By: Will Cunningham

Basketball is back at the Nest, and your Eagles haven’t seemed to skip a beat in the eight months without a home game. Men’s basketball lived up to its expectations on Nov. 15, putting on a clinic against Cabrini in an 86-57 victory. 

As I took a walk past the stands, I witnessed fans screaming for their home team as if they were tied with seconds left of the championship game. For context, there were three minutes left in the warmup of the home opener. Simply put, the people of Eastern showed up in a big way for their squad.

Of course, it wasn’t just Eastern’s section that made noise. Students, families of players and other folks from Cabrini, located just across the street, made the trip down the hill to support the Cavalier’s basketball team. Many of them also attended the women’s game between the two schools prior. Both sides embraced the rivalry known as the Battle of Eagle Road, as fans exchanged words numerous times throughout the contest, and much booing and cheering could be heard amongst the various baskets, calls and other plays made.

As for the game itself, the Eagles’ decided to do an encore of last year’s win. Last year’s victory was headlined by a powerful slam dunk by Jaron Fairweather. Taking motivation from this, to open up the scoring, junior guard Kaeshawn Ward lobbed a perfect pass to first year forward Zubair Lee, who dunked with authority to get the crowd roaring. It became so loud, in fact, that some weren’t able to hear the PA system blasted at full volume.

From that moment on, the Eagles had full control of the game. They never trailed during the match, scored a whopping 50 points in the second half and held Cabrini to just 32% shooting. The defense in particular played an outstanding game, forcing 22 turnovers and only allowing Cabrini to shoot four free throws the entire game. 

As for the offense, the Eagles once again featured a balanced scoring attack throughout the contest. Kaeshawn Ward and Zubair Lee both finished the game with 12 points. Ward added seven assists and three steals, while Lee picked up a steal and two blocks while making 50% of his shot attempts. Senior guard Sam Gallardo also had a strong night, racking up 10 points and a whopping six steals to aid the Eagle’s efforts. Senior forward Jaron Fairweather added nine points and three blocks.

While the starters overall played great, the bench too showed their might and played a significant role in the Eagles’ attack. The bench scored nearly half (40) of Eastern’s 86 points, and they too made some great defensive plays throughout the night. Senior forward Jairus Carroll, junior guard Kevin Reeves and sophomore guard Davin Hernandez each hit a three for Eastern. Carroll also had three steals, while Reeves picked up three blocks.

As great as the players played that night, I would like to give yet another shoutout to our student section. Not only did they show tremendous support and energy at the beginning of the game, but it also carried all the way until the clocks hit zero. Even as Eastern held a 21-point lead with three minutes left, they remained in their seats and watched as players who normally wouldn’t see the court as often get minutes. The hype and energy from the crowd when junior guard Josiah Scarlett hit a three was nearly as equal to the introduction of the lineups, which is a true testament to the camaraderie and support amongst the people of Eastern.

For Eastern, this was their fourth consecutive victory in the Battle of Eagle Road, as well as their fourth overall win of the season. Fans will have two more chances to watch the Eagles live at the Nest. They will face York on Dec. 3 and Widener on Dec. 10 to kick off conference play. Both games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. If you missed the opportunity to support your Eastern University Eagles during their home opener, be sure to stop by on those dates before the fall semester ends. 

By: Will Cunningham

There’s an old saying that goes, ‘the end of one chapter is just the beginning of another.’ As the page chapter of the fall season comes to a close, we turn the page to a new chapter: the chapter of Eastern basketball.

Now, basketball has been hyped up for quite some time now. With the recent Flight Night hosted as a pep rally for both the men’s and women’s squads, Eastern has gotten their students excited to come out and support the players. Expect packed seats at the gymnasium, more formally known as The Nest, during their home games, with booming crowds watching 40 minutes of action, featuring clutch shots, terrific passes and key blocks from their fellow Eastern students.

The women’s basketball team comes in with a newer look this season. Only four players from last year’s squad are back for this season. The top scorer of these four from last year was center Taryn Woodson, who started every game for the Eagles last year and averaged a double, with 11 points and 11 rebounds per game. There’s also Camila Sosa, who led the team in assists as the team’s primary ball handler last season.

Kayla Jefferson and Tyera Jarvis, who provided depth off the bench last season, have also returned. As for the newcomers, four transfers and seven freshmen come to a squad to replenish holes left by some key departures, including Jaelyn Harris, the school’s all-time three-point leader, and Ashya Gaddy, the team’s leading scorer a season ago. The Eagles are coming off a rough season marred by injuries and COVID-19. This year, they’ll look to bounce back under eight-year head coach Eric Houston.

On the other hand, the men’s team is coming off a season of historical success. They finished last year with a 21-6 record—their best record in school history. Despite falling four points short of winning the conference title, that campaign was good enough to advance to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.

This season, they feature many of those key players from last year’s historic squad. Jaron Fairweather, Sam Gallardo and Kaeshawn Ward each averaged over 10 points a game last year, and they’re looking to continue to produce in this incredibly balanced offense. Other returners include forwards Jairus Carroll and Olutobi Akinbayo, as well as guard Davin Hernandez, each of whom received significant playing time last year.

As for the new recruits, forward Eljay Morris comes over after spending two years at Emmanuel College. Freshmen Olise Onyeka and twins Zubair and Zayd Lee provide height and athleticism for electrifying depth. Those four were only half of eight new faces hoping to make an impact in head coach Dan Pruessner’s lineup.

That’s on top of the 15 men who have been reserved for the developmental squad. This squad features 12 new players to go alongside three players who each had impressive showcases last year: all-around talent Jahfari Mejia, big man Brian Justus and sharpshooter Zachary Villa return after impressive showings last season. The developmental team men will be led by Sheldon Diemler, who also serves as an assistant coach on the aforementioned men’s team.

The full rosters and schedules for each of these teams can be found at goeasterneagles.com.

By: Will Cunningham

Before the season began, I did a feature for the Women’s Volleyball team with one question in mind: “Could they repeat as conference champions?” The events that unfolded on Nov. 5 answered that question with a resounding ‘yes’ as the Eagles have once again won the conference after defeating Stevenson 3-2 in an absolute thriller.

This MAC Commonwealth championship match will go down as Eastern’s game of the year. Words can scarcely describe the tension, drama and nervousness every player, coach and fan experienced. With both teams exchanging key blows, brutal mistakes and memorable moments, this game will be remembered for a long time by everyone in attendance.

Of course, everyone who followed these two schools knew that this match would be a close one. Stevenson has an incredibly talented squad that matches up against Eastern quite well. Led by outside hitter Shannon Baily and libero Kayla Vaeth, they went 25-4 prior to this matchup and took Eastern to five sets in each of their previous three meetings, including last year’s conference championship.

Their might showed in the first two sets, dominating the Eagles by a combined 22 points. Eastern committed 12 errors and had their attacks blocked six times. They struggled with scoring points, and the defense had no answers for Stevenson’s powerful offense. 

Then, the Eagles suddenly woke up, and they played like the team that went undefeated in conference play. They jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the third set and, while Stevenson kept it close, never relinquished it. They did the same in the fourth set, limiting themselves to just three errors and scoring 20 of their points via kill. It was a great momentum shift for the Eagles, as they reminded fans of the talent they held.

With the game coming down to a fifth set, nerves went through the roof. Fans were either holding their breath, screaming as means of creating momentum or praying for the best. Even the players felt the nerves, as five of the first nine rallies ended in errors. The two squads went blow for blow, with the set tied 10-10 a good way through. Somebody had to pull away. Eastern did, scoring four straight points before first-year outside hitter Hannah Pringle delivered an emphatic spike to complete the comeback. The players stormed the court, the fans erupted with cheers while chucking packs of Pringles chips and the coaches and game staff all breathed a heavy sigh of relief upon this fairytale ending.

Pringle led the Eagles with 21 kills, followed by Bridgette Kelly and Natalie Saxton with 10 each. MAC Commonwealth player of the year Elle Jiron-Bujanda continued her all-around excellence, digging 13 attacking hits, assisting 45 Eastern attacks and adding four kills.

First-year defensive specialist Viviana Fragoso was named the MVP of the match. She recorded two service aces and dug 11 attacking hits against the Mustangs, and her presence in the back row became critical to Eastern’s defense as she solidified a starting role in the rotation.

This is the Eagle’s 23rd conference championship and 21st birth to the NCAA tournament under head coach Mark Birtwhislte. It was also Birtwistle’s 800th victory as a coach, adding to his long list of achievements during his 33 years leading the program.

By: Will Cunningham

The Philadelphia 76ers have something to prove. Their roster is full of talent, with a strong combination of star power and defense, yet year after year they disappoint in the playoffs. Case in point: nine months ago, they shot for the moon by trading for superstar James Harden.

With Harden’s pick-and-roll abilities and clutch shooting, fans and team personnel alike believed he was the final piece to a championship squad. However, the result was the same, as the Sixers lost in the second round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. The Sixers cannot let another failure like this happen again. 

They enter this season with most of last year’s squad intact. Tyrese Maxey is still here despite some trade rumors, and for good reason. His athleticism, aggressive defense and quick scoring abilities have given the Sixers a potential third star, while also reminding fans of a young Allen Iverson.

The same goes for Matisse Thybulle, who is one of the best young defenders in the league. Tobias Harris can score 15 points a game with his mid range shot, and Georges Niang has proven to be a solid three point option off the bench. 

As for the changes, Danny Green was dealt for reserve shooter De’Anthony Melton, and new free agents were signed for additional depth and defense: forwards P.J. Tucker, Daniel House and Montrezl Harrell, all of whom were former teammates of Harden. 

The Sixers were able to add these pieces thanks to Harden taking a $13 million dollar pay cut for the season. Fans are appreciative of him for doing this, but they still expect production from the former MVP, who’s shown flashes of brilliance during his tenure as a Sixer, yet disappointed massively in the playoffs.

The success of this squad, however, lives and dies by the availability of Joel Embiid. His frame, mid-range jumper and reach have allowed him to become one of the most dominant players in the league.

He further showcased his potential by leading the league in scoring a year ago and finishing as the runner up in MVP voting in back-to-back seasons. However, his injury prone status has made him miss at least 14 games in every season of his career, as well as time in the playoffs this past summer. The Sixers were 6-10 without him last season, including 0-2 in the playoffs.

Embiid has long expressed his desire and drive to bring a championship to Philadelphia, but just how long does he have before his body gives way? Regardless, the opportunity to be champions is still real for the Sixers. Only time will tell if they seize it, though a 1-4 start doesn’t do any favors for this quest.

By: Will Cunningham

The Philadelphia Flyers are a strange team that I don’t know what to make of. They have young, promising talents that can lead a team deep into the playoffs, but they also struggle with consistency and competing on a consistent basis. If I were to describe them with an analogy, I would compare them to Zime. They feature a fun atmosphere with some quality products on the ice, yet they always leave a desire in fans for more. 

The Flyers came into this season initially with a rather gloomy outlook. After Stanley Cup ambitions were high in 2020, they have missed the playoffs each of the past two years. This past season saw the worst of it, as the Flyers suffered multiple 10 game losing streaks en route to the third worst record in the NHL.

To add insult to injury, longtime captain Claude Giroux was traded in the middle of the season to seemingly set a rebuild into place. That’s on top of handing hefty deals to Sean Couturier, who is now injured, and Rasmus Ristolainen, who’s been quite ineffective during his time in Philadelphia.

On top of that, the Flyers made a head coaching change to shake things up. They are now led by John Tortorella, who most recently coached the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, both division rivals of the Flyers. He led them to a combined eight playoff appearances in the span of 13 years, yet never made it to a Stanley Cup with them. Despite this, the Flyers hired him for his regular season success history in the hopes of returning to the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Surprisingly enough, the Flyers have not continued this trend so far this season, as they hold a 4-2-0 record through their first six games of action. This is due to a combination of the emergence of young talents and the resurgence of older players.

For the youth, right wing Travis Konecny has returned to dominant form, scoring four goals to aid the Flyers’ attack. Fellow defender Ivan Provorov has proven to be an excellent and consistent playmaker, already assisting five Flyers tallies to start the year. As for the veterans, James van Riemsdyk scored two goals on the man-advantage, while center Kevin Hayes added a goal along with a whopping seven assists through those six games.

In net sits fan-favorite Carter Hart, who’s now entering the second year of a three-year extension he signed in the light of him being dubbed as the Flyers goalie of the future. In his fifth year as a pro, Hart has been playing shutdown hockey, securing wins each of his four starts, as well as stopping 95% of shots that came his way.

At just 24 years old, he’s proven to be the best goalie the Flyers have had in net since their Stanley Cup run in 2010, and with the support of the fanbase, he appears to have a long and bright future in the city of Brotherly Love ahead of him.

This is a prove it year for the Flyers, who are looking to shake the narrative of a fluke from 2020. They have young pieces and proven veterans to win games, but can they all perform well at once? The answer to that question will determine whether the Flyers keep up the play from their strong start or fall back down to the bottom of the standings again.

By: Will Cunningham

A miracle is happening in the baseball world. The city of Philadelphia is experiencing joy and success they haven’t experienced in over a decade. After years of rebuilding, mediocrity and disappointing finishes, they have overcome odds and shocked the baseball world. The Phillies will be playing for a World Series Championship.

If you had told any Phillies fan, or baseball fan for that matter, that they would make it this far six months ago, they would have called you delusional. They started the year 21-29 and were a whopping seven games behind for a playoff spot at the beginning of June. The pitching staff was inconsistent. The offense couldn’t get anything going. A shaky bullpen was mismanaged. Manager Joe Girardi was even fired shortly after for that disastrous start. 

But then, something clicked. The Phillies started to win. They kept winning. Even as they suffered injuries to key players, they kept winning. They won a whopping 66 games during that stretch, allowing them to secure a playoff spot as the sixth and final seed in the National League.

The winning didn’t stop there. The red-hot Phillies proceeded to shock and defeat the division winning St. Louis Cardinals, the defending champion Atlanta Braves and the star-studded San Diego Padres to win their first pennant since 2009.

For Bryce Harper, this is what he dreamed of when signing with the club. Though the reigning National League MVP missed some time this season due to injuries, his performance at the dish remains a sight to behold. He had the performance of his life in the National League Championship Series, in which he hit over .400 with three home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the eighth inning of Game 5 that ultimately sent the Phillies to the World Series. 

Also stepping up in the NLCS is first-baseman Rhys Hoskins, who smashed four home runs, including three in eight at-bats. Kyle Schwarber was a juggernaut in his first year in red pinstripes, hitting a career high 46 home runs in the leadoff spot in the regular season before adding three more this postseason. This included a 488 foot moonshot in Game 1 of the NLCS, the second longest homerun in postseason history.

The pitching staff has also stepped up tremendously this year. The rotation has long been known as a strength, led by aces Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, youngster Ranger Suárez and recent trade acquisition Noah Syndergaard. However, it’s the bullpen that has stepped up in big moments after being considered the worst bullpen in baseball over some two years ago. The headliners are righty Seranthony Domínguez and José Alvarado, who have only given up a combined two runs this entire postseason.

Of course, I cannot talk about this playoff run without mentioning new manager Rob Thomson. After taking over for Joe Girardi mid-season, he became a favorite of the Philly faithful for the success he experienced. He is credited for reshaping the culture of the Phillies and promoting on-field success, and his success was rewarded with a two-year extension with the team.

To complete their title quest, they must first conquer a baseball juggernaut. The Houston Astros finished with the best record in the American League and have yet to lose a playoff game. Even with the sign stealing scandal still lingering in the hearts of fans and losses of key players through free agency, this team continues to find ways to win, as they have now won four pennants in six years. Their previous two trips to the fall classic did not end in their favor, losing to the Nationals and Braves, both of whom are division rivals of the Phillies.

Is the Astros talent too much to not win a ring, or are the stars aligned for the Phillies to win a magical World Series title? Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain from all of this: it has truly been a Red October to remember.

By: Will Cunningham

Friday, Oct. 7 went down as a historical day for Eastern University. It was the first day in school history where fans gathered outside of O’Hara Field in the Valley Forge Military campus for a football tailgate. It was the first time where Eastern football players took the field in front of their home crowd, with fans giving loud cheers for their names. This was the very first home football game for your Eastern University Eagles.

To showcase the football experience to the people of Eastern, the Eagles hosted a Maroon/White scrimmage that split the team in half and played their guys against each other. This scrimmage provided players a game-like setting to prepare for entering conference play next year, as well as guaranteeing playing time for every athlete on the roster before then.

Normally, fans won’t see both teams don Eastern logos on their helmets and jerseys, share the same kicker and have their head coach stand on the field just behind the action. On top of that, no stats were recorded, nor was the game live streamed. There was announcing, but it was more of a practice session for sports information than a professional presentation. In other words, future games will be significantly more professional.

Regardless of these factors, Eastern students, faculty and alumni came out in numbers to support their newest addition to athletics by the hundreds. The tailgate crowded the entire roadside parking lot directly next to the field, and the stands on the side of the watchtower were over three-quarters of the way full by kickoff.

I talked to some students who attended the game and asked for their thoughts on the experience. Sophomore Josh Cruz, who is the RA of several of the players on the team, referred to his experience as “electric because it’s the school’s first football game.”

To support the efforts of a football setting, several athletic teams set up tables and sold merchandise, such as T-shirts and hats, while other coaches and staff ran a barbeque selling burgers, hotdogs, soda and other game day favorites.

The game itself featured some intriguing highlights. On the first play from scrimmage, wide receiver Eddie Swinton, upon catching a quick pass from under 10 yards out, blazed his way across the field for a 75 yard touchdown for the Maroon squad. The White team responded in kind later in the quarter, adding a touchdown on a two-yard carry from running back Al-Shukar Pressley.

After the first quarter, however, both defenses dominated, shutting down their opponents frequently in their own zone, including multiple three-and-outs from both sides. The only offense generated the remainder of the contest were three Maroon field goals kicked in by John Westfield.

Down by seven with under two minutes left, the White team had the ball and a chance to tie with a touchdown. However, an interception with 12 seconds left sealed the scrimmage. Maroon came out on top 16-9.

As joyful as the fan experience was that Friday night, students, faculty and alumni can expect the experience to improve for future games. The entire bleachers and watchtower will be redone, providing better seating for fans as well as a more quality tech setup when games are live streamed next year. The players will be more prepared and experienced to put on strong performances upon hitting the field next semester. Also, with the student population continually growing, there will be even more fans excited to cheer on their football team.

The Eagles have three games remaining this year after this scrimmage. Two of them will be on the road against JV teams: at Muhlenberg On Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. and at Stevenson on Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. After that, the Eagles return home for their first true home game in school history against ASA Brooklyn, who has recently relaunched their football program for the first time since 2019, on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 12 p.m.

By: Will Cunningham

Homecoming Saturday at Eastern University not only featured the well-known homecoming dance, but also three home sports games for fans to attend. While field hockey and women’s soccer dropped the first two games respectively, men’s soccer put on a show for Eastern fans, dominating in a 7-1 victory over the Hood College Blazers.

The Eagles’ first conference win of the season was desperately needed considering their struggles to start the year. They had lost seven of their first 11 games, the last two being in conference, and all but two of those losses came by just one goal. The Eagles have been competitive with their talent all season, but they haven’t been able to capitalize on the opportunities given to them. In order to finish off more victories, something had to change.

To provide a spark, head coach Glodi Konga made some changes to the lineup. He inserted senior Tommaso Garavaglia and first year Andrew Potter, who have both come off the bench for most of the season, into the starting lineup as outside defenders to bolster the defense. He also moved Ryan Jammes to his more natural position of forward, in the hopes of maximizing the talent within the lineup.

These changes worked much better than anticipated, as the Eagles put together their most complete performance of the season. Multiple Eagles had tremendous performances on homecoming, including forward Evan Cope, who collected his first career hat trick with three goals on the day.

Ryan Jammes also thrived upon returning to the front row, chipping in an assist and what could be considered as the MAC Commonwealth goal of the week. Receiving a long serve pass from Nik Kokolios, he had a brilliant first touch off his chest to cross two Hood defenders before firing a powerful shot off his left foot into the bottom right corner of the net. First years Steven Fajardo and Matthew Capuano each scored their first goals of their collegiate careers, while Marino Iandolo chipped in his first goal of the season to wrap up the scoring. The Eagles outshot Hood 26-11 in the contest.

“Finishing was off-the-charts on Saturday,” Konga said. “The guys were very clinical with how they remained focused in and around the 18-yard box with the crosses and finishing in front of goal.”

As spectacular as the Eagles were on the offensive end, their defense was able to completely shut down Hood’s attack. Not only did Eastern hold Hood scoreless through the first 85 minutes, but they also held them to five shots all game, including none through the first 40 minutes of the second half. First year goalkeeper Ty Bleiler made three saves in the win.

“The guys played exceptionally well and came out fast executing a defensive game plan very well in terms of how we pressed and retained possession,” Konga said. “At the end of the day, we were hungry, and we knew that this was a game where we wanted to show what we can do and really just get an outcome that reflected how good we are.”

This match would prove to have provided a spark for the Eagles. The win kicked off a winning streak that featured a 4-1 win over Lebanon Valley on Tuesday, Oct. 11 with similar success on both ends just three days later. Should the Eagles keep up their strong offensive production, they have a shot to make the conference tournament for the first time since 2019. 

Eastern fans can watch the team continue this quest at home on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m., when they face off against York, who defeated the Eagles in last year’s match to set themselves up for an eventual berth in the conference tournament.

By: Will Cunningham

The Eastern University Athletic department has grown into a noteworthy program. It features over 300 student athletes competing on 19 different teams as full time members of the Middle Atlantic Conference. (A 20th team, football, will begin conference play next year.) Each of these sports requires different skill sets and methods of training. Soccer players need massive amounts of cardio endurance while basketball and volleyball favor players with higher vertical leaps and powerful arms.

In order to provide the necessary training effectively, Eastern has organized its own Strength and Conditioning team composed of highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals. Led by Brian Bingaman and Ross Weyandt, their mission is to “provide continuous development of the student athlete during and after their playing careers both athletically and personally,” as well as “provide a culture of accountability, respect, work ethic, commitment to self and team and service for others.”

Each member of the team has significant experience in this field that equips them for training our athletes. Weyandt and Bingaman, along with assistant Stefan Bergman, each have experience working with Division I programs. The staff also features former Eastern student athletes, such as assistant athletic trainer Bryan Mizell and intern Nate Portrey. 

It should be noted that most Division III schools do not have an entire team for strength and conditioning. Most schools as small as Eastern typically have assistant coaches or one staff member running strength and conditioning for each sport. Here, not only do we have several staff members solely focused on strength and conditioning, but they each have experience training in different sports. “We are fortunate enough to have what I feel is the best strength staff in the conference and one of the best in D3,” Bingaman said.

I had the opportunity to watch them at work on a Wednesday morning a couple of weeks ago. I attended the football team’s morning lift as well as men’s basketball’s afternoon workouts at the new training facility at the Valley Forge Military Academy campus. Each team had different routines led by different members of the staff.

However, one thing was common in each team session: the strength and conditioning staff took full and commanding charge of the players and their workouts, while the coaches sat back, giving only motivational support and small tips here and there.

I asked football head coach Billy Crocker to speak about the strength and conditioning team, and he mentioned that it is “absolutely critical to our development.” “Bing is as good as there is. I’d put him up against anybody in terms of his knowledge. There’s a guy like Ross, who’s super intelligent and relates well with the guys. And then the rest of their whole staff you know Spencer and some of the other guys it’s crazy that you know things are going to get done in there,” Crocker said.

As for the players themselves, they too have a sense of appreciation for the team and how they train and prepare them for games.

“I think the strength and conditioning staff is great,” men’s basketball guard Davin Hernandez said. “They made a few new additions this year with not only the new weight room but with new staff members, and they really want us to get better every single day.”