La Salle Women’s Soccer began their second week of A-10 competition by defeating the Richmond Spiders 3-0 at McCarthy Stadium on ESPN Plus. The Explorers were able to overcome the disadvantages of playing on a wet pitch and endured heavy rain by scoring both in-play and from a set piece. Forwards Sunni DiElmo, Courtney Butlion and Justyce Hollenbach added to their scoring tallies for the season. Both teams were aggressive from the kickoff. Head Coach Paul Royal had the Explorers line-up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation which sporadically changed as the match progressed. The Explorers gave chase to Richmond’s backline early on, as the Spiders maintained most of possession for the first five minutes. The Explorers would soon become more dominant in possession near the 6th minute but only for split seconds. Much of the first 25 minutes was a tug-of-war for possession. Both teams struggled to create chances up until this point, but each side became more creative as the game approached the 30th minute. Through balls played by each side’s back four and midfielders were futile due to the ball skidding from the rain; until Junior DiElmo fired a left-footed shot into the right side from the left flank after receiving a well-guided pass by Junior Forward Courtney Butlion in the 39th minute. DiElmo’s goal would not just open the scoring but ignite a strong end to the first half for the Explorers as La Salle began to assert themselves more in midfield and find their forwards more in the final third. Royal would substitute Hollenbach and Butlion for rest to commence the second half where the battle for midfield would regress to a tug-of-war between the two sides up until Hollenbach would return in the 55th minute. Progressing from here, the Explorers would quickly find their rhythm and begin consistently beating the Spiders to 50-50 balls and recording more shots on goal. Riding on this momentum, Hollenbach would later dribble horizontally to beat three defenders in spectacular fashion and score her third goal of the season in the 67th minute. Hollenbach scored on a low right-footed shot just inside the 18-yard box that ended up strolling into the far post after deflecting off of a Richmond defender. DiEmelo assisted Hollenbach with a short pass played across the inside of the key. The Explorers would lead Richmond 2-0 at this point. Butlion would return as a substitute in the 70th minute, and almost immediately collected a yellow card for a rash tackle in the 72nd minute. Butlion earned the Explorers their sixth foul of the match and second yellow card as well. However, just four minutes later, the lone striker would courageously step up to take a penalty awarded to the Explorers after the main official credited Richmond Defender Gwen Howell for a foul committed in a crowded 18-yard box. Butlion confidently finished the ball in the roof of the right side of the net to tally her second goal of the season and help the Explorers secure a 3-0 victory. For the remaining minutes, Richmond gambled by attacking high but to no avail. The Spiders also earned some late set pieces in corner kicks and free kicks in the last 10 minutes but could not convert them into meaningful chances. This win marked back-to-back conference wins for the Explorers and what the team hopes to be a part of a three-game win streak; as they face the VCU Rams on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. on ESPN Plus.
After a decade-long absence, the Phillies are back in the playoffs for the second straight year! The first playoff game will be on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. The opponent and time of the game are not yet known.
Here is a quick rundown in case you need a refresher on how the playoffs work. The six best American League teams and six best National League teams qualify for the playoffs, with the two best teams in each league receiving a bye until the second round of the playoffs. The Phillies unfortunately do not have a bye this year, so they will have to play in the first round, which is known as the wild card round. As mentioned, the wild card round will take place next Tuesday through Thursday (October 3-5) at Citizens Bank Park. The wild card round is a best of three series, so the first team to win two games, advances, and the losing team goes home. If the Phillies are lucky enough to pass the wild card round, then they would play in the best of five National League Division Series (NLDS) against either the LA Dodgers or Atlanta Braves. If they win that then they go to the best of seven National League Championship Series (NLCS), and finally, if they win that, they earn the right to represent the National League in the best of seven World Series, which will determine this year’s MLB Champion!
It is safe to say that both the city and University are very excited for this addition of red October. “I am so excited,” said sophomore Maya Martin. “Last year,” she continued, “It was really fun being able to watch the games with my friends. Especially with the Eagles doing so well at the time, that was a great time for Philadelphia sports. I can’t wait to do it all again.”
Everyone has their favorite moments from last year’s remarkable run to the World Series, whether it be Rhys Hoskins’ bat spike vs the Braves, or Bryce Harper’s home run vs the Padres, the city will be hoping to make more memories with their favorite team again this October.
Citizens Bank Park packed for a night of September Baseball, via Maya Martin
Some La Salle students are liking the Phillies chances for another World Series appearance. “I like our chances,”said junior Anthony Vogel. “We have one of the best offenses in baseball, and as long as the pitching can do its part, then I have no doubt that we will be in for another memorable October run”
No matter if you are a die hard Phillies fan, or just beginning to learn the sport, there is no doubt that what is coming next week will be a great occasion for Philadelphia, and, win or lose, it will be another occasion that lives long in the minds of Phillies fans across the globe.
The Women’s Soccer Team tied Temple 2-2 in their match against The Owls. Forward Justyce Hollenback netted two goals for the Explorers in the second half of play to initiate her scoring tally for the season and record her first brace as an Explorer. The Explorers trailed Temple by a goal shortly after the second half commenced after Temple forward Sumaya Togba scored a curving shot to the far post in a crowded 18-yard box. Shortly after, Hollenback opened the scoring for La Salle with a low shot to the left side of the far post in the 18-yard box after being assisted by midfielder Giovanna Castorina with a low cross from the right wing.
Temple took the lead late in the game after midfielder Beky Myers scored with a clinical left-footed shot from just outside the 18-yard box. Hollenback would score the equalizer nine minutes later on a second-chance shot from eight yards out. The Explorers maintained possession and found a rhythm with short passes throughout the game. Each team recorded the same number of goals (2) and assists (1) and were comparable with their shots on goal as La Salle created seven chances and Temple created eight. This squad has been creative in the final third this year—creating 40 shots on goal in just eight games and scoring 10 of them. The theme for success for this year’s squad seems to be threefold: maintain possession, attack in numbers when possible, and create chances with shots from 25 yards or closer. These tactics have helped the squad score most of their goals this season and will likely continue throughout the rest of the fall. However, the Explorers must maintain defensive positioning and anticipate second-chance shots from their opponents in order to win games.
The squad’s record to date is (2-4-2), consisting of losses to Townson, Delaware, and Bucknell at home, and Princeton away. Most of the losses were tightly-contested matches where the Explorers played well throughout the match but exhibited lapses defensively. In addition to tying at Temple, the squad tied NJIT 1-1 at Lubetkin Field, where attacker Madison McCready assisted fellow attacker Emily Banashefski in scoring her first goal of the season. In the squad’s two wins against Albany and Seton Hall, Head Coach Paul Royal had the Explorers line-up in a familiar formation with four defenders in these wins. Paul Royal entered his 21st season as head coach of the Explorers this fall, and secured his 200th win as coach in the squad’s win against Albany. This year’s squad possesses viable experience with 16 upperclassmen—who will likely serve as the backbone for the Explorers. The Explorer’s were ranked 8th in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, and are currently 9th overall in the conference standings. Royal is supported by assistant coaches Courtney Tole and Matt Brooks this season as well. The Explorers will play their next game against The Saint Louis Billikens at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on Sept. 17 at 2 p.m.
La Salle’s Men’s Soccer team opened their season with an away game against Stonehill University on Aug. 24. The Explorers tied in the tightly-contested match where some familiar names initiated scoring for the 2023 season. Defender Americo Pereira scored the first brace of his collegiate career and forward Giammarco Rodio scored a penalty. The Explorers fought back from the 2-1 deficit that they faced early in the second half of play. Following their opener, the Explorers would embark on a three-game win streak—defeating both Army and Lehigh University at home on ESPN Plus, as well as Manhattan College on an away trip. The theme for the Explorers this year seems to be to attack early and often. While the team struggled to create chances against Lehigh, the Explorers have earned shots on goal in the first 25 minutes of four of their last five matches, excluding their recent loss against NJIT on Sept. 12.
More shots on goal for the Explorers will likely lead to more shots finding the back of the net and more opportunities from set pieces. Until their recent loss at NJIT in Newark, the Explorers were (3-1-1), with a .700 winning percentage according to the team’s homepage. The Explorers conceded three goals in a loss to Quinnaipiac at home which decreased their winning percentage to .583 and updated their season record to (3-2-1). Despite their recent losses, the Explorers have been able to capitalize on chances from five of the six matches they have played—as the team only went scoreless in their loss against Quinnipiac on Sept. 9. The team has also found chemistry with six of their goals being generated by assists. Defensive stability is an area the Explorers must improve in to keep their winning percentage above .500 and to make the Atlantic 10 playoff tournament. The team has conceded more than one goal in every match they have lost and conceded as many goals as they have scored so far.
Keeping clean sheets and maximizing opportunities from set pieces seems to equate to the team’s most successful matches and is likely to be on their agenda for the rest of the season. Taylor Thames entered his third season as head coach at the commencement of this season and will be supported by assistant coaches Ahmed Elgayar and Rich Kessler. The Explorers were ranked 12th in the Atlantic 10 preseason rankings after finishing (5-9-4) last season. This year’s squad has a healthy mix of Freshman (10), Sophomores (11), Juniors (3) and Seniors (6), with the underclassmen outnumbering the Juniors and Seniors. The Explorers will play conference rival Saint Joseph’s on Sept. 16 at McCarthy stadium on ESPN Plus for their next match. Kickoff time is 7 p.m.
In 2022, Nike shocked the world by taking over Majestic as the sole distributor of Major League Baseball jerseys. A year later, they introduced a new and creative concept that has driven a rift between baseball purists and new fans: The City Connect Series. Each year, a few MLB teams slowly roll out a new uniform set that has to do with the team’s city history. Many of these designs are bold and quirky, angering the old fans, but exciting the young ones. Below I have ranked each uniform, from worst to best and have given reasons why.
16. The San Francisco Giants
Courtesy of alamy
Starting in dead last are these hideous uniforms. The Giants design team has committed the cardinal sin of sports uniform design: They used a gradient. In addition to adding a cheap looking gradient to their main logo, which makes it hard to read, they also decided to brighten up the orange color in the jersey, resembling that of a highlighter. While I do like the Golden Gate Bridge on the sleeves, it can never take mind off the horrific gradient. The Giants missed the mark on this one.
Ranking: 3.5/10
15. The San Diego Padres
Courtesy of alamy
ESPN has this jersey ranked in their top five, probably because the Padres design team had the absolute correct idea behind a story for these. They wanted to tap into the Latin culture of San Diego by providing a jersey with pops of bright color everywhere. But that is also the reason for this being ranked last. I think they missed the mark with the way the jersey is presented though. The font is great, but having a mint and pink split color scheme across the word mark makes it hard to read and reminds me of children’s cereal that has mint and berry in it.
Ranking: 4.5/10
14. The Los Angeles Dodgers
Courtesy of Gettyimages
Yet another California team resides at the bottom of the rankings with these City Connect designs. While I once again enjoy the story behind these jerseys, it’s as if no effort was made with these at all. These uniforms are quite literally their normal jerseys with “Los” slapped in front of Dodgers with the colors swapped. At least the Padres took a bit of risk. However, these aren’t hideous looking.
Ranking: 4.8/10
13. The Boston Red Sox
Courtesy of Gettyimages
Sporting News and I agree wholeheartedly on this ranking. A design revolving around the Boston Marathon is an incredibly cool idea, however, I think these fall short as a Red Sox jersey. While they have a sweet replication of the marathon’s finish line, there is no red to be found anywhere on this jersey. This has a great design, but a Red Sox jersey with no red simply cannot be a Red Sox jersey.
Ranking: 5/10
12. The Houston Astros
While I love a good cohesive jersey where the top and bottom are the same color, the Astros did not execute it well at all with navy. These jerseys remind me of my high school softball team’s jerseys and not “two-time” MLB champion jerseys. The numbers on the pants are a bad look, but I love the NASA font and “Space City” is a cool and mysterious name. Perhaps if they wore white pants with these, I’d like them a lot more.
Ranking: 5.2/10
11. The Chicago Cubs
Courtesy of the MLB
Once again, the full navy uniform is an odd look. However, they stuck with their typical branding and didn’t take a whole lot of risks. I’m always a sucker for a powder blue and navy combo, though. Solid jersey, just a bit boring.
Ranking: 5.5/10
10. The Atlanta Braves
Courtesy of Gettyimages
No risks were taken here, but that’s okay. These are replicas of their timeless jerseys from the Hank Aaron era. “The A” patch on the chest is clean and not too busy, and the number on the front is nice. Good jersey, but nothing we haven’t seen before
Ranking: 6/10
9. The Texas Rangers
The most recent City Connect release has had fans up in arms. The rangers debuted these with people almost instantaneously calling them “trash.” But I think they look cool. While I’m not entirely sure about the story behind them, I think they did something different with the two tone look. The font on the front is cool and they have a very “old-timey” feel to them.
Ranking: 6.5/10
8. The Milwaukee Brewers
Courtesy of the MLB
The Brewers design team did a fantastic job with these jerseys. Powder blue, navy and gold is going to hit the mark ten times out of ten. I only have one slight problem with them that brings the entire design down, and that’s the “Brew Crew” saying on the front. It feels cheap and like something that I’d see on an MLB The Show game. If there was any other wordmark on the front, these would have top 3 potential.
Ranking: 7.2/10
7 and 6 TIED. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Angels
Courtesy of Gettyimages
A California team is finally featured in a good light on this list! The Diamondbacks and Angels jerseys are tied because I find them to be very similar. Both sandy colored jerseys pay homage to the sand in the state (beach and desert). Both contain numbers on the front left of the jersey. Both are overall really clean-cut and sharp jerseys. I love the different fonts they both used and I think these are absolute wins.
Ranking: 7.8/10
5. The Colorado Rockies
Courtesy of the MLB
Now that I have reached the top five, I want to put a disclaimer: Any jersey that is below another, I do not find to be “worse” than, it just so happens that I think the other is better. The Rockies did an incredible job here. Their uniforms are paying tribute to the state’s incredible license plate and they translate so well to jerseys. The deep green is a sleek color and everything about it is amazing. I would like to potentially see some purple in the mix, or white pants instead of the green, but other than that, these are perfect.
Ranking: 8.2/10
4. The Miami Marlins
Courtesy of the MLB
With that being said, I love these Marlins jerseys. Paying respects to their former minor league team “The Sugar Kings” is a great idea. The orange pops against the blue and white and it just screams “Miami Marlins.” Everything here is amazing.
Ranking: 8.5/10
3. The Kansas City Royals
Courtesy of the MLB
Not many people were excited by these uniforms when they were released, but I’ve loved them forever. The Navy with the light blue is gorgeous, the “KC” in the style of the many fountains within the city, and the large arm bands that are a nod to former Royals jerseys make these one of the best in baseball. Amazing.
Ranking: 8.9/ 10
2. The Washington Nationals
Courtesy of the MLB
After seeing the horrific attempt that their NBA counterparts made,I was terrified when I heard that the Nationals were going to be making a cherry blossom jersey. However, when I first laid my eyes on these, I was left speechless. The textured gray is perfect, the cherry blossoms on the hat and the chest don’t come across as cheap, and the large “WSH” font is amazing. These are incredible fashion forward and I can see people wearing these in public at any time. Washington, despite being an awful baseball club at the moment, at least looks good.
Ranking: 9.3/10
1. The Chicago White Sox
Courtesy of the MLB
Perfection. Absolute perfection. From the full black jersey, to the white pinstripes, to the “Southside” on the front, there isn’t a single flaw in this jersey. There will always be the classic Yankees pinstripes, and the Phillies powder blues, but these jerseys may be one of the best of ALL TIME. They’re intimidating, cool, fashion forward and look amazing on the field. These are the best City Connect jerseys we have gotten so far. It’s just a shame that this was the third jersey to be released, because Nike will never top this one.
Ranking: 11/10 Nike has a long way to go with these uniforms. I ranked half of these uniforms below a 7, meaning there’s a lot of D tier and F tier jerseys out there. They have 4 more to debut this year alone and then 10 more to go with some iconic teams. My only note for Nike is to not mess with tradition when it comes to the Yankees, Mets and Phillies because they will anger a lot of fans.
Wrestlemania season has officially come to an end and what a success it was. From some of the best female wrestling the sport has seen to possibly the best tag-team match of all time this Wrestlemania will definitely go down as one of the best WWE has put on. Here are some thoughts and my ratings of the matches.
Night 1
Austin Theory defeats John Cena to retain United States Championship
Starting the whole weekend event we got to see one of the best wrestlers of all time, John Cena, back on the grandest stage of them all square off against Austin Theory, a guy the WWE is clearly trying to push to a main eventer. While it was awesome seeing John Cena back, this match was such a let down. The match took a while to get going and once it did it was just filled with cheap shots coming from Theory which ultimately lead to him retaining the United States Championship. Best part of this fight was Cena’s five knuckle shuffle, where he thanked the fans before pulling it off. Makes you wonder if this is our last time seeing him in the ring?
Rating: 6.1/10
Men’s Fatal Four-Way Showcase: The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy vs. Viking Raiders vs. Ricochet & Braun Strowman. Winners: The Street Profits
This match had to be the shock of night one for how awesome this was. For no buildup going in, it ended up being one of the most powerful, high flying and energetic matches of the night. For someone who has never seen wrestling before or does not care, I would show them this match. The Street Profits end up winning this match in an awesome ending. Rumor has it that Triple H is making big changes on Monday Night Raw and if there are two sets of tag team titles I would love to see this team carry them. Rating: 8.9/10
Seth Freakin’ Rollins Defeats Logan Paul
Ah yes, Logan Paul. Internet Star-turned-Boxer turned Entrepreneur turned WWE Superstar continues to prove he can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the WWE. Even die hard fans can not deny Paul has great in-ring talent. For how great Paul looked for his fourth match in the WWE, Seth Freakin’ Rollins outshined him. Rollins is currently the biggest babyface in the company. Whenever someone tries to cut a promo against Rollins the entire crowd just chants his theme song. I think it is time for Rollins to be back in the main event picture and fight against Roman Reigns. All in all this fight was great from the KSI appearance to the chants this fight had it all. I would have liked to have seen more buildup but not much you can do with Paul’s busy schedule. Rating: 8.6/10
While it was great seeing Trish Stratus back and how she proved she definitely can still wrestle, I felt this match was a little dull. As much as I loved watching Lita back in the day, I think it may be time for her to hang up the boots. She botched a few of her moves and clearly could not move as well as the others. Other than Lita, Becky Lynch looked amazing and proved why she is one of the best Female Wrestlers in the business and Damage CTRL did a lot of fun moves and pops for the crowd. It is unfortunate this match came after two amazing matches or else I could have seen myself liking it more. Rating: 6.4/10
Rey Mysterio defeats Dominik Mysterio
Besides the bloodline storyline this had one of my favorite buildups this Wrestlemania. Dominik Mysterio, while it was not believable at first, has cut some amazing promos leading up to this event and has truly embraced being the villain. How could you not enjoy this fight? From Rey Mysterio riding in a convertible with Snoop Dogg to honor the late great Eddie Guerrero, Rey beating Dominik with a belt, to Dominik throwing water in his sister’s face, this match had it all for a great storyline ending. This match could very well be Mysterio’s last fight as well and if it is he left on a high note. Rating: 9.1/10
Rhea Ripley defeats Charlotte Flair for Smackdown Women’s Championship
To be completely honest, I was not invested in this match leading up. This was one of the worst builds for a World Championship going into Wrestlemania and it was pretty clear Ripley was going to win. After the fight was over I had to say it out loud, this was the greatest Women’s wrestling match I have ever seen in my life. It was a slow burn to start and I was nervous we would have to sit through a boring match until one of the most highly anticipated matches in recent history. Once it gained momentum the two superstars absolutely shined and showed why they are the two best in the ring. As predicted by most people, Ripley became the new Smackdown Women’s champion but was still an incredible match. Ripley hitting her finishing move, the Rhiptide, off the top rope for the win made me jump out of my seat. Ripley is going to hold this belt for a very long time and she deserves it. Rating: 9.5/10
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens defeat The Usos for the Tag-Team Championship
I will say it, this was the greatest tag-team match of all time. When was the last time anyone cared about a tag match? The bloodline storyline is the best storyline I have ever seen in WWE since the CM Punk John Cena storyline in 2011. This storyline is the reason why I started watching wrestling again. Everything about this match was perfect. I do not know what else to say besides this was done so well. Rating: 10/10
Night 2
Brock Lesnar defeats Omos
This matches’ buildup was just two big boys going at it to kickoff Wrestlemania. It was cool seeing Lesnar hit Omos with an F5 but besides that this match was just fine. Rating: 5.8/10
Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya & Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville. Winners: Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler
I was really hoping this would shock me like the men’s showcase on night one. In the beginning it was certainly trending that way as all the superstars really had moments to shine. The ending however was so lackluster with former UFC Champion Ronda Rousey just walking into the ring and putting Shotzi in an armbar and winning. The ending definitely knocked a few points off of my rating for this one. Rating: 6.0/10
Gunther defeats Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in Triple Threat Match
Looking at this match on the card I asked myself, how could this be bad? Three massive men just beating the heck out of each other for over twenty minutes was awesome and there was decent buildup leading up with Sheamus vs McIntyre. I have never seen so many chest slaps in a match ever. Everyone thought Sheamus should have won to complete his career grand slam but Gunther is a young rising star and needed this win for his resume to be propelled to the top.
Rating: 8.2/10
Bianca Belair defeats Asuka for Raw Women’s Championship
While watching this, I really wanted Rhea Ripley to somehow interfere to set up Rhea becoming a universal champion like Roman Reigns. Yes it was wishful thinking but she is just such a great wrestler that I want to see more of. This fight was still good even though I felt Asuka should have won. Overall a very decent fight and a reminder of how far Women superstars have come in this industry and how great these fights have been. Rating: 7.9/10
Edge defeats Finn Balor in a Hell in a Cell
The Hell in Cell returns to Wrestlemania as well as Balor’s “The Demon” gimmick which looked awesome. This match is as close to the attitude era we could get in this PG era. Chairs, ladders, tables, and kendo sticks were all on display. What turned the vibe around however was Balor getting injured about ten minutes into the match. Edge threw a ladder at Balor and instead of his head going in between the stairs of the ladder, it hit him square on the temple resulting in a major cut on his head and blood dripping on the mat. They had to let doctors into the ring to check in on Balor delaying the match by a few minutes. When they began to wrestle again doctors had to stay in the cell to make sure he was ok which was odd but luckily Balor continued to perform at a high level, even taking a chair shot to the head to end the match. Great match but I am nervous about Balor’s health. Rating: 8.6/10 *bonus points for how sick Edge’s entrance was
Miz’s matches
Before I get to the main event I figured I would quickly talk about the Miz and the two random matches he had. The first match was against Pat McAfee and kind of George Kittle? It really just made me want to see McAfee on commentary as I dislike Corey Greaves there. Next was the awesome return of Shane McMahon but only lasted thirty seconds as he tore his quad. Snoop Dogg with the improv of the year as he hit the Miz with the peoples elbow. I think Wrestlemania could have done without either of these matches. Rating: 2.4/10
Roman Reigns defeats Cody Rhodes for Universal Championship
Wow. Just wow. You can not tell me watching both entrances you did not get goosebumps. Going into this fight I felt it was time for a new era with Rhodes as champion. When Reigns won I was upset along with the rest of the WWE Universe. I keep going back and forth on how I feel about this ending. Because a Rhodes win at Summerslam is not going to hit as hard as it would’ve last night, but then again are WWE fans ready for Reigns not to be champion anymore? He is the best wrestler on the roster, he is the best heel on the roster, everyone loves to hate him, but he is the Tribal Chief and we need to acknowledge him. Rating: 9.2/10
Ralph Smith, the sports editor for Central High School’s student-run newspaper, The Centralizer, has been reported missing. This report comes shortly after the Editor wrote an article trash-talking local cricket superstar Bur-a-boo Sockball and their loss in the cricket world cup, costing Sockball his entire career. Messages were later found on Smith’s phone showcasing an interaction between Sockball and Smith, where Sockball stated, “I am a lot more richer than you, and i can hit a ball very good… you are nothing”. Smith simply responded, “Please, sir, I’m only 15”.
Authorities are confused about the nature of the kidnapping, seeing how Smith only made a simple report stating the outcome of his last cricket match. Size 9 footprints were found at the crime scene, next to a plunger and a Louisville t-shirt.
The folks at TheCollegian will continue to report on the issue as new information is brought to light.
Welp it’s official, what was once the pride of joy of Philadelphia, turned Colt, then turned Commander has been released from the Washington Commanders. This move by the Commanders gives the team over $26 million in free cap space to make other moves. For Wentz, he will now be looking for his fourth team in four years.
Wentz came into Philadelphia as the number two overall pick in the 2016 draft. He showed potential his first year throwing close to 4,000 passing yards. It was his second year that made him infamous with football fans. He threw 33 touchdowns, a little over 3,000 passing yards, a QB rating of 101.9, and was a clear front runner for MVP. Getting an ACL injury against the Rams in week 14 of the season ultimately took him out of the MVP race and sidelined him for the rest of the year. Wentz watched backup Nick Foles lead the team to a Super Bowl and start the next season for a few games until he was fully healthy to come back.
It was clear Wentz was pushing his limits with his leg but however put up a decent stat line throughout 11 games scoring 21 touchdowns. His season came to an end as he hurt his back and yet again backup Nick Foles took the Eagles to the NFC Divisional round falling short against the Saints.
The next season there was no more Foles and all eyes were on Wentz to see if he could lead his team. He was finally able to put together a full season and especially shined in the last four weeks of the season putting the Eagles in a position to host the Seahawks at home in the Wild Card. First snap for Wentz ended in him getting hit and sidelined with a concussion.
The next season was a mystery for what could happen as the team drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round of the draft.
The turning point in Carson Wentz’s career was in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. The Eagles were 3-8-1 coming into this game and Wentz did not play well. He only completed 6 of his 15 throws and was substituted out of the game for Hurts in the 2nd quarter.
Wentz after not playing another snap all season was traded to the Colts to reunite with former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Wentz had an ok season with the Colts with 27 touchdowns and throwing 3,563 yards. What sticks out however is the final game of the season versus the Jaguars where the Colts lost 26-11 and put the Colts out of making the playoffs. The Jaguars at the time only had 3 wins and it seemed like a lock for the Colts to win. Wentz struggled only throwing 1 touchdown and completing just barely over half his attempted throws.
Wentz was traded yet again in the off-season to the Washington Commanders and all the problems that were put on him through his time in the NFL were on full display. Wentz only played 8 games throwing 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He dealt with injuries and was ultimately benched for Taylor Heinicke.
Wentz, now a free agent, surfaces a lot of questions. Will he start again? Will he return to his old self? Are injuries still going to plague his career? This is only the tip of the iceberg as well. There are still tons of concerns about his personality and locker room habits. Zak Keefer, a reporter for The Athletic, reported that many felt in the Colts organization he lacked leadership qualities and resisted hard coaching. There were also reports that in 2017 an undisclosed Eagles player tried to fight Wentz because of a comment Wentz made about Nick Foles and the success of the team without him.
All in all, it seems Wentz’s course is to sign with a team where he can try and compete for a starting spot but we will have to wait and see. With many quarterback storylines this free agency, this is one to watch closely.
For the first time since 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies are headed to the World Series. The Phillies defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 in Game 5 of the NLCS to become the 2022 National League Champions. This win represents Philadelphia’s ninth overall pennant and its first since the 2009 season, ending a historic championship drought for the Phillies.
The Phillies held an early lead against the Padres thanks to a two-run shot from first baseman Rhys Hoskins in the bottom of the third. Juan Soto, the star outfielder for the Padres, then responded with a home run in the top of the fourth to cut the Phillies’ lead to 2-1. Despite the occasional hit, the game featured a marvelous pitching battle between Phillies’ ace Zach Wheeler and Padres’ veteran Yu Darvish, which held both teams scoreless until the seventh inning. Ultimately, the rainy weather and a slew of wild pitches forced the Phillies into errors, allowing the Padres to jump out to a 3-2 lead.
Enter Bryce Harper. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with one runner on, Harper crushed a ball into orbit to give the Phillies a 4-3 advantage. With this shot, Harper immortalized himself in the Philadelphia history books and punched the Phillies ticket to the 2022 World Series. Pitcher Ranger Suarez closed out the game for the Phils, and Citizens Bank Park erupted into a euphoric state of celebration. The Phillies were presented with the National League Championship trophy, and Bryce Harper was awarded the most valuable player of the series.
Despite a 4-1 series win for the Phillies, the Padres proved to be a significant test for the underdog team. Like the Phillies, the Padres themselves were a scrappy underdog. The team won impressive victories against the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers, propelling them to postseason success. The talented bullpen of the Padres and the contributions of star players Juan Soto and Manny Machado tested the Phillies in each game in this series. Yet, as the first law of physics states, “an object in motion tends to stay in motion.”
The Phillies are simply red hot at the moment. They are undefeated at home in this playoff run, with a 9-2 record overall. Led by heavy hitters Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins, the Phillies’ offense has been producing significant runs at a breathtaking rate. And, perhaps most importantly, Bryce Harper has had a historic playoff run. He has the most XBH in a single postseason for the Phillies with eleven, has hit four major home runs, and is on a nine-game hitting streak, one shy of Phillies legend Lenny Dykstra’s postseason record. The Phillies have simply overwhelmed opponents with raw talent and fierce determination, both of which position them quite nicely for a World Series showdown. With the Philadelphia Eagles currently boasting a 6-0 record, the Philadelphia Union headed to the MLS Eastern Conference Finals, and the Philadelphia Flyers’ season in full swing, the Phillies’ win caps off a jubilant few weeks for the city of Philadelphia. The Phillies will play the Houston Astros, an American League juggernaut fresh off an ALCS sweep of the New York Yankees, in the 118th World Series. The series’ first game is scheduled for Friday, October 28, in Houston. The Phils will play two games in Houston before heading home to Philadelphia for games three and four. While the Phillies certainly face a significant challenge in the series ahead, they will keep dancing on their own for now.
It’s been 18 years since Philadelphia sports fans have felt this much excitement over the Eagles. The Birds’ 4-0 start to the season marks the first time that this has happened since the 2004 season, which ultimately resulted in a Super Bowl appearance. After this Sunday’s win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, there is a widespread belief that history might repeat itself.
The fourth week of the NFL season brought us Doug Pederson’s much-anticipated return back to the City of Brotherly Love. Under the pouring rains of Hurricane Ian, the former Eagles head coach was welcomed back to Lincoln Financial Field with an overwhelming standing ovation after bringing the city its first Super Bowl trophy back in 2017. Unfortunately, this was most likely the highlight of Pederson’s day.
The Eagles came out slow to start the game, allowing 14 quick points to the Jaguars after an interception off of Jalen Hurts was returned for a touchdown on the first drive, and was followed by a quick offensive touchdown scored by the Jaguars with 3:50 left in the first quarter. The Eagles Defense bounced back in a big way, holding the Jaguars without a point for the following three quarters until they finally scored a touchdown with 7:19 left in the game. The defense was led once again by Hassan Reddick and the defensive line, who collectively forced five fumbles throughout the game, four of which were recovered by the Eagles. James Bradberry tacked on an interception at the end of the second quarter to give the Eagles defense five total turnovers on the day. Through four weeks, the Philadelphia defense has now tallied five interceptions, five fumble recoveries, and 16 sacks, making them one of the most intimidating defenses in the league.
On the offensive side of the ball, Jalen Hurts finally showed signs that he is, indeed, human, throwing for 204 yards, one interception, and zero touchdowns. He did rush for one touchdown, but it was all Miles Sanders offensively for the Eagles. It was a breakout day for the fourth year back out of Penn State, one that has been long-awaited for by Philly fans. Sanders racked up 156 total yards and two touchdowns, reaching career highs in both rushes (27) and rushing yards (134) while also scoring his most touchdowns in a game in the past two years. Call it a product of the bad weather or just a great player due for a great game, Miles Sanders’ performance this past Sunday definitely turned some heads for fans who had started to doubt the young star’s backfield presence.
Coming into Week 5, the Eagles could not feel more confident. They stand as the only undefeated team remaining in the league and have already taken down some highly-regarded teams. Week 5’s matchup against the Arizona Cardinals could prove to be one of the Eagles’ tougher matchups so far this season, but with a 2-2 record and two tight wins against mediocre teams, this game could be a chance for the Cardinals to show whether they are true competitors this year. Arizona’s only two losses have both come at home this season, which is where the Eagles will face them next Sunday at 4:25 EST.
The La Salle Collegian 