Month: February 2024

Project Ballet Students Showcase Dazzling Talent

Project Ballet welcomed families and friends to their annual Student Choreography Showcase earlier this month.

The local studio is a space where those ages 3-18 go to learn the many variations of the artistic dance genre, and it also doubles as a performing arts middle and high school that provides ballet training for the region’s youth.

Within their many performances throughout the year, including the Nutcracker last winter and their upcoming spring rendition of Snow White, the students worked hard to put on a showcase that displayed the unique talent that each student possesses, whether it be ballet or another genre of dance.

Pictured is the cast and crew of this year’s Student Choreography Showcase (credit: @project.ballet)

“It was a lot of hard work put in behind the scenes of the show,” said Violet Hahn, student director and choreographer of this year’s showcase. “I had to test out different lighting and modify it to meet all the choreographers’ visions.”

Hahn also discussed coordinating costumes for each of the pieces, making sure transitions ran smoothly, and transforming one of the studio rooms into both a stage and a seated area for audience members to come and watch their loved ones perform.

“It was entirely a student-ran production,” said Beth McLeish, CEO and artistic director at Project Ballet. “We do this every year to ensure our students get the experience of directing a show and to stress that behind-the-scenes work is just as important as the performance itself.”

Molly Hahn, the mother of the student director of this year’s show, had only compliments to the group.

“The culture of support and encouragement that the students and staff have created is fantastic,” Molly said. “The students thrive in this tight-knit environment.”

Project Ballet offers many different accommodations for their students to ensure that they not only get exceptional ballet training, but also obtain a good-standing education to bring with them into the next step of their lives.

Meanwhile, their supporters get to enjoy a series of captivating performances that showcase their dazzling talents as overall dancers.

If you missed the showcase, you can still catch it here:

If you or someone you know is interested in the artistic ways of Project Ballet, you can visit them at projectballet.org or visit their Instagram @project.ballet for more information.

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Newest Member Amesbury, Komets Come up Short at Home

Lindsay Burke |  February 4, 2024 

There was much excitement surrounding the Fort Wayne Komets this weekend as fans anticipated the debut of Daniel Amesbury as they hosted longtime division rival Kalamazoo Wings Sunday. 

Co-host of the Talkin Trash podcast, and formerly of the controversial Danbury Trashers, Amesbury puts the toughness on the ice whenever he suits up. 

Less than five minutes into the first period, he was in his first ECHL fight. 

Just before the intermission, Amesbury gave the crowd an enthusiastic “nobody is messin with Komets” to get his teammates fired up. This certainly kept the energy and anticipation building in the Coliseum. 

“That’s my kind of game. That’s the kind of hockey I bring, the energy I bring,” Amesbury said following the game. 

The Komets trailed the K-Wings early after a scoreless first period.

Jack Dugan tied it up early in the second period and Jake Chiasson tied it late after the Komets were trailing 2-1.

But the excitement decimated as the game went along and the Komets found themselves in a 4-2 hole into the third period. 

Kalamazoo capitalized late on a power play shortly after. The scoring certainly took place during the second period of this matchup. 

The K-Wings ended up holding on to the lead and defeated the Komets 4-2. This is the first time they have defeated them this season in five head to head matchups. 

It was clear that head coach Jesse Kallechy was thrilled with Amesbury’s arrival. “He came in and did his job,” he said. 

Despite the loss, the Komets have a lot of momentum and talent to build on. 

The season is halfway over and the push to the postseason is in full swing. The team is certainly in an ‘all hands on deck’ mode. Bringing in Amesbury proves that. 

The Komets return to action Wednesday as they head back on the road for a few games. 

For information on upcoming games and events, visit komets.com

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PFW Men’s Basketball Fall Against Milwaukee 

The Mastodons lose a close game against the Milwaukee Panthers Sunday Feb. 25. The final score was 96-88. The game consisted of 10 ties and 14 lead changes.  

The first half of the game was very back and forth, and the score after 20 minutes was 40-39 the Panthers leading by one point.  

The Mastodons started the second half with an 8-0 run, and they gained a 10-point lead with 15:38 left in the game.  

The Panthers went on their own run and tied the game up 74-74 with 8:22 left in the game. Milwaukee held the lead for the remaining seven minutes after their guard Dominic Ham hit a three-pointer.  

The Mastodons leading scorer was Rasheed Bello who finished with 21 points shooting seven for 13 from the field. Quinton Morton-Robertson finished with 18 points and Jalen Jackson 16 points.  

PFW falls to 18-11 and Milwaukee improves to 15-14. The Mastodons next game is Wednesday Feb. 28 at seven p.m. against Wright State. The game can be watched at Nutter Center and on ESPN+.  

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PFW Men’s Basketball Team Wins Against the Green Bay Phoenix

On Friday, Feb. 23, the Mastodons beat the Green Bay Phoenix. The final score was 85-59.  

They were led by guard Anthony Roberts who finished with 31 points, his highest as a Mastodon. He shot 11-17 five of those being three-pointers.  

The Mastodons started off hot, leading by 10 points with just five minutes of play. They held Green Bay to just 23 points at the half after one of their baskets was reviewed and overturned during half-time.

PFW shot 50.8% from the field and held Green Bay to 35% from the field. They also had the Mastodons score 10+ points including guard Jalen Jackson who finished with 17 points with eight for 15 from the field and guard Rasheed Bello with 16 points shooting six for nine from the field.  

The Mastodons improve to 18-10 and the Phoenix fall to 17-11. PFW resume play on Sunday, Feb. 25, with a rematch against the Milwaukee Panthers at three p.m. at UWM Panther Arena. The game is also available to watch on ESPN+.  

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PFW Men’s Basketball Team Win Against Detroit Mercy

By Janiah Moore

PFW basketball team beat Detroit Mercy on Saturday Feb. 17. The final score was 83-69.

The Mastodons were led by guard Quinton Morton-Robertson with 24 points. He shot eight for 11 from the field, making five three-pointers. For the year, Morton-Robertson has made 80 three-pointers, making him number seven in program history.

The Mastodons held the lead for the entire first half, by 10 points after 20 minutes of play.

With 10:36 left in the game, the Detroit Mercy cut the lead to four points, but the Mastodons went on a 7-0 run only allowing Detroit to be within nine points for the remainder of the game.  

Four Mastodons scored double digits, including Jalen Jackson with 18 points and six assists, Rasheed Bello with 15 points and six rebounds, and Anthony Roberts with 13 points and six rebounds.  

The Mastodons improve to 17-10 and Detroit Mercy falls to 1-27. PFW face Green Bay Phoenix on Friday Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at Kress Events Center. The game is also available to watch on ESPN+. 

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SAB Kicks Off Homecoming With Crafting For A Cause

To kick off homecoming, PFW’s Student Activities Board held an event to warm hearts and bodies: Blankets and Bracelets.

The event was held on Feb. 6 and students gathered to tie blankets for charity and make friendship bracelets for themselves. A variety of snacks were offered and a mix of background music and movies kept energies up.

“We just wanted something kind of cozy and fun for homecoming week,” said Elizabeth Lassiter, SAB Chair. “You know, everyone’s starting to come back from break so we wanted to do a kind of event where people could kind of destress and do something for a good cause.”

That cause is the Rescue Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to “provid[ing]…a home for the homeless, food for the hungry and hope for their future,” according to their mission statement.

“Especially with it being really really cold… we want to make sure we take care of our Fort Wayne community and try to lend a helping hand,” said Sydney Coyne, fellow SAB Chair.

There was a mild sense of surprise among the attendees that they were donating blankets made rather than the students keeping them, but students were given a PFW branded blanket to take home in exchange.

“I did not [know the blankets would be donated] but I’m not upset,” said PFW transfer student Kailani Johnson. “I love giving back to the community, especially because it was at no cost of my own except time.”

Kailani Johnson (Left) and friend Lilly Buchanan (Right) show off their finished blanket

That seemed to be the general opinion among the students. The line to enter wrapped around the corner before the event officially began and students continued to filter in throughout the night. The SAB hosts were pleased with the turnout, especially considering PFW’s large commuter population.

“To see so many students come out for an event after 5 p.m. is really really nice,” Lassiter said.

Lassiter has had her college experience improved by campus events and joined the SAB to spread the positive impact. 

“To be able to be one of the people that helps people get out of their dorm, get out of their house and do something fun, it’s actually really fulfilling.” 

And for Johnson, it was her first time attending a PFW event and it left a good impression.

“The vibes are good, it’s been a good time.”

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PFW Men’s Basketball Loses Against Oakland University

The Mastodons lost a close battle against the Golden Grizzlies last night. The final score was 71-63.  

The Mastodons were led by guard Rasheed Bello, who ended the night with 15 points shooting 7-10 from the field.  

PFW was down 10 points at half-time, and guard Anthony Roberts closed the half with a three-point buzzer beater. He finished with seven points and five rebounds.

In the second half, the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead to 13 points. The Mastodons then went on a 21-2 over seven minutes, allowing the Golden Grizzlies only four shot attempts.  

After the run, the Mastodons were up by four, but Oakland gained the lead back 62-60 with a minute left in the game. Their guard Jack Gohlke hit a 3-point dagger with 38 seconds left, making the score 65-60.  

PFW falls to 16-10 and Oakland University improves to 17-10. The Mastodons are back in action Saturday Feb. 17 against the Detroit Mercy at 1 p.m. The game can be watched at Calihan Hall in Detroit, Michigan, or on ESPN+.

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Men’s Basketball Team Beats IUPUI

By Janiah Moore

Purdue Fort Wayne’s basketball team won Saturday, Feb. 10. The final score was 92-65.

The Mastodons were led by Jalen Jackson, who ended the night with a career-high 24 points, shooting 10-14 from the field and four rebounds.

The game started off close until the Mastodons ended the half on a 25-8 run. Quinton Morris-Robertson hit a three-pointer to end the half. He finished with 14 points, 12 of which came from three-pointers and eight assists.

Anthony Roberts contributed to this run with six points, ending with 13 points. The Mastodons led by 20 points at the half.

The Mastodons led for the remainder of the game. They finished shooting 60.3% and limited the Jaguars to 45.3%. PFW had four players who scored double digits, including Eric Mulder, who shot a perfect 7-7 from the field giving him 15 points.

The Mastodons improve to 16-9 and the Jaguars drop to 6-20. PFW hosts Oakland University at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum tomorrow, Feb. 14.

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Men’s Basketball Team Falls Short Against Cleveland State Viking

By Janiah Moore

Purdue Fort Wayne lost a tough battle against Cleveland State on Wednesday Feb. 7. The final score was 75-72.

Guard Rasheed Bello lead the Mastodons in scoring with 22 points, with 8-14 shooting from the field, and Jalen Jackson scored 21 points, with 8-12 shooting from the field and 7 rebounds. Quinton Morton-Robertson shot 3-5 from three, ending the night with nine points.

The Mastodons led most of the first half of the game and led by seven points at halftime.

With 10:52 left in the game, the Mastodons gained a nine-point lead matching their largest of the night.

After a timeout, the Vikings got back into the game trading the lead with PFW. With 4:17 left, the game was tied 66-66.

After the Vikings Drew Lowder’s free throws, Cleveland State led by four points, but it was cut to one after Morton-Robertson’s made three-pointer with five seconds left in the game.

Cleveland State made another pair of free throws, making the lead three points over the Mastodons.

Bello attempted to tie the game with a three-pointer, but was off denying overtime.

PFW falls to 15-7 and Cleveland State improves to 15-10. The Mastodons take on IUPUI (6-19) this Saturday Feb. 10 at noon at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The game can also be watched on ESPN+.

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Purdue Fort Wayne Men’s Basketball Team Loses Against Milwaukee

By Janiah Moore

Purdue Fort Wayne’s men’s basketball team falls short to Milwaukee Thursday night Feb. 1. The final score was Mastodon’s 65 to the Panthers 68.

Mastodon’s guard Jalen Jackson lead scoring with 17 points shooting 6-16 from the field. Rasheed Bello had 13 points and 6 assists. Quinton Morton-Robertson hit three 3 pointers, giving him 12 points for the night.

After trailing by 11, the Mastodon’s cut the score to 38-32 at the half.

With a tip-in from Johnathan DeJurnett, the Mastodon’s took the lead back 55-54 with 9:11 left in the game. Jackson scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half.

The game went down to the wire with the Mastodon’s up by one with 1:08 left, but the Panthers Faizon Fields hit two free throws to give them the lead with 1.3 seconds left.

PFW falls to 14-8 and Milwaukee improves to 11-11. The Mastodon’s host Youngstown State Penguins on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. ET at the Gates Sports Center.

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