Lily Gebbia, Staff Writer 

Disclaimer: This article was written on Oct. 1

PHILADELPHIA– Red October is here and electrifying the city with a number one ranked divisional contender that has recently gone 2-1 to the The Mets. But, Phillies fans are still hopeful that their team can win over the Mets and return to the National league championship series

The Mets have been the hottest team in the MLB going 12-8 in their last 20 games including last night’s victory over the Phillies. They have had (strong at bats) between Pete Alonso, Jose Iglesias and Fransisco Lindor. Those three and a great supporting cast is what makes them a fan favorite to go to the World Series. 

Back in Queens, the Mets showed just how good their hitters are. They had two home runs: one from Pete Alonso and another from Jesse Winker. Multiple players had hits and RBIs from the Mets, leading to their 7-2 victory. 

The Phillies have to win two games in a row to make it past this round, one of them being in the loud and electric Mets Stadium. One of the Phillies’ problems is not converting men on base to runs scored. For them to win this series, they have to have bigger hits, in addition to playing more small ball. It’s been that it’s nearly impossible to win in the playoffs without home runs. We saw a glimpse of that in Game two with Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper each having a home run, but the game was still too close for comfort. In Game three, the Phillies lost the battle of the bats 9-5. With how hot the Mets have been at bat, even with a remarkable defense, 5 hits will not win them a game against this team. 

Another problem is the Phillies’ defense and management. There was only one error in Game three, but it led to runs by the Mets. Additionally, management is taking out their starting pitchers too early. Although Aaron Nola was allowing hits, it wasn’t his fault that the Phillies couldn’t score. Putting a new pitcher into a bases loaded situation ultimately led to the same result as if they kept Nola in. But, by taking him out when he still had another inning in him, the Mets were able to get 5 hits and 2 runs, making the game unreachable for the Phillies. 

The Phillies have a lot of work to do to get past this team, but if they do it, their hardest matchup will be behind them. All of Philadelphia hopes for a much better game on Wednesday night, as it is a must win. If Philadelphia can get their pitching and defense up to par with the Mets, the fire power on the Phillies should seal the deal and wrap up this series on Friday.

Lily Gebbia, Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA – Last Sunday afternoon, the La Salle’s Explorers suited up for a inter-city rival game against the St. Joseph’s Hawks at McCarthy stadium, where they were previously undefeated. Going into the game, La Salle held an edge over the Hawks, winning 14 of the 18 all-time matchups. Sunday’s game resulted in a 1-1 tie, marking the first ever draw between the two teams. 

The match got off to a quick start as Hawk’s midfielder Natalie Nevins converted her first shot within two minutes of the game. Following the quick lead, the Explorers brought their offense up a notch, firing three shots on goal within the next 10 minutes. Finally, in the 18th minute, senior forward Haley Gschrey broke away from the Hawk’s defense and was able to easily get into a position to score. She did so, firing a shot into the top right corner of the net and tying the game. 

That game tying goal marks the sixth of the year and 20th all time for Gschrey, as she continues to remain a top threat for La Salle’s offense and the A-10 conference, being sixth in goals scored this year. The game remained exciting, with both teams looking for that go ahead score. In the next few minutes, senior forward Sunni DiElmo made a push and got a shot off that inevitably hit the top of the crossbar to take them into the next half. 

In the second half, both teams were firing shots but none seemed to convert. La Salle had an edge of 10-7 in shots on goal compared to the Hawks. Senior goalkeeper Michela Auguadro saved three goals in the last ten minutes of the game, helping the Explorers stay in the game. Those saves add to her 32 saves on the year, only allowing 12 goals, otherwise. 

As the game clock starts to tick down, both teams scramble to get the game winning goal. Ultimately, both teams fell short and the game ended in a draw, marking both teams third draw of the year. Going forward, The Explorers hope to win their next game against Davidson, which will be at McCarthy stadium on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. A win there would give them an edge on conference play with their next eight games all being A-10 matchups.

Kelsey McGovern, Staff Writer

On Sept. 19, Mayor Cherelle Parker endorsed the new 76ers arena to be relocated to Center City, stating, “Our Sixers are staying home” in a video on CBS News. A proposal from New Jersey to move the arena to Camden’s waterfront prompted Parker to prioritize keeping the 76ers in Philadelphia. She views this as a positive extension to the community, emphasizing the influx of tax revenue and the creation of hundreds of jobs in Philadelphia, which will bring in $1.3 billion in private investment, according to CBS News.

The 76ers’ lease at the Wells Fargo Center expires in 2031, making efforts to establish the new arena urgent. The City Council still needs to approve Parker’s endorsement, which gives the Chinatown community hope of preserving their neighborhood. The Sixers have expressed gratitude, stating, “We are grateful to Mayor Parker and her team for their time and diligence in evaluating our proposal and look forward to advancing to the next steps with City Council.”

However, the Chinatown community has actively protested the project, fearing it will harm the neighborhood and lead to gentrification rather than revitalization. The Save Chinatown Coalition has voiced their concerns, arguing that local businesses and residents will be displaced and that traffic will increase. The proposed arena would be located at 10th and 11th streets and Market and Filbert streets, alongside a high-rise building with 395 residential units. Community members worry the arena will alter the character of their neighborhood.

Residents are frustrated that Mayor Parker has not engaged with many Chinatown members to discuss the potential impacts of the project on their daily lives and culture. According to WHYY, the community recently celebrated their Mid-Autumn Festival, showcasing their culture that they fear could be jeopardized if the arena is approved. Wei, the festival’s founder, stated, “The crowds here, the energy, is a testament to how this community sustains culture and sustains identity for so many people in this area.”

The power to fully approve this proposal now lies with the City Council, which will hold public hearings allowing the Chinatown community to voice their opinions. Supporters of the project believe the arena will bring more business to Chinatown, while many residents fear they will be displaced.

On Twitter former Eagles player Jason Kelce has used his platform to support the Chinatown community, advocating for the team to remain at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Some 76ers fans are strongly against the possible move to Camden, insisting the team belongs in Philadelphia, not New Jersey.

Andrew Noel, Writer

Last week, the Flyers reported to the team practice facility in Voorhees, New Jersey for preseason training camp. The start of training camp marks the beginning of what will be a crucial season for the Flyers, as they continue to rebuild toward the success that fans have come to expect.

The most notable offseason acquisition for the Flyers was the long-awaited arrival of forward Matevi Michkov, from Russia. Given the current political situation involving Russia, as well as Russian ice hockey’s rocky past with the Flyers, many thought that Michkov, who is seen as arguably the franchise’s savior, would never be able to play for the Flyers. These doubts have been put to rest, with Michkov officially part of the Flyers and ready to help the team. 

Unfortunately, Michkov is the only needle-moving prospect the Flyers have. Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey have shown potential, but even at their best they are not going to be the difference between winning or losing a Stanley Cup.

Bringing Michkov from Russia was the only notable move in what was an overall very quiet off-season for the Flyers. The quiet offseason was not a surprise to many, as the team’s difficult salary cap situation was always going to limit the team’s ability to improve significantly. Despite this, some fans are beginning to get restless with the new Flyers front office and are eager to see improvement in the standings.

This restlessness from fans is completely justified, as the Flyers are about to embark on their most important season since the new regime took over. Many feel that the progress of the rebuild has stalled, with star prospect Cutter Gauthier being traded for scraps, and flashy goalie prospect Alexi Kolosov facing an uncertain future in Philadelphia. Taking Gauthier and Kolosov out of the picture, there is not a lot for Flyers fans to look forward to. Having onestar prospect in the system after three years of rebuilding leaves a lot to be desired. 

In addition to this, some fans believe too much emphasis has been placed on building a culture around the team, one that has not existed for a decade. While there is no doubt that culture is important for winning teams in sports, good vibes do not automatically translate to wins, and good vibes do not make players better. 

Three years into the rebuild, and the Flyers have good vibes and a star prospect, who happens to play the least important position on the ice and happens to play the one position that the Flyers have talent in (winger). The puck has not yet dropped on the 82-game season, but when it does, many Flyers fans will be faced with the same thoughts that they have had for a decade, thoughts of directionlessness, stagnation, and another year wasted in one of the best hockey towns in the country. One can only hope I am wrong, but until actual change occurs and improvement is seen, it will be the same old Flyers, once again.

Aidan Tyksinski, Editor

If you happen to drive through Doylestown, Pennsylvania on a weekend, go past the famous Fonthill Castle that looks out of place today and end up passing Maennerchor Field – chances are you will see 30 guys or girls playing a sport that seems as dated as the castle. The sport being played is rugby, and the club that calls the field home is on the cusp of its 50^th anniversary.

The Doylestown Dragons Rugby Football Club (or Doylestown RFC) was created in 1974 when a group of rugby players from Doylestown played rugby with Blackthorn RFC. Realizing the 45 minute drive to Blackthorn’s home field near Philadelphia three days a week was too much, the players decided to start their team in Doylestown.

Today, the rugby club has grown from just having a men’s side to including youth teams, both high school girls and boys teams and also a women’s team. The current president of the men’s team, Brian Kelnhofer, started out playing for the club’s youth and high school teams and is now back playing for the men’s team.

“I think it speaks for rugby,” Kelnhofer said. “Kevin Riley and Brian Stella are the two guys who I walked into [the sport with]. They were great friends when I was a kid and they said, “‘We need more people,’ and I was hooked from the jump.” Today, Kelnhofer, Riley and Stella have continued the bond they forged as kids and all play together on the men’s team.

The team struggled in the fall both in terms of finding enough players and capturing wins. However, they started the spring with a roster of over 20 players and finished the season undefeated, with one of the wins coming against their old foe Blackthorn.

The head coach of the team, Jeremy Ault, credits hard work for the team’s success. “We have been working on our skills and the fundamentals in the winter,” he said. “You can never not train enough of the fundamentals. Since we went to outside practices, we have been wanting to work on our game plan since this is a different style, whether you are familiar with it or not.”

Something all members of the club were happy to touch on was what it means to be a part of Doylestown Rugby for the 50^th anniversary, as well as the club’s reunion that will be coinciding with the anniversary.

“It’s a privilege to say that I will be moving forward as the head coach of a club that has been around for half a century. I think that is something that will definitely be on my resume, but until then I think it will be important to see that growth and development from the younger guys,” said Ault.

“I think that this celebration is bringing a lot of people out of the woodwork who want to come back and get involved,” added Julian Bellman, the communications and marketing chair of the club and Vice President of the men’s team. “As a club, we are setting up a lot of infrastructure to be able to keep track of records and management of past and current players to have better communication with everyone. So, I think having everyone come out for the 50^th and get involved that way and update their information, they will be able to stay informed.”

As for the future of the club, everyone involved with the men’s team was very optimistic. “The numbers have been increasing,” said Bellman. “We have a new head coach (Ault) and a new president (Kelnhofer), who are both doing a great job in their positions with building team morale, getting players out and teaching the game to new people.”

“We want more bodies, more time together and just building the right culture,” said Kelnhofer about his goals for the club. “Because when you do that, everything else follows.”

When asked if he wanted to add anything else, Kelnhofer gave a quick pause, smiled, and said the same slogan that has been said for 50 years.

“Go Dragons.”

Andrew Noel, Staff Writer 

For a team in Super Bowl contention, the Eagles certainly had a lot of roster needs heading into this year’s NFL Draft. Luckily, GM Howie Roseman was able to work his magic and fill most of the needs for the Eagles. Here is a breakdown of each pick. 

Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo – Everyone knew what the Eagles biggest need was coming into the draft. With the decline of James Bradberry and the aging Darius Slay, the only two reliable cornerbacks on the roster, the Eagles with the 22nd pick got Quniyon Mitchell from Toledo. Mitchell was seen as one of the best athletes in the draft and Eagles fans were very happy with the pick. The only knock on Mitchell is that he played his college football in the Mid-American Conference, causing him to face lesser talent than some of the other defensive backs in the draft. s This has led some to believe that he may struggle to succeed against the much better competition in the NFL. 

Cooper Dejean DB Iowa – Howie Roseman once again addressed his roster’s biggest need with his second pick. Dejean can play corner, safety and even some linebacker, which were all massive needs going into the draft. A lot of analysts were surprised when Dejean did not get picked in the first round, so getting him in the second round is a steal for the Eagles. 

Jalyx Hunt DE Houton Christian – With their 3rd pick, the Eagles took the first player ever to be drafted out of Houston Christian University. Hunt is a defensive end, another position the Eagles needed to address, especially after trading Hasson Reddick to the Jets. 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith can also play defensive end, but he will have to show improvement in 2024 if the Eagles plan on making him a starter. Due to the uncertainty at the position, this was a no-brainer for the Eagles. 

Will Shipley RB Clemson – You can never have enough offensive weapons, and this pick backed up that philosophy. A running back wasn’t the most pressing need for the Eagles given the signing of free agent Saquon Barkley, but depth was needed at the position with Kenneth Gainwell being the only other NFL-ready back on the roster. These kinds of picks are smart because they allow a young player to sit behind a veteran and develop with no pressure on him to succeed. It is a great sign that the Eagles are willing to show this type of patience in player development. 

Ainias Smith WR Texas A&M – Similar to the Shipley pick, this is not a move that will impact the Eagles much in the short term but was nonetheless necessary to make. Besides the great duo of AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, the Eagles had almost no options at wide receiver. Depth was needed in the position and this pick is exactly what it provides. Like Shipley, not much will (or should) be expected from Smith early in his career, but sitting behind two of the best wide receivers in the game will no doubt benefit Smith and the Eagles in a few years time. 

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. LB Clemson – The son of an Eagles legend, Trotter will fit right in with the Eagles. Lineback was the biggest need on the team after cornerback, and Trotter fills the need nicely.  

Trevor Keegan G Michigan – You can also never have enough depth on the lines, and this pick is an example of that. Not a ton is expected out of Keegan, but worst-case scenario, he adds depth to one of the most important positions in football. 

Johnny Wilson WR Florida State – Wilson is a wide receiver who will probably convert to tight end in the NFL. A fantastic pick as the Eagles lacked tight end depth beyond Dallas Goedert. Goedert is also starting to get older, so picking up a player who could take over for him immediately is smart. 

Dylan Mcmahon C N.C. State – Mcmahon is probably the most underrated pick of this Eagles draft class. After the retirement of Jason Kelce a center was needed on the roster to back up converted center Cam Jurgens. Mcmahon plays three offensive line positions and versatility is one of the best traits a player can have in the NFL. 

Only time will tell how good this draft class ends up being for the Eagles. In the short term, it was a great success, with the biggest holes on the roster being filled. There is a lot of work to be done before the Eagles kick off their season in Brazil in September, but these last three days can certainly be seen as a step in the right direction as the Eagles look to return to the playoffs next year.