianism,” Conway said. “Even though it has been generally wellreceived, there are still lots of people who are skeptical – many academics say that authoritarianism is really a ‘conservative’ thing and have called the existence of a lot of left-wing authoritarians a myth like the Loch Ness Monster.”

Conway explained during their studies, they saw average Americans – even liberal

COMIC

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how that plays into the conference’s theme “Christianity and Core Texts at Global/ Cultural Crossroads.”

“We want to think about how Christianity is a global faith” rather than being exclusively confined to Western culture, Waha said.

During his professional career, Yang broke into the comic industry in 2006 with the award-winning “American-Born Chinese,” a passion project of his own that explores Chinese culture in a contemporary American setting. Seventeen years later, the graphic novel is currently in the final stages of being adapted to a Disney+

Americans – can identify a lot of liberal authoritarians in their lives.

“We showed that our own left-wing authoritarianism scale contains all the markers of authoritarianism – it is rated by independent scorers as measuring authoritarianism; it is predicted by measurements of threat such as fear of disease; and it predicts dogmatism, bias against Jews and African Americans and support for punitive social norms,” said Conway.

Further, through using a large, multi-national study across 54 nations and tens of thousands of people, the study showed that many nations “actually have more left-wing authoritarians than right-wing authoritarians.” Conway believes the combination of studies answers critics who claim authoritarianism on the left is nonexistent.

Conway hopes the study convinces students and the psychology field that leftwing authoritarianism is a real problem.

“My experience is that

show, scheduled to premiere Wednesday, May 24.

Yang later worked for Marvel and DC Comics, where his other major works included stories on the martial arts superhero Shang-Chi and “Superman Smashes the Klan,” respectively.

He also collaborated on several “Avatar: The Last Airbender” comics with Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, co-creators of the eponymous animated series.

Apart from writing, and sometimes drawing, his own comic books and graphic novels, Yang teaches creative writing and advocates for a diverse reading selection, according to his website.

Yang’s lecture remains free and open to the Grove

many left-wingers are in a sleepy denial of liberal authoritarianism, and many right-wingers are sleepwalking in ignorance of the problem,” said Conway. “So, I hope they both wake up so we can do something about it.”

The findings from the study were published in Frontiers in Psychology, a journal that publishes rigorously peerreviewed research across the psychological sciences, from clinical research to cognitive science, from perception to consciousness, from imaging studies to human factors and from animal cognition to social psychology.

Conway is no stranger to published research, as he has “over 90 publications, the majority of which are peerreviewed studies in refereed professional journals.”

“A brief estimate is that translates to over 110 published studies across those papers, and that doesn’t count many unpublished studies we’ve run or those we have in progress,” said Conway. “We run a lot of research.”

City College community and public, with no registration needed.

Waha said she hopes attendees will take lessons away from the comic book artist’s background in literature, pop culture, graphic arts and computer science.

“We don’t have to silo off into different disciplines. There’s a real strength in having a breadth of knowledge in different disciplines that can combine to create something that really touches people,” she said.

Sponsored by the Lilly Fellows Program, the college’s 2023 Christian Writers Conference will begin Thursday evening and continue next Friday with academic presentations.

CAESAR continued from 1

poured into understanding characterization, blocking scenes and working out technical kinks require grit and commitment to craft and form.

“I hope audiences understand what we are saying as we are saying it. ‘Julius Caesar’ is an entertaining yet impactful play with very retable themes each and every one of us can learn from,” said sophomore Meredith Reed, who will be playing the role of Portia.

“More than anything, I want them to see how intensely human these characters are. The pride of Caesar, the grim resolve of Brutus,

SULLIVAN continued from 1

Sullivan broke the lecture down into multiple points: compassionate, prayerful, a contrite heart, rooted in God’s Word, courageous, sharing the vision, doing the work and leading by example. Sullivan then cited specific verses from the book of Nehemiah to show how these leadership qualities are crucial for leaders to have when going into the business world.

Sullivan stated leaders who are compassionate understand two things: what breaks their hearts and what they’re going to do to find a solution.

He said compassion will keep you going even when things become difficult and then shared, “The greater impact you have, the greater challenges you have. The higher the levels, the bigger the devils.”

Sullivan believes leaders who are prayerful understand that in the kingdom of God, the way up is down, or to kneel and pray. He mentioned that prayer still works, and God has a way of answering prayer in a big way.

“Sometimes when we pray, God changes us, and maybe that’s a greater miracle,” said Sullivan. “When we pray,

the cunning of Cassius, the rage of Antony, the envy and fear of the conspirators: Shakespeare’s characters are no less human because they speak in blank verse. I’ve seen this play a dozen times over the last two weeks, and there are some scenes that still haven’t gotten old. Shakespeare doesn’t have to mean antiquated and stiff; in fact, our show is quite the opposite,” Wehrman added. This intense retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays is one you don’t want to miss, with one performance tonight and the last on Saturday, both at 7 p.m.

God changes you so that you can become part of the solution.”

Sullivan explained that leaders who have a contrite heart understand the words of Nehemiah 1:6 – praying and confessing sin. He believes the posture of the American church has been confessing others’ sins when it should be about confessing one’s own sins.

He believes good leaders are rooted in God’s Word; they are students of the word, just as Nehemiah 1:89 calls Christians to be.

Sullivan noted good leaders should have courage, citing Nehemiah’s courageous act of showing signs of sadness in front of King Artaxerxes despite the dangers, as a perfect example of being a courageous leader.

Good leaders share their vision with their peers, according to Sullivan. In Nehemiah 2:17, Nehemiah says, “Come, let us rebuild the wall.” Sullivan believes that “vision drives everything.” He also stated that good leaders are willing to do the work nobody else wants to do.

Finally, he mentioned that good leaders lead by example. He referenced Nehemiah 5:14, stating there needs to be a connection between what you say and what you do.

CONWAY III

GRACE DAVID

Pastor Warren Sullivan ‘83 speaks at a lecture hosted by the School of Business in Sticht Hall.

GRACE DAVID Sophomore Hayden Wehrman riles up the crowd as Marc Antony in the Theatre Program’s spring production of “Julius Caesar.”

for Life with Scott Hahn 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 28 Crawford Auditorium Richard G. Staley ‘62 Visionary Enterpreneur Speaker Series

p.m. Wednesday, March 29 SHAL 108 Barbara Nissman, Steinway Piano Artist 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 29 Ketler Auditorium Female Negotiation Workshop 4 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 SHAL 110 Christian Writers Conference 2023 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 30

Crawford Auditorium Christian Writers Conference

5:30 p.m.

Friday, March 31 Old MAP Dining Hall IU IV Superintendent Symposium

8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday, March 31

Carnegie Colonnade Concert Band & Wind Ensemble Concert

7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 31

Ketler Auditorium

Dream

come

true

for

alum

Shakespeare premieres at local Christian school

Abigail Kengor

Contributing Writer

Grove City Christian Academy (GCCA) will perform Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” next weekend.

Directed by alumnus Ross Kucks ’10, the production is the latest installment in GCCA’s history of successful and entertaining spring plays.

The play is co-directed and costumed by Faith Fedor, with Will Mueller as the student director and acted by a cast of 18 students from 7th to 12th grade.

“It’s a romantic, familyfriendly comedy in which two couples wander into the woods and encounter the fairy king, who in an attempt to solve their relationship problems, creates entirely new ones,” Michelle Ritenour, the play’s producer, said.

“The ensuing chaos is hilarious and profound as the couples find love and wonder at both the trials they underwent and the transformation they’ve undergone. The play is an invitation to all ages to laugh at the comedy of errors and enjoy a truly magical experience.”

This fine work of both theatre and literature is being directed under good hands. Since graduating in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English, Kucks has

taught and directed plays for multiple classical Christian schools.

Kucks currently works at GCCA as a Latin and humanities teacher and head of the school’s Drama Program, and for the past six years has directed students through classic productions including “12 Angry Jurors,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Student tickets are $5 each, and there are four performances next weekend: March 30, 31 and April 1, three of which are at 7 p.m. and one is a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.

The play will be performed at Grove City Christian Academy on 105 Mill St. Tickets will be sold both online and at the door, but seating is limited. Online purchasing is encouraged.

Freaked about getting creeked

Visit grovecitychristianacademy.com/arts to reserve your tickets and for online viewing options.

The cast started rehearsing in December, and the months of memorization, analysis and becoming their characters are about to pay off. The mirth and magic of Greek lovers and fairy queens awaits — and all a short walk away, at your local Christian high school!

Dear Dr. Love, Spring is upon us, and I would like to be engaged before graduation. However, I know my boyfriend really doesn’t want to get creeked. We’re both seniors, we’ve been dating since the beginning of junior year and have had many discussions about future plans with each other. We’ve even gone ring shopping. Do you think he’s going to listen to what I want? – Annoyed Grover

Dear Annoyed Grover, Short answer, no. But there’s hope! As some might say, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. If he is overly opposed to being creeked but also wants to get engaged before graduation, he might wait until the eleventh hour to propose, or even after graduation at some point.

Who is going to creek someone in their cap and gown?

This is the point at which you strike. I’d speak openly with him and all your mutual friends about your dis-

may and desire. Let him know there is no escaping the creek. It will be in his cap and gown or on some return to campus. Hopefully, he will take the hint and just learn he needs to expect the creeking.

Talking to his friends would be another way to help the situation because you can ask them to encourage him to propose. If the bros shame him every day, he will likely bow to their pressure.

I think the key is putting a healthy fear in him. Another

possible tactic is sharing that you are considering proposing yourself. This is a highrisk, high-reward strategy. If he calls your bluff, you might be waiting a while, but on the other hand, he might be even quicker to propose. No matter which tactic you choose, healthy communication is the best strategy. Talk to him and honestly share your desire for engagement before graduation. Listen to him to understand why he does not want to get creeked. Maybe you can reach an un-

derstanding and form a plan you both agree with. Hopefully, good communication will bring disagreements to light so you can work through them together. And whether or not he ends up in the creek, I wish you the best in your potential marriage.

GROVE CITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

The cast of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” all pose together in full costume. The play will premiere Thursday, March 30.

GROVE CITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Alumnus Ross Kucks ‘10 (center) directed the play this year at GCCA, while Faith Fedor (left) codirected and costumed the production and Will Mueller (right) served as the student director.

Messer’s ministry will be missed

Violet Whitmore Community Editor

Every Thursday night, senior women venture to the McNulty residence for food, friends and a Bible study. Elizabeth Messer, coordinator of women’s ministry at the college, leads and guides the group discussion as Brenda McNulty ’80, the wife of President Paul J. McNulty ’80, provides food and a welcoming home.

All senior women at the college are invited to attend the study in the spring semester. The study this year is titled “Growing Closer to God Through Prayer” and focuses on how to pray according to Jesus’ example and the Lord’s Prayer.

Messer ministers to the students and preaches from Scripture for the first half of the meeting. Then the women are separated into eight small groups with an assigned leader to help continue conversations in a more

relaxed setting. This year, over 90 people signed up and expect to finish the study by Easter.

During the fall semester, eight student leaders were invited to plan the study to deeply understand its content and teach their peers this spring. The girls have a variety of different majors and interests, all bringing different skills to the discussion. The group includes seniors Tess Dattoli, Mikayla Gainor, Mollie Landman, Estelle Graham, Grace Messer, Haley Tucker, Sarah Gann, Emma Weichman and Eva Carbone.

Messer, whose daughter Grace is leading this year, is retiring from the college after eight years.

“I’m glad to have Amy Frank taking over after and am thankful for my experience to have roots back to 2014 with Brenda. I’m happy the study is going to continue and have such a good leader like Amy,” she said.

Grace Messer said she’s learned a lot from her mother during her four years at the college.

“Getting to see my mom work with others, I’ve really gleaned a lot. I know she’s sad to leave but feels happy and thankful for her time here. She always jokes with me that it took her twice as long to graduate because she’s been here eight years.”

While the study entails the Lord’s Prayer, a basic practice of the Christian faith, the group takes a deep dive into what the prayer really means.

“I know how to pray of course, but learning about the ‘way’ Jesus laid it out makes prayer so much less intimidating,” Carbone said.

“The Bible study is the most restful part of my week,” Dattoli said. “We have great conversation centered in Christ and just get to pour into each other. It’s time away from the chaos and lifegiving. I always leave feeling rejuvenated.”

The girls engage in biblical and casual conversation, according to Gann. Each talk brings the girls closer to each other.

“It’s been a near experience. I feel like I know everyone in the senior class, but now I get to know more people at a more personal level,” Gann said. “Plus, Mrs. McNulty’s food is bomb.”

Experiencing a peaceful way to approach an uncertain future particularly appeals to Grace Messer.

“My favorite part is the small groups because I feel like I’ve really bonded with all of them and they are all so sweet. It creates a great environment of trust. All seniors are unique, but our common struggle with uncertainty for the future unites us,” she said. “We are all going through the same transition, and it’s great to see everyone discuss something we all know but are seeing again with new eyes.”

Math fun multiplies for young students

Violet Whitmore Community Editor

If you have 75 children from the Grove City area and 50 college students teaching them math, how much fun can they have? A lot, according to this year’s Math Blast, and there’s no equation needed.

A free program that began last Saturday, March 18 in the Staley Hall of Arts and Letters and hosted by the college’s Department of Education, children from kindergarten to 8th grade gathered to play fun math games and engage in interactive activities. Each child is allowed to participate in two activities, including sessions such as M&M math, Mathemagic, Fun with Fibonacci Art, Probability Playground, Gymnast Geometry and more.

Dr. Kelleen Bonomo, professor of mathematics and

Seven questions with…

Elizabeth Messer

advisor of the program, said, “The program began as the Mini Math Conference in 2003. The name was changed to Math Blast in 2012. Until recently, Math Blast was run by math secondary level education majors who were taking MATH 240, or Mathematics for Secondary Education. Due to a decrease in the number of these majors, for the past five to six years, it has mostly been organized by a group of education majors from all levels.”

Bonomo also mentioned that the program was originally started by Dr. Steven Flanders ’04, who works in the Department of Mathematics. He was one of the students who helped to organize the very first Mini Math Conference in 2003.

“Math Blast is a wonderful opportunity for both the children who attend and the Grove City College students

Coordinator of Women’s Ministry

Why did you choose the career path you did?

Since graduating, I’ve been an event planner, classroom teacher, owned my own catering business and homeschooled my children for a period of time. You know something is your calling when you invest time in that endeavor even when it isn’t your official job..

What is your favorite movie?

This is a tough choice, but I’m going to go with the movie “Babette’s Feast,” based on the story by Isak Dinesen, because I’m a foodie and I love that story’s message of extravagant hospitality and generosity.

What is your favorite restaurant?

We love the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant across from Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh. It has an incredible buffet so if you’re new to Indian food, you can go and sample a little bit of everything.

What kind of music do you like to listen to?

For worship music, I love the Bethel Loft Sessions, Maverick City and United Pursuit. When I’m cooking, I have a ‘70s R&B mix that I listen to that includes Michael McDonald, the Commodores and Earth, Wind and Fire.

Any interesting hobbies?

who participate. Almost everyone enjoys the lessons that are offered and their interactions with the children,” Flanders said. “This year, there were approximately 75 children from the community and over 50 Grove City College students who helped in one form or another.”

The program typically assumes the same general schedule every year but adds new activities and classes, if necessary.

Sophomore education major Anna Dueker said of the event: “It was great to spend time with kids from the community. It is encouraging to see that many kids are excited about math and are willing to give up a Saturday morning to come and do math activities.”

“Math Blast is a way for students to come and experience math concepts in a fun, relaxing way. Many

of the students in my group had never heard of symmetry before. It is always rewarding knowing I introduced a new concept to a student and helped them learn something new.”

Junior education major Adam Koerber, one of the student organizers, helped prepare the event this year as well as volunteering himself.

“If I’m being honest, each time I teach something at Math Blast, I gain even more enthusiasm about being a teacher in the field in the near future. My favorite part of what I did for Math Blast was definitely teaching, but I enjoy helping to organize the event as well,” Koerber said.

“I love that I can be partially responsible for holding such a fantastic event that has a great impact on the kids but also the education majors.”

I already shared that I’m a bit of a foodie, but I also get a lot of joy out of sourcing locally grown or locally made products. I’m a locavore.

What are you looking forward to today?

I’m looking forward to talking with my husband tonight. We’ve been married for over 27 years and have never been apart for more than a week in our marriage before this year. Every night we talk on the phone and chat about our days.

What will you miss most about working at the college?

I’ll miss the genuine conversations that I have with students about what is happening in their lives, how they are growing and what they are struggling with. Also, I will miss our amazingly gifted and caring team in the Christian Formation Office.

SARAH GANN

All nine leaders at the annual senior women’s Bible study (pictured from left to right): Sarah Gann, Emma Weichman, Tess Dattoli, Mollie Landman, Estelle Graham, Grace Messer, Haley Tucker, Eva Carbone and Mikayla Gainor.

Rain or shine ... or snow?

The Grove City College men’s lacrosse team fights amid a blizzard

Last Saturday, March 18, the men’s lacrosse team played an intense home game against Messiah University through what felt like all four seasons. The snow quickly evolved from a soft winter wonderland into a dense white curtain of ice.

Players and spectators could just barely see the neon orange ball bouncing down the field, but still they played on. Even Athletic Director Todd Gibson ‘02 had to bring out the shovel to make the boundary lines visible.

The snow softened and the sun peeked out, warming the turf and heating up the game. That warmth did not keep the blizzard away, however.

Grove City men’s LAX didn’t ultimately get the win, but they put on quite a show with a backdrop of ice and snow.

by Grace David, Photo Chief

How Narnia became white supremacy Why is classic fantasy now considered extremism?

Isaac Willour Staff Writer

Living at Grove City College gives you a unique perspective on right-wing craziness. Whether it’s drawn-out arguments about the death penalty for abortive mothers or listening to women (yes, women) discussing the benefits of household voting, politically right institutions create a space for right-wing debates that truly would be unheard of in the mainstream.

To an extent, I’m grateful for this – it’s a reminder that, in a nation where mainstream conservatism is often branded as extreme, there are legitimately extreme political arguments that disenfranchise Americans and tilt the country toward dysfunction.

Yet, I don’t just live in the world of right-wing Christian academia. I also live in the world of political media, a world heavily influenced by both progressive and secular thought. As such, I’ve come to see the other side of discussing extremism: the overdiagnosis problem, where both cultural insularity and political polarization combine in the quest to ruin ordinary things for ordinary people.

A recent case in the United Kingdom illustrates this absurdity. A UK counterterrorism office released a list of texts and authors, deemed as potential sources for “white nationalists and supremacists.” The list included infamous Satan worship-

per C.S. Lewis and his “The Chronicles of Narnia”, outspoken hateful bigot J.R.R. Tolkien and notorious statist George Orwell. To this UK counterterrorism unit, many of England’s most treasured literary works are catalysts of right-wing extremism and vicious racism.

As is probably obvious from my slightly less-thanobjective portrayals of these findings, I place this situation within the technical classification of “some nonsense.”

How does “The Chronicles of Narnia” get listed as a source of extremism?

At first glance, this is conservative cultural war fodder on a silver platter — a war of progressive origin aimed at

destroying the West’s most beloved fiction in the name of pearl-clutching and making mountains out of fantastical molehills.

Yet, even this admittedly wild failure of diagnosing extremism contains lessons.

Narnia, 1984 and the world of Middle-earth don’t create terrorism, but they do create something else: a world with real moral parameters where the actions of the characters reflect a struggle to turn toward good and embrace evil.

This, in turn, creates a narrative where the moral factors within the story are compelling to those outside the story. We root for the Pevensies and cheer on Winston Smith and believe

in Frodo Baggins because the hero’s journey stirs a moral sense within our own hearts.

That’s why fantasy works: It presents readers with a world in which moral responsibility exists and personal duty carries the day.

Is that a world of extremism? In point of fact, it’s not — countless conservatives and progressives alike would agree.

Yet, to a worldview where moral relativism is the name of the game, the morally decisive world of fantasy is equivalent to social corrosion and must be treated as a danger.

In case it hasn’t been stated clearly enough: One counterterrorism unit labeling

classic fantasy as extremism doesn’t reflect counterterrorism, and certainly isn’t indicative of how every liberal thinks. But it’s a provoking reminder of what good fantastical storytelling is intended to do and how starkly it contrasts with a society drifting away from transcendent morality on the waves of decadence and dysfunction. If Western society has started to see the work of its most brilliant fiction writers as the cause of prejudice and violence, it’s worth considering where the true change has taken place. Was it the moral worlds of Narnia and Middle-earth that changed? Maybe it was our world instead.

Greek life is an inevitable part of human identity

Ransom Coffeen Contributing Writer

During pledge week, a torrent of anti-Greek life articles swirled around our campus’ intellectual publications a month or so back. Most memorably, the magazine Cogitare published several such tracts, accusing it of failing to live up to the ideal of a Christian community and promoting unsavory behavior. I would like to break the standard for independents and argue in favor of Greek life.

As an independent, it is easy to be skeptical of Greek life. In many cases, we have been personally slighted by these groups. It is equally convenient that Greek life hardly ever defends itself. But they do not need to defend themselves; the continued popularity of their lifestyle is evidence enough that the majority do not buy our bitter critiques. Perhaps they assume much of our complaining comes from a secret resentment that we are left out.

For my part, I have plenty of reasons to argue against this institution. I have received some wrongs from them (but have given plenty in return); I have watched many friends struggle with their policies and behaviors;

and I am sensitive to concerns of how Greek life may not live up to the ideals of the Christian community.

But these arguments are nothing more than an attempt to swim upstream. However short from biblical ideals our Greek groups fall, they are an inevitable part of human nature. Humanity has a stubborn way of categorizing itself; we yearn for titles, letters and rituals of shared identity. We call ourselves Christians, Grovers, Southerners, business majors and Betas. This fact is unavoidable, and we should not wish to avoid it. The yearning for group belonging is good and natural.

Greek life merely reflects our deep desire for family in a place without any. How they call themselves “brothers” and “sisters” indicates this. We could argue for the abolishment of Greek life, but people would simply find other groups to substitute for family.

Greek life, or something like it, is an inevitable part of any environment in which family is stripped, such as college. Abolishing Greek life might as well be an attempt to abolish a part of the human identity.

If a specific Greek group acts in a reprehensible way, they should be disciplined accordingly. The institution as a whole may not satisfy my fellow independents’ deep

urge for a Christian community. Still, it provides a necessary substitute for a family in a cruelly devoid environment. Complain all you want about its toxicity, immorality and cult-like behavior; the same charge can be leveled against the theater kids, and for that matter the church, but you don’t hear me saying that they should be abol-

ished.

Groups are inevitable, and since we are a race of wretches, sinful groups are also inevitable. My question for those who lambast Greek life is: Are your friend groups so much purer? So much less toxic? So biblically edifying? Or are you and your friends doing many of the same things, but it’s easier to pick on the people with the funky

shirts and weird hazing rituals than to reform your behavior?

Get off the pedestal and look in the mirror. We all want the Greek letters and the group identity. You have your own version of it, but never think this makes you any better. I say let them keep their shirts and rituals, and I will keep mine. Let there be peace.

GRACE DAVID

Another useless warrant for human rights

Hunter Oswald Staff Writer

On March 17, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued two warrants of arrest for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights, for war crimes against the people of Ukraine.

The court issued the warrants after recent information revealed that Putin and Ms. Maria had been found responsible for orchestrating the deportation of Ukrainian children and populations from Russian-occupied territories to the Russian Federation. Efforts to engage in forced deportations of children or any occupied population are classified as war crimes under the 1998 Rome Statute.

The warrant for Putin’s arrest marks the first time a leader of a permanent member of the UN National Security Council is subject to arrest by the ICC.

American and world leaders have been hailing the ICC’s decision to finally force Putin to answer for his unwarranted aggression along with the war crimes he continues to perpetuate. During a discussion with reporters last Friday, President Biden said of the arrest warrants: “I think it’s justified, but the question is, it’s not recognized internationally by us, either. But I think it makes a very strong point.”

In a tweet by Ukrainian

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, he shared his support stating, “International criminals will be held accountable for stealing children and other international crimes.”

While the warrants for Putin’s arrest continue to be hailed as a victory for the people of Ukraine, I do not see any fruitful yield from this, only thorns and anguish.

I should make it clear I am not upset about Putin’s arrest warrants; I’m quite glad that he is now officially a criminal. I am, however, disheartened by the reality of its unenforceability. Global institutions can make dec-

larations of any kind as they wish, but those institutions’ function can only go so far as to how those nations seek to use it for their interests.

The ICC is only as good as the very nations that believe in its purpose and are willing to enforce the warrants in order. Simply making the statement of arresting Putin means nothing unless those who believe in Putin’s arrest wish to pay the costs associated with detaining Putin.

The U.S. is certainly not going to arrest Putin along with any other nation out of the realization that such an action would result in a major confrontation with Russia that could lead to the

deaths of potentially millions of people. As seen through the West’s hesitance to intervene directly out of fear of Putin’s threats of nuclear confrontation, how is anyone going to suspect Putin to turn himself over without realizing he would rather see the world burn with him than be humiliated by his adversaries on a stand? The warrant holds no true meaning since no one is willing. Is Putin a genocidal maniac that has committed war crimes? Most definitely, yes. Should Putin answer for his crimes? Absolutely. Is a warrant for Putin’s arrest going to solve anything? Absolutely not. There can’t be a victory

for human rights in Ukraine without ensuring its possibility from the beginning, which seems not to be the case.

Despite the world’s unwillingness to carry out justice against Putin, justice can still survive. Ruling a nation through fear and cruelty may seem to be Putin’s strength, but it could reveal his greatest weakness: his fear of his own people.

The Russian people can end this war and end the grave injustices their government has imposed on its people as well as Ukraine’s. The hope for the people of Ukraine lies in the liberation of the Russian people from Putin’s tyranny.

Marvel flies too close to the sun

Grace Scheller Perspectives Editor

In the year 2019, the makers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) delivered in a way that they never had before. “Endgame” hit the theaters, promoted as the final Avengers film, and was promised to go out in a blaze of glory. Whether or not you can agree on the quality of the final film, its box-office success and overall popularity cannot be disputed.

As the reigning champs of blockbusters, Marvel fans expected nothing less.

The heroes of the MCU have given us plenty of good

years on the big screen, but with the beginning of Phase Five already in action as “AntMan and the Wasp: Quantumania” debuted last month, many Marvel fans, including me, find themselves in the thick of franchise fatigue.

Experiencing a genuine, well-done Marvel movie has become rarer and rarer as the overproduction of laughable CGI patchwork and the tying of loose threads seems to become the main purpose of the MCU.

As a loyal Marvel fan, the release of each new installment was once meant to be anticipated – a night out with your friends or family. But

as I sat in the theater back in May trying to get through

“Doctor Strange in the Multi-

verse of Madness,” I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I must not have done all my homework.”

While I understand not every film can exist as a standalone that requires little to no prior knowledge, I have never considered myself just a casual viewer of the MCU (as dorky as that is to admit).

I’ve seen enough subpar Disney+ spin-off series to know my fair share.

If you can’t enjoy a film without the gross overconsumption of its (what should be) loosely connected counterparts, there’s something wrong.

A supposed-to-be blockbuster should not rely on an obscure two seconds of dialogue in a TV series that only

the select few of Marvel fanatics can remember.

By the end of 2026, Marvel will have released a grand total of 40 films and 20 TV series, starting with actor Robert Downey Jr.’s “Iron Man” back in 2008.

For Disney, it seems as if they’re participating in a race that no one else wants to compete in. So much so that they are willing to drive away their loyal fans by shoving their careless flicks down their throats with their overproduction and poorly done CGI tricks. What makes a superhero film so popular is its digestibility. It can appeal to the masses while remaining familiar and lighthearted. A 30-something-year-old adult

can take their kid to the theater, and they can both enjoy the movie equally.

However, the very basis of its appeal is what keeps it from being anything more. Five or some years ago, we were given a healthy mix of what Marvel should be – “Spider-Man: Homecoming”: a classic Marvel staple revamped, “Thor: Ragnarok”: Waititi’s hilarious continuation of the Thor franchise and of course, the shining star of Phase Three: “Black Panther.”

With all the gunk that’s been put out recently, it’s safe to say that Marvel is going through quite the rut. And to get out of it, their best bet is to do what they do best – quality over quantity.

Tunes from the Tower Rise of Yves

Vince Clay

Staff Writer

‘The Last of Us’ leaves us wanting Showrunners manage quality despite progressive themes

Parker Miller

Contributing Writer

HBO Max’s “The Last of Us,” which is based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name, has finally wrapped up.

The show is not only a record-breaking hit in terms of popularity and viewership but also a surprisingly faithful adaptation of its source material…mostly.

The final two episodes are very well thought out, with episode eight being the second most-watched debuting episode for HBO in over a decade.

The dark subject matter is tastefully portrayed while maintaining the humanity of the characters. Every casting choice is superb, the set pieces are pulled right out of the level designs of the game and the score is subtle yet

still impactful.

However, some flaws are quite distracting. The third and seventh episodes can be almost entirely excluded from the viewing experience with virtually no effect on the plot whatsoever and both installments hurt the pacing of the show, especially for those who have never played the game.

The third episode was particularly distracting in the way that it gives Billy, an incredibly minor character from the original game, almost an entire episode to himself.

While the episode in isolation is well crafted and hits an impactful emotional beat, its sudden snap back to the main plot in the final scene makes it feel manipulative and contrived.

The seventh episode adapts a prequel story released as

John Mayer rocks the Iron City

Nick Grasso

Entertainment Editor

Beloved singer-songwriter

John Mayer delivered a masterful solo concert at PPG Paints Arena last Saturday making it one of the more memorable nights of my collegiate career.

The evening started off on a high note with opener and up-and-coming heartbreaker JP Saxe, who dazzled the half-attentive audience with impressive piano licks and several odes to lost love. The Canadian is known for his 2019 hit “If the World Was Ending,” on which he collaborated with his now exgirlfriend Julia Michaels.

It was with that song that Saxe concluded his brief opening set, prepping the audience for a tremendous musical spectacle.

Mayer’s silhouette could be seen approaching the stage about 15 minutes after Saxe left, and after a momentary struggle with a piece of equipment, he ripped into the acoustic intro to his 1999 pop hit “Neon.”

Immediately, it was clear that Mayer didn’t need a Stratocaster and a full band to command the room. He launched into a pair of deep

cuts with “The Age of Worry” and “War of My Life,” before noticing a fan’s sign that asked for “Heartbreak Warfare” to be played.

Mayer joked he’d “try it until he messed up” but proceeded to hit every note. He conversed with the crowd often, using jokes and accompanying short videos to fill the space where a band might have played.

After a bit of comical back and forth with fans, Mayer performed “Your Body is a Wonderland,” calling his own songwriting on that track “dopey.”

It’s true his later songs pack together maturity, emotional substance and a journeyman feel in a way that “Your Body…” doesn’t, but there was something special about hearing him play one of his biggest hits. He clearly still knows the value of his older material, even though he’s seemingly growing tired of it.

He eventually transitioned from his acoustic guitar to the ivory keys, where he serenaded the arena with a beautiful rendition of “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me,” before looping the piano with a few electric guitar licks.

From my seat in the nosebleeds, it appeared as if the

optional downloadable content for the original game and explores Ellie’s journey leading up to her introduction in the main story. While being well adapted and written, it feels out of place in the context of the whole story.

Both episodes are intrusive to the gradually developing story of Joel and Ellie in the rest of the show giving watchers the impression the creators did it intentionally. I believe they did.

Looking at the progression of the original games in the series (“The Last of Us” in 2013, “The Last of Us: Left Behind” in 2014 and “The Last of Us: Part II” in 2020), there is a deliberate attempt by the original writers to add increasingly progressive elements into the story.

In “The Last of Us,” it was subtly implied that Billy was homosexual, yet his central

romantic storyline in the third episode of the show’s adaptation was entirely original. Ellie was made lesbian in “Left Behind,” and the writers clearly wanted to make that known to the audience in the seventh episode, even though it was never again shown or implied in both the rest of the show and the original game.

The game’s writers, who are also the co-writers of the show’s adaptation, retroactively and deliberately forced these agenda-driven storylines into the middle of parts of the original story and damage its pacing.

Overall “The Last of Us” series is a touching and gruesome tale of humanity in its darkest times and a great video game adaptation; just cut out episodes three and seven entirely for the most accurate viewing experience.

Through all the bleakness in the world of indie rock, one name stands out as a beacon of light in an otherwise flailing genre: Yves Tumor. While Tumor quietly produces quality music, bedroom pop cosplayers like Greta Van Fleet and Harry Styles steal away headlines with catchy songs that lack substance.

In the deafening absence of indie rock staple Frank Ocean, Tumor is one of the few with the ability to save the genre. He’s been in the business since 2015, but his early work seems to pride itself on its exclusive sound.

Creating avant-garde collages, it seemed like Tumor would just pass by without notice. Yet with the release of his 2018 album “Safe in the Hands of Love,” something has begun to change. Between bursts of static, an exciting and brilliant rock star began to emerge – one who wielded the styles of David Bowie, Prince and The Cure with ease while pushing the genre into the future.

Now with his new album “Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume,” aka “Hot Between Worlds,” rock’s new torchbearer has fully arrived.

The music of his recent release is grandiose and glimmering, a landscape of towering glam-rock peaks and valleys of ethereal R&B. You can even hear the grunge of Deftones in “Meteora Blues” and Nine Inch Nails’ industrialism in “God is a Circle.” The standout track “Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood” is a rock opera to end all rock operas, playing as if every instrument was on fire.

musical musician was simultaneously fingerpicking his guitar while tapping the keys of the piano, but that must have been what I thought I saw through the thick layer of total awe.

Mayer gave the audience a treat in the form of several songs on a double-neck acoustic guitar. I closed my eyes for a minute during this portion of the show, and I swear I heard three other guitarists on stage, but when I opened them up, it was just John.

That’s what he referred to himself as throughout the show: just John. He didn’t need to be more than that for a crowd full of wide-eyed fans.

After slicing open the collective heart of the arena with “Dear Marie” and “Edge of Desire,” Mayer sang my personal favorite tune “Slow Dancing in a Burning

Room.” The acoustic rendition was pure and stunningly impressive. After watching him perform that very song on YouTube more times than I can count, witnessing it live produced a sort of euphoric feeling.

He talked and played a bit more before bidding the crowd goodbye, but we knew he was coming back out, and he did.

Mayer withheld his most well-known song for the entire concert, only gifting us with “Gravity” in the closing moments of the night. Mobile phone flashlights lit up an otherwise darkened arena while Mayer’s gravelly voice carried away any lingering thoughts of work or school.

He said one final goodbye before closing the curtains on what was my first concert in four years. What a way to get back into live music.

Lyrically, the album reads like a reassuring message to his younger self that he’s finally made it. “The boy you are today / Ain’t from a lack of pain,” he sings in “Fear Evil Like Fire.”

However, Tumor’s new status doesn’t come without its doubts. “A parody of a popstar / You behaved like a monster / Is this all just makeup?” These are the questions he asks himself on the introspective track “Parody.”If there is any up-and-coming artist worthy of new listeners, it is Yves Tumor. His message, his visual style, his wild antics and his music all pay the history of rock music the honor it deserves yet present a new and exciting future.

“I found my holy place,” he belts on the closing track “Ebony Eye,” while the world comes crashing down around him.

VARIETY WTAE

Softball downs Houghton in doubleheader

Landon Fairchild

Contributing Writer

After the first conference game scheduled for March 18 was canceled due to bad weather, Grove City softball is ready for the regular season games.

On Wednesday, March 22, the Grove City Wolverines faced the Houghton Highlanders in a non-conference game.

LAX takes two tough Ls

Rachel Ledford

Contributing Writer

On Wednesday night, Grove City turned its sights to Denison. Denison and Grove City have a history on the field.

Last year, Grove City edged out Denison 14-10 but narrowly lost 14-13 to Denison in the first round of the national tournament.

Unfortunately, this game was not as close as their previous matchups. Denison, currently ranked tenth nationally, came into this game after a narrow victory over the number two-ranked team, Gettysburg. Grove City fell short to match their previous year’s rival, losing by 23-9.

Graduate student midfielder Brett Gladstone led in goals and scored with a hat trick while freshman midfielder Luke Jayne and soph-

National Sports Column

omore attack Matt Blythe both scored twice. Freshman attack Kobi Bui and junior midfielder Griffen Agawa both scored to round out the goals by the Wolverines.

The first half of the men’s lacrosse game on March 18 was eventful, not just because of fierce play on the field but a fierce snowstorm surrounded the players. By the third quarter, the field was clear and the snow had melted.

Grove City men’s lacrosse faced Messiah at home last Saturday in a close game. Ultimately, the Wolverines lost the game 14-12 but not without a hard fight. They scored eight unanswered goals during the middle of the game and held Messiah off to keep them from scoring during the third quarter.

Leading scorers from Grove City included Jayne with four goals while Glad-

stone and Bui each contributed three goals.

Agawa and freshman attack Rigdon Greene rounded out Grove City’s goals for the game. Senior midfielder David Kraus led the team with four ground balls and tallied an assist for the game. Graduate student long stick midfielder Addison Bennett, senior goalie Jack Petit and Gladstone all picked up three ground balls as well.

With Grove City’s offense consistently scoring in the double digits or close to it, the hope remains that turnovers and other mistakes can be cleaned up and allow the Wolverines the offensive playing time and possessions to find the back of the net more than their opponents.

Grove City’s next game is tomorrow, March 25 at York College. The faceoff is at 1 p.m.

Head Coach Kristen Cramer ’08 said prior to the double-header, “I love to play Houghton because they are a Christian school. It is good to compete against schools that have a similar vibe. Houghton is very much a kindred spirit.”

Cramer said seniors have shown themselves to be confident leaders and the freshman athletes are highly motivated.

Wednesday’s game was a double header. In fact, all the games this year are double headers. This can make game days grueling events, lasting up to three and a half hours long. While the line ups and the pitchers are often changed from game to game, two games back-to-back can get pretty tiring.

On Wednesday night, Grove City won the first of the two games 13-5. Junior Kaitlyn Constantino pitched while sophomore Maci Linhart lead the team with three runs. The Wolverines pulled

out their second win of the night at 5-3 with senior and one of the team’s senior captains Janessa Dawson pitching. Linhart again lead the team with two runs.

Dawson said of the team’s performance, “I feel really good about the season. We had a productive time in Florida, and we are ready for games up here. I feel like the team would agree. We are going to need to improve in some ways, but we are definitely ready for the season.”

“One of my roles is being an encourager, pushing my teammates to be better as I push myself. Definitely one of my other roles is to produce runs and hits,” Dawson said.

The Grove City softball program has made huge improvements in recent years. Dawson attributed this success to the Christian focus the team has.

“Our Christian focus has allowed us to play harder and better because we are playing for Christ and not for ourselves or anyone else,” she said.

This Saturday at 1 p.m. will be the first conference game against Geneva College.

“We still care about our non-conference games, but our goal is to win the PAC. We are super pumped for the game Saturday,” Dawson said. “I would put the team up against anyone.”

NFL offseason sends quarterbacks packing

Emma Rossi Sports Editor

While you binge-watch hundreds of hours of college basketball and burn all 15 of your busted brackets, the NFL is experiencing its own kind of March madness. Free agency and the predraft scramble are upon us.

Two days after the Super Bowl, the Las Vegas Raiders released nine-year veteran QB Derek Carr. Pretty much everyone saw this coming, especially Carr.

His final months with the Raiders felt like a doomed middle-school love story. It started with an unfollow on Instagram and ended with a messy Valentine’s Day break-up.

Carr was signed by the New Orleans Saints a little under a month after his heartbreak. He’ll start over Jameis Winston for a team that desperately needs stability behind center.

In the spirit of dumping QBs, the Washington Commanders said goodbye to Carson Wentz. Wentz joined the Commanders in early 2022, but after missing half the season due to injury, he was clearly not worth the cap space.

Wentz hasn’t found any luck in free agency so far this offseason, and honestly, I’d be very surprised if he does.

Just a day after Wentz, the Atlanta Falcons released Marcus Mariota. Mariota threw for just a little over

2,200 yards this past season and his touchdown to interception ratio wasn’t stellar either. He finished with 15 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Feb. 28 release set off a chain reaction leading to a four-team QB swap-andsign over the span of the following month.

Two weeks after the Falcons let Mariota go, they signed former Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke. After Heinicke defeated the undefeated Eagles, I was sold. Apparently, the Commanders didn’t feel the same way about the free agent. Now he’s a Falcon.

The next day, the Indianapolis Colts released former Falcon Matt Ryan. Matty Ice has melted into irrelevancy faster than you can say “28-3.” Okay, cheap joke, but Ryan’s consistent underperformance left him benched behind Nick Foles and now floating in free agency.

At this point, what was going on with the Commanders? For two days, the QB depth chart was comprised of Sam Howell and Jake Fromm. The Commanders resolved this by signing Jacoby Brissett. Remember him?

Brissett isn’t as bad as Browns fans wish he was. He threw for 2,608 yards across his 11 starts for Cleveland. I was disappointed to see him benched in favor of Desean Watson for obvious, pervert-

related reasons, but also because out of the 34 QBs who have started for the Browns, he was far from the worst.

Speaking of former Browns QBs, on March 16, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Baker Mayfield. You either love him or hate him, but the Bucs need him. Mayfield has a lot to give, and Tampa could finally be the place where he fulfills his Heisman-winning potential.

Let’s go back to the Colts. On March 16, Indianapolis quietly signed former Eagles backup QB Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal. What’s with the Colts and former Eagles?

The Colts will most likely draft a QB this April, but

signing Minshew was a good move. Minshew is a smart and reliable second-string. Will he ever be signed by a team with the intention of starting? I hope so. For now, he’ll back-up Foles.

Seventeen days after Mariota’s release the first domino fell, and the Eagles picked him up to fill the empty slot on the depth chart left by Minshew. I’m a Marcus Mariota-sympathizer.

Remember when he threw a touchdown to himself? I do. Talk about offensively productive! Do you want this guy starting for you? Probably not. But on the bench… sure.

Most recently in this QB circus, the San Francisco

49ers rid themselves of Jimmy Garoppolo and sent him to Vegas, where the Raiders signed him to a three-year deal.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. At least, I wish it did. I’m not looking forward to watching the Raiders discover Garoppolo is overrated and injury prone.

Now that I’ve written this, maybe he’ll end up surprising me, but I doubt it.

As of publishing, Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t signed with the Jets and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are still creating the most anxiety-inducing free agency in recent memory. It’s only March.

GRACE DAVID

Graduate student long stick midfielder Addison Bennett takes the ball up the field.

Men and women’s golf up to par

Joel Sledd Staff Writer

Although the weather may not show it, golf season is coming soon to Grove City. The men and women will start in late March after a long winter hiatus.

Before winter moved in last year, the men and women competed in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Fall Championships on Oct. 12 and 13.

The women placed sixth out of eight teams with a final score of 841. They fell just slightly short of achieving fifth place, which was taken by Geneva College. Grove City’s lead scorer for the women’s championship was freshman Julianna Jacobs shooting a 193 and ranking 19th for individual performances.

Baseball team dominates with dozen wins

Joel Sledd Staff Writer

Baseball season is off to a great start this year, with the Wolverines sitting at 124. After a two-game series against La Roche College, the team improved to a .750-win percentage and now ranks second in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC).

On March 20, Grove City faced La Roche in a doubleheader on the road. In their first match, the Wolverines won 7-4 after five different players scored one run each and sophomore infielder Josh Minnich scored two runs.

In the second match, the Wolverines took complete control of the game and delivered one of the largest wins for Grove City baseball in the past decade. With a final score of 16-2, this match is the highest margin of victory so far this season.

Seven players contributed to the game’s score. Sophomore second baseman Luke Vittone notched four runs, and freshman outfielder Nick Sampson and junior shortstop Lucca Baccari each scored three runs.

Although the Wolverines lead the PAC in wins, they have yet to play another PAC team. Because of this, they remain second behind Washington & Jefferson College, who have two conference wins.

The win streak was broken when the Wolverines lost to Hiram College with a final score of 15-11. The score was 9-8 with Hiram in the lead at the end of the seventh inning, but a high-scoring eighth inning extended Hiram’s lead to a score of 14-11. Hiram scored on one more run in the ninth which sealed Grove City’s defeat. Eight players scored on at least one hit, but every starting player got at least one hit at bat.

The Wolverines traveled to Florida to participate in the RussMatt Invitational, where they swept their opponents and won all eight games. This historic performance by the baseball team included multiple shutouts and several major victories.

They ended their trip with a 7-3 victory over St. Joseph’s college. The score was tied 3-3 at the beginning of the ninth inning, but hits from four different athletes toward the end of the ninth inning shot the Wolverines ahead to win by four scores.

One of the most impressive feats achieved by the Wolverines was the perfect game pitched by junior Nick Guidas. In what can be considered the most dominant win of the season so far, Grove City beat Illinois College with a final score of 6-0.

Guidas threw 76 strikes and 29 balls. Only two hits

against Guidas’ pitches left the infield, but they were in

tercepted by Sampson.

Grove City’s second largest win of the season so far was their fourth game of the Florida invitational against Trine University. The men started trailing at the end of the second inning with Trine leading 4-1, but Grove City prevented Trine from scoring any more runs for the rest of the game.

The Wolverines scored three runs in the seventh inning and four runs in the ninth inning to catapult the men into the largest victory of the season so far.

Grove City will play at their first PAC opponent Westminster College tomorrow at 1 p.m. The college’s first home game is set to take place on Tuesday, March 28 at 3 p.m. against Baldwin Wallace College.

The men achieved a team score of 664 which earned them fourth place out of eight teams. Sophomore Adam Steinmetz helped Grove City by shooting 76 on day one and 77 on day two, placing him fifth overall.

Although Head Coach Brad Isles was prohibited from holding a lot of offseason practices, he worked with the athletes as much as he could to prepare them for the spring season.

“I’m very excited about the spring, and I know the players are as well. We’re pretty comfortable in where we are right now,” Isles said.

The men have three new freshmen this season while holding five senior athletes. Because there are more upperclassmen on the men’s roster, a lot of freshmen were not able to participate as often.

“We’re pretty seniorheavy, so our freshmen didn’t see a lot of action in the top five, but they did play some events. I’m very happy with how they progressed throughout the fall,” Isles said.

A total of 16 athletes are currently on the men’s roster with nine upperclassmen.

The women’s roster is much smaller and younger, but Isles treats this as an opportunity.

“I’m very excited. We have three freshmen and were looking to build a bit of a foundation in the program with them. For the spring, it’s just building upon what we are able to accomplish and hopefully being able to improve,” Isles said.

With half of the women on the roster being freshmen, the fall season was a chance for the athletes to earn some experience before the official season begins.

“We’re pretty young overall. For us in the fall, it was getting experience and getting that tournament play under our belts to get more comfortable with major events,” Isles said.

“It’s going to be how fast we get into tournament shape,” Isles said. “We’re really looking to build upon last year and, weather permitting, we’ll get out to the

course to get ready for our home invite.”

The men will play five invitational matches before the PAC championship which starts April 21 and runs through April 23. The men’s first match of the spring is the McBride-Behringer-Allen Invitational which will be played at home.

The match will take place at the Grove City Country Club on March 30 at 1:00 p.m.

The women have four invitationals scheduled before their PAC championship on April 21 and April 22. The women’s first match will be at Franciscan University of Steubenville on March 25 at 1:30 p.m.

Men’s Golf Schedule

April 1 @ 1 p.m. at Thiel

April 10 @ 12 p.m. at Westminster

April 16 @ TBA at Gannon

April 17 @ 11 a.m. @ Washington & Jefferson

April 21-23 at PAC Championships

Women’s Golf Schedule

March 25 @ 1:30 p.m. at Franciscan

April 1 @ 1 p.m. at Grove City Invitational

April 15 @ 12:30 p.m. at Westminster

April 17 @ 11 a.m. at Washington & Jefferson

April 21-22 at PAC Championships

MAGGIE WILLIAMS

Sophomore first baseman Mally Kilbane and junior shortstop Lucca Baccari work the infield during the team’s 8-0 spring break trip.

MAGGIE WILLIAMS

Sophomore left fielder Nico Rodriguez squares up at bat.