By David Weinberg
Happy New Year, everyone!
Sunday’s division-clinching Eagles victory over the hated Dallas Cowboys put the finishing touch on what was a tremendous year in sports.
From a swimming pool in Indianapolis to the beaches of Brigantine and various high school, college and professional arenas in between, local athletes and teams provided plenty of amazing achievements in 2024.
On a personal note, it’s been a pleasure to witness and chronicle some of these exploits for Shore Local News. And I’m looking forward to bringing you even more stories from the local sports landscape in 2025.
As the Eagles and several local NFL players wrap up their regular seasons and prepare for the playoffs, let’s take a look back at those feats that made last year so special.
Here’s one opinion, in reverse order, of the top local sports stories of 2024.
- Boxing returns to Tropicana: Local boxing promoter Larry Goldberg went back to his roots by staging three cards at Tropicana Atlantic City. Goldberg, an Atlantic City High School graduate and Margate native, ended a seven-year boxing drought at the Trop with his first show on May 11. He followed up with shows there in July and November and has plans for more events in 2025.
- Mainland returns to state final: This season was supposed to be part of rebuilding project for the Mainland Regional High School football team. A year after winning the state Group 4 championship, few expected the Mustangs to be able to repeat that success. Mainland defied expectations, however, winning a sectional title en route to reaching the state Group 3 title game.
A few local players also set records this season.
Atlantic City quarterback Kahjuan Roseborough threw six touchdown passes in a game. Vikings wide receiver Sah’nye Degraffenreidt, who is headed to Rutgers University in the fall, caught five of those passes to also set a local record.
- Avalon edges Brigantine to win S.J. Lifeguard Championship: One of the highlights of the summer at the Jersey Shore is always the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships and this year was no exception.
A huge crowd showed up at Brigantine’s 17th Street Beach in early August to watch the area’s top rowers and swimmers compete in the area’s most prestigious lifeguard race.
In the end, the Avalon’s Ryan Finnegan edged Brigantine’s Jack Savell in the singles row to give Avalon a one-point victory in the team race. Savell teamed with brother Joe to win the doubles row for the second straight year while Atlantic City’s Charles Schreiner repeated as swim champion.
- Like father, like son: Bruce Seldon Jr. was just a toddler when his father won the WBA world heavyweight championship in 1995. Nearly 30 years later, he’s decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Seldon, a Smithville resident and Absegami High School graduate, registered a first-round knockout in his pro debut in June and his now 4-0 with three knockouts heading into a January 18 bout in Philadelphia.
- Buena wrestler wins state title: Buena Regional High School sophomore Shea Aretz became just the second local girls wrestler to win a state championship when she earned the 132-pound title last March at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
Aretz joined 2023 120-pound champ Riley Lerner from Cedar Creek as the area’s only girls state winners.
Lerner, a four-time state finalist, finished second in her weight class 2024. She became the first local girls wrestler to earn 100 career wins, finishing with a 110-14 mark.
- Brotherly love comes to NFL: Cedar Creek graduate and Egg Harbor City resident Max Melton joined older brother Bo in the NFL this season as the Arizona Cardinals’ second-round draft pick.
Max, a former Rutgers University standout, became the first local player to be selected in the top two rounds of the NFL draft since defensive tackle Austin Johnson (St. Augustine Prep, Galloway Township) was taken in the second round by the Tennessee Titans in 2016.
Max and Bo, who is a second-year wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, also got to enjoy an interesting reunion this season when Max’s Cardinals played Bo’s Packers last October, with the Packers winning 34-16.
Speaking of Bo Melton and Johnson, both will be appearing in the upcoming playoffs.
Melton and the Packers are heading to the NFC playoffs as a wildcard team. They are tentatively the seventh seed and as such would be taking on the second-seeded Eagles in the first round.
Johnson is in his first season with the Buffalo Bills, who are the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
- ShopRite Classic draws big crowds again: The annual ShopRite LPGA Classic once again lived up to its reputation as the area’s top local sports event.
Sweden’s Linnea Strom shot a final-round 60 to climb from a tie for 52nd place after two rounds to the top of the leaderboard for the first time in her LPGA career at Seaview Golf Club in Galloway Township.
The tournament returns to Seaview on June 6-8, 2025.
- Phillies fall short in playoffs: The Phillies enjoyed a tremendous regular season, winning 95 games to finish first the N.L. East.
Sellout crowds filled Citizens Bank Park to watch Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and company.
That success turned out to be meaningless, however. Their quest to reach the World Series ended in the divisional round with three games to one loss to the rival New York Mets in their best-of-five series.
- Destin Lasco qualified for Olympic Trials: Mainland Regional graduate Destin Lasco enjoyed a spectacular swimming season for the University of California in 2023-24.
He won the 200-meter backstroke at the NCAA championships in Indianapolis for the third straight year, setting an NCAA and American record with a time of 1:35.37. He also took first in the 200 IM with an American record time of 1:37.91.
Lasco competed in 100 backstroke, 100 free style and 200 IM at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indy, but came up short in his bid to reach the Olympics.
Another local swimmer, Egg Harbor Township graduate Joey Tepper, competed in the 400 and 800 freestyles at the trials. The University of Tennessee standout also barely missed making the Olympics in open-water swimming.
- Fly, Eagles, Fly: The Eagles started 2024 in the midst of a slump last season that ended with a first-round playoff loss at Tampa Bay.
The Birds appear poised for better results this season. Last Sunday’s win over the Cowboys left them at the No. 2 seed entering the playoffs next week.
Running back Saquon Barkley has been a major factor in the turnaround in his first season with the team.
Barkley became the ninth running back in league history to reach 2,000 yards in a season last week and ended the Cowboys’ game with 2,005 yards.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points.
Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
