As Philadelphia Waits for Another Professional Championship — Something Equally Rewarding is Happening Around Our City.
Well Philly— 2024 has come to a close and once again — we are still waiting for another professional championship within our city limits. To feel that utter exhilaration of the 2018 Eagles and 2008 Phillies all over again. But in many ways 2024 was a win — and something greater is once again uplifting our city.
The Eagles tested our patience by squandering an impressive 10–1 start last season (only to be upstaged by a 13–3 record this year) with a 1–7 finish including an invitation to Tampa Bay for the 2024 NFC Wildcard round only practically not show up. The game would conclude with a closeup of Jason Kelce crying on the sideline, which was then proceeded with a press conference where he cried again. We didn’t have much time to mourn the retirement of one of the All-Time greatest players in Eagles history before the team shelled out $37.75 Million to bring Saquon Barkley down I-95 to rush for 1 million yards over the next three years (sorry, Erik Dickerson. All of you will have to stay tuned to see the outcome of the 2025 NFL Playoffs and the Barkley Record Wrecking. This piece is only about 2024 — restrictions do apply.)
Then the Eagles flipped a bad season ending upside down with one of the best drafts in team history — remarkably not needing to be evaluated in a decade — but rather whose talent is on the field now and has helped to position the Eagles for a Super Bowl run in their rookie season. It’s another year of the magic of Howie Roseman yet again.
The Phillies looked promising this season — going 95–67 and into the 2024 MLB Playoffs only to look stagnant in the NLDS Series — this after looking stagnant in the 2023 NLCS — and of course looking stagnant in the 2022 MLB World Series. Every team has to move in a direction, it appears that the Phillies are moving backward.
The Sixers won a play-in game to the 2024 NBA Playoffs — which is ironic because they played themselves out in the first round against the New York Knicks. We saw Joel Embiid attend the 2024 Olympic Games and win a Gold Medal in Paris — leaving many of us to wonder if his Sixers will ever win a championship on the hardwood. It may be back to the Process after all.
But before you reach for the Imodium — looking beyond our major sports teams in 2024 — showed brilliance once again. We’ve got a football dynasty in Philadelphia — and it’s one that is sending talent to top schools all over this country. St. Joe’s Prep Football, has now won three straight PIAA State Championships. Also on the gridiron, Roman Catholic completed an outstanding season only falling by the closest margin possible in the PIAA Class 5A Championship.
Regionally — it was a good year in Pennsylvania as well. The Abington High School Girls Flag Football League won the yearly Philadelphia Eagles-sponsored league, where they went undefeated at 9–0. In the fall of 2023, Abington High Girls defeated North Penn 24–19 after defeating Cheltenham in the semi-finals to bring home the 2024 Suburban One League Championship. Thanks in part to the Abington team — the PIAA sanctioned Girl’s Flag Football for the 2025–2026 season. In Dallas, Pennsylvania — Misericordia University’s Mens Baseball Team won the NCAA D3 Championship.
Like every New Year, Philadelphia will once again have the promise of the possibility of the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and Sixers hoisting that trophy and marching down Broad Street. At this year’s Philadelphia Catholic League Boys Championship at the Palestra — Archbishop Ryan connected on a 3-point basket with just over eight seconds left to all but secure the championship — until Roman Catholic beat the buzzer to win the game 46–45. The Girls PCL Championship — was a 54–52 win in two overtimes for Archbishop Wood over Archbishop Carroll for the second title in twice as many years.
An incredible ending to an incredible year — Philly style. And that euphoric feeling of a professional championship? That feeling will find us again. In the meantime — support our youth athletics. You won’t be disappointed.
The post 2024 – The Year of Our Youth appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.