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Time to Get Outside: Spring Activities Near Oberlin Matt Rudella It’s finally that time of year. The sun is out longer, the weather’s warming up (along with the climate) and people can once again be found throwing a frisbee in North Quad or just lounging in Wilder Bowl. Although it’s Ohio, where it will be 65 degrees one day and snowing the next, it’s still a good idea to start making plans for when the weather is consistently warm, whenever that may be. Here is a list of local attractions you should check out when the time’s right. Oberlin Arboretum If you’re looking for an easy walk or hike in the area, the Arb is the place to go. Although it’s currently under construction, it may reopen this season. On the south end of campus, past Johnson House, the Arb has lots of trails and creeks with a reservoir split into two ponds — and you just can’t beat the fact that it’s free! I haven’t spent much time there, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from the people who walk around there, and I will definitely check it
out when the trees start to bud. Cuyahoga Valley National Park If you’re looking for a more serious hike, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is your best bet. You’ll have plenty of trails to try, as the park spans over 32,000 acres of land and has over 125 miles of trails with varying difficulties. The National Park Service recommends the Ledges Trail, which “circles a plateau of striking rock formations and provides stunning views along the way.” There are also over 100 waterfalls to check out while you hike. It’s about a 45-minute drive away, but it’s worth it — it’s the only national park in Ohio, after all. Progressive Field If you’re into professional sports, Cleveland Guardian games are always a fun time to share with friends. Progressive Field is a gem in downtown Cleveland, and it’s the perfect place to sit back and watch baseball on a Sunday afternoon. I really enjoyed the two games I went to last year, and I think the stadium’s a must-see for
any sports fan. Even for non-baseball fans, it’s a great opportunity to relax under the sun and watch some of the best athletes in the sport compete. The night games at the beginning of the year are also a phenomenal atmosphere and usually draw big turnouts if you don’t have free time in the afternoon. It’s only 40 minutes away and you can usually get tickets for cheap too. The home opener is April 15; after that, there are home games consistently for the next six months. Cedar Point The Sunday Funday committee, a group of Oberlin men’s lacrosse players that plans fun Sunday activities for the team (myself included), would highly recommend Cedar Point, an amusement park in Sandusky, OH. It’s about a 45-minute drive away and tickets typically cost between $50–60. If you have the time, I suggest paying a visit. Cedar Point is widely considered to be one of the best amusement parks in the country; people from all over come to Ohio just to visit. I have never feared for
my life more than when I heard the slow clicking noise of the tracks on the way up the Millennium Force roller coaster, awaiting a 310-foot drop. The park has 17 total roller coasters, but my personal favorites are the GateKeeper, Millennium Force, and Steel Vengeance. The park opens May 7, and I would suggest planning to go on an off-day, since the park will be very busy for the first month or so after it opens. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo The Cleveland Zoo is a great place to go with friends on a nice afternoon. In 2019, USA Today ranked it as one of the best zoos in the country: “Known for one of the largest collections of primates in the United States, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is part of 23,000 acres of parkland that also has 300 miles of trails, eight golf courses, and eight lakefront parks.” It also has a vast rainforest exhibit and over 600 species from across the globe to observe. The Sunday Funday committee will definitely have this on our radar in the coming weeks.
Men’s Lacrosse Continues Season Success Zoë Martin del Campo Contributing Sports Editor Zoe Kuzbari Sports Editor With six games under its belt, the Oberlin men’s lacrosse team has hit the ground running with a 5–1 record. In its most recent game against the University of Mount Union Raiders, the squad’s strong defensive presence forced 23 turnovers and only allowed seven total shots preventing the Raiders from hitting the goal. This week, fourth-year attacker and midfielder Michael Muldoon was named North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week for scoring nine points in two games. Emerging from the COVID-19 hiatus, Muldoon is optimistic about the team’s performance, although he believes there are some things the team can work on going into this weekend’s game against Wittenberg University. “I think the game this past weekend was really good,” Muldoon wrote in an email to the Review. “The defense was holding it down, and the offense generated a ton of shots. In the future, I think we just have to work on shot placement to improve our efficiency. Our team generally starts to click in the fourth quarter so it would be nice to have that throughout the whole game rather than toward the end.” Muldoon leads the team and ranks third in the NCAC with 22 points. His 14 goals are fourth best in the league, while his eight assists rank him fifth in the conference. The team’s success this season can be attributed in part to the strong defensive presence on the field and the mix of veteran leadership and talented third-year players. Fourth-year defensive player Kiernan Stone also believes that Assistant Men’s Lacrosse Coach Jackson Mumford has been integral to the team’s success. “On the defensive side, I think Coach Mumford’s schemes have really helped us shut offenses down, as well as the cohesiveness of our group,” Stone wrote to the Review. “[Third-year] Eugene [Kang] in goal has also been a huge help for us.” The team’s next home game is this Saturday at 4 p.m. against Wittenberg, during which the Yeomen will hopefully continue to dominate the field. Top Right: The Oberlin Men’s Lacrosse Team Competes Against Capital University. Bottom Right: Oberlin Men’s Lacrosse Squad gathers its gear after a successful game. Below: Fourth-year Kiernan Stone checks a Capital lacrosse player to the ground.
Courtesy of Carrie Loh
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