Armando Roberto Perez goes by many names. Armand. Bob. Opa. Mr. Soupy.
Perez, 70, is the longtime caretaker for Soupy Island, a public pool and park in West Deptford, best known for its century-old carousel, free soup, and the tall, enclosed slide guests glide down, crashing into sand.
Before Perez took the job 28 years ago, his father-in-law was caretaker, and before that, his grandfather-in-law. Managing the former 25-acre haven for sick and hungry kids has long been a family affair.
Soupy Island is open and free to the public three days a week from July to mid-August. For the rest of the year, it’s Perez’s job to keep the tuberculosis treatment center-turned-playground standing come summertime.
Lifeguard Alexandria Bright, 22, watches over swimmers in the main pool at Soupy Island. She is a niece of caretaker Bob Perez.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
He puts the picnic tables away, disconnects the piping and toilets, drains the pool, boards up the carousel, collects leaves, cuts the grass, weed-whacks, handles repairs, and takes on whatever else happens.
“If you’re not self-motivating, nothing’s going to get done,” Perez said.
On Wednesday, the second-to-last day of Soupy Island’s summer and what could be one of Perez’s last seasons as caretaker, 329 people had arrived by lunchtime.
At 11:45 a.m., the park’s amenities close like clockwork for lunch, until 1 p.m. Its 18 staff members ushered children and their families toward the middle of the park for Soupy Island’s controversial intermission: free hot soup, crackers, and milk, enjoyed (or not) in the August heat.
Syreeta Minor, 47, brought her daughter and her group of friends to Soupy Island for the first time after hearing about the destination on YouTube. Minor had no idea the park existed despite living in West Deptford, but she said she’ll likely be back.
A soupy history
Driving his golf cart across Soupy’s campus, Perez explained the park’s complicated history, in brief.
He pointed out the old European carousel, an early 20th-century relic that the National Carousel Association has been working to restore, and all the structures he’s fixed over the years. A chalk drawing made by his granddaughter, Izzy, on the wall of the soup house depicts Perez, “Opa,” at the top of a family tree with his wife, Denise.
Perez with a family tree drawn in chalk by his granddaughter Izzy when she was young.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The park’s roots trace back to 1877, when the Sanitarium Association of Philadelphia purchased land to create a playground and treatment center for kids with tuberculosis.
The hospital no longer exists, but remnants of its history remain. A public pool has replaced the hospital’s former basement. A brick building from the late 19th century still serves hot soup and snacks from its three windows. The medical staff quarters is where Perez now lives with his wife, free-of-charge, different from the life Perez imagined growing up in North Philly. He graduated from Frankford High School, didn’t go to college, and moved to Jersey when he got married in 1976.
“I came from nothing,” Perez said. “We had government food. We had government housing.”
Perez’s home is an old five-bedroom white house at the front of the park, paid for through an endowment set up by Soupy Island doctors more than a century ago. It’s spacious enough for Perez’s grand and great-grandkids when they visit.
The endowment is what keeps the park alive and has kept it going through decades of turmoil.
During the Great Depression, the Sanitarium Playground fed thousands per day. It was often the only place city children could get a hot meal, by taking a river boat from Penn Treaty pier down the Delaware River. For fun, Perez said, children swam on the river in wool bathing suits and overalls.
In the 1940s, during World War II, the U.S. military took over Soupy Island to protect the nearby shipyard, before the playground returned to its park and soup kitchen roots.
‘Working with my hands’
Despite its history, Perez said the island (which isn’t an island at all) has kept under the radar. When staff have to call the police to report vandalism or an incident, they don’t always know where to go.
“A lot of people don’t know about it. They say, ‘I never knew you were here,’” Perez said. “I got people around the corner who don’t even know we’re here.”
In many ways, that has been to Soupy’s benefit. The summer playground doesn’t have the staffing or space to accommodate huge crowds, and Perez does much of his work solo. Over the years, he’s had to keep up certifications as an amusement ride operator, a pool manager, a lifeguard, and a diver, on top of the mechanical skills he developed over his 24 years at Cherry Hill Volvo.
It was his father-in-law who pestered him to apply for Soupy Island, a career he didn’t want.
“I like working with my hands,” Perez said.
His grandson, Lucas Ngo, plans to take over when Perez retires. A mural of Ngo, now 22, is on the wall over by the big kid pool, painted by Perez when Ngo was still a child.
Lucas Ngo, now 22, and an employee at the at Soupy Island in West Deptford, N.J. is depicted on a mural at the swimming pool Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
On Wednesday, Ngo, who originally planned to pursue car mechanic work, prepared the daily soup, chicken noodle, in a giant vat as visitors trickled toward the house. An unfamiliar clanging came from the soup area.
“Now that noise? Open the valve,” Perez instructed, then laughed. “There you go. You get to know the sounds of the things.”
‘A rite of passage’
Lifeguard Ali Bright, 22, placed spoons as Perez scooped soup during Soupy Island’s daily lunchtime ritual. Fellow lifeguard Madi Hogan, 17, carried the trays to a cooling rack, then to the windows to serve a line of people outside.
“It’s like a rite of passage in this family,” said Bright, Perez’ niece. She’s worked at Soupy every summer since she was 14. “This is my little oasis away from my real life.”
Perez in the kitchen of the original building where the camp still serves free soup lunches every day. The kettles are at right and the same shelves for cooling the soup are at left. Kids still line up for lunch at the windows in rear. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The lifelong connection to the playground is typical for staff. Hogan’s great-grandmother used to come to Soupy Island as a child. Marielle Lewis, 17, used to come to the park for soup when she was little, since her aunt lives nearby. Now, she’s worked as a lifeguard for two years.
“It’s kind of weird now that I get to see everything that I wanted to see when I was a kid,” Lewis said.
For now, the group is using their remaining soup supply donated by The Campbell’s Company last year. In the 2000s, the company paid for a new jungle gym, volleyball court, basketball court, and more at Soupy Island and continued its contributions through food since, even though Campbell’s has no true affiliation with the playground despite its name.
But this season, Campbell Soup didn’t donate goods, Perez said, who added that one season’s worth of soup costs the park more than $8,000.
The Food Pantry of South Jersey in Pennsauken has stepped up, though, by providing Soupy Island with thousands of shelf-stable meals to distribute to visitors.
“Sometimes a lot of these people go through trials, and come in here just to chill a little bit,” Perez said. “You don’t know what the other person’s going through.”
Once Ngo takes over, Perez still plans to help out where he can, just with less physical labor. Plus, he’ll hopefully get to do more home remodeling on the side, and take more consistent naps, his favorite part of the day.
“I try to do it around three,” Perez said, a dream. “But it doesn’t happen.”
After years of scattered discussion and debate, the future of Collingswood’s long-standing status as a dry town is officially in the hands of voters.
The Collingswood Board of Commissioners passed a resolution Wednesday to add the question to the borough’s general election ballot in November, just days ahead of the Aug. 21 deadline giving the Camden County Clerk’s Office enough time to put it on the ballot.
The three-person board was required to adopt the resolution after residents submitted a petition in favor of adding the ballot question that was signed by at least 15% of borough voters who participated in the last general election.
Of the more than 1,100 signatures submitted, the borough verified that 1,019 came from recent Collingswood voters, officials said Wednesday, just eight more than the number of valid signatures required to place the referendum in front of voters.
The signatures were collected in a hurry over the last three weeks by Booze on the Ballot, a group of residents who, after years of what they viewed as unproductive back-and-forth on the issue among borough officials, got together to finally give voters the chance to settle the debate, organizer Joe Sperlunto said.
The bipartisan group did not explicitly take a position on the issue but rather emphasized this as an opportunity for residents to decide for themselves what they want for the future of their community.
“We’ve just seen it kicked around a lot for a long time, and we just felt like it was time for the community to make a decision about it,” Sperlunto said.
Petitioners equipped with clipboards and pens fanned out across town, collecting signatures wherever they could — among the crowds at the popular Saturday farmers market, in front of businesses along Haddon Avenue, and even knocking door to door, Sperlunto said.
After the resolution was approved, Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward noted that as Election Day approaches, there will be informational sessions for voters to learn more about the referendum as well as any others that may be on the ballot.
“Just to give everyone the facts and the information,” Solano-Ward said.
“You make your decisions as you wish, but we want to make sure that you have information from us as to what is real, what is not real,” she said. She added, for example, that BYOBs will still be permitted in the borough if liquor licenses are issued, contrary to a popular misconception.
What could allowing liquor licenses mean for Collingswood?
Repealing Collingswood’s liquor license ban would represent a historic shift for a borough that has prohibited alcohol sales by ordinance since the 19th century, linking back to its Quaker heritage.
If the ban were lifted, the borough would have two options for how to award licenses, borough solicitor Caitlin Harney Norcia said during a commissioners meeting earlier this year.
Collingswood could award licenses in a competitive bidding process, which could generate one-time revenue for Collingswood’s budget, she said, or the borough could enact an application and review process that includes annual fees and public presentations by prospective licensees.
The number of liquor licenses permitted within the borough is limited by a state-mandated population-based cap. If voters decide to lift the ban, Collingswood could issue either a single distribution license for a liquor store or up to four retail consumption licenses that permit restaurants or bars to serve alcohol.
Annual licensing and renewal fees could generate between $1,000 and $10,000 for the borough each year, Harney Norcia said.
Proponents of lifting the longtime ban see liquor licenses as an opportunity to bolster Collingswood’s local restaurants while generating revenue for the borough.
At the same time, borough administrator Cassandra Duffey previously told The Inquirer, some business owners are worried that existing Collingswood restaurants would be overlooked for licenses awarded through the public bidding process.
If alcohol sales are ultimately permitted, Duffey said, the borough will work to not “disrupt the balance” of its established businesses.
Just a few miles down the White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights is preparing to sell its first retail liquor license at a public auction next month after getting rid of its de facto ban on alcohol sales in 2024.
The efforts in both towns appear to be in line with goals set forth in legislation signed in 2024 by then-Gov. Phil Murphy to increase the availability and affordability of liquor licenses statewide. The measure was touted as an unprecedented reform of New Jersey’s liquor laws, which have been criticized as being arcane and antiquated.
Both astronomy and meteorology suggest that it won’t be long before these things decline in frequency, but in the meantime another flash-flood watch is in effect for the Philly region.
A tornado watch also was posted for Philadelphia and the neighboring Pennsylvania counties.
The National Weather Service watch spans from noon Thursday until 2 a.m. Friday, for the potential for rain rates of 2-to-4 inches an hour in areas along I-95 and South Jersey.
And the federal Storm Prediction Center has posted a severe-thunderstorm watch, in effect until 10 p.m., for storms that could kick up gusts approaching 60 mph.
“There could be multiple rounds of heavy rain over urbanized areas,” said Joe Wegman, a meteorologist with the government’s Weather Prediction Center. In advance of the anticipated main events, a blob of light rain moved through the region late Thursday morning.
Also, the federal Storm Prediction Center sees an outside chance of severe-level storms, those with gusts near 60 mph, and a 5% chance of tornadoes in and around Philly.
And those who have not had the good fortune of spending the last two months in heat-free and smokeless environments probably can skip the next paragraph.
The timing, ferocity, rain totals, and targets all remain uncertain.
What is the best estimate on the storm timing in Philly?
The higher-resolution models were suggesting that the likeliest time for storms to arrive in the Philly region would be between 2 and 3 p.m. Thursday, Wegman said.
The worst of it may hold off until 4 or 5 p.m., said Matt Benz, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.
The storms likely would back off between 6 and 7 p.m., but that timing could disrupt a peak commuting period.
“Why would we conveniently time these things?” Wegman quipped.
“There’s plenty of moisture coming up, and a front approaching from the west,” he said. “If the front stalls, the storms might linger longer than people want them to.”
Plus, renegade storms could race out ahead of the front, setting off precipitation earlier, he added, and that appeared to be case Thursday.
The weather service in Mount Holly said the “greatest risk” for severe storms would be between noon and 10 p.m.
But timing remains one of the most vexing challenges for severe-weather forecasting, says Bill Bunting, deputy director of the storm center, in Norman, Okla.
“I have seen remarkable progress,” said Bunting, who has been at it for 40 years, “but we’re nowhere near perfection. In the end, the science has its limitations.”
The forecast for the weekend and the rest of August
The storm experts have had plenty of practice around here this summer. So far, Philadelphia officially has recorded 21 thunderstorms since June 1, several more than normal.
It has also been a banner summer for smartphone alerts and assorted scare grams.
About 11 inches of rain has been measured at Philadelphia International Airport, roughly four inches above normal, since July 1.
That said, yes, both Chester County and the entire state of New Jersey remain under state-declared drought warnings, with residents asked to conserve water.
And drier times may be coming, or at least a reduced incidence of those late-day thunderstorms, said Brian Hurley, senior branch forecaster with the Weather Prediction Center.
The days are getting shorter, and the sun is losing some of the gas it uses to fuel convective storms, he said.
But all pumpkin spice aside, summer is not quite over, and shower chances are in the forecast into Sunday night.
The financial struggles of a once-popular theater in Collingswood have spiraled into debate over who runs it in the first place and whether taxpayers should have paid millions of dollars to keep it afloat.
Collingswood Borough has rented the property housing the Scottish Rite Auditorium, which seats 1,050, for $1 annually from the Scottish Rite Freemasons for 23 years.
But Collingswood officials say they are looking to transfer management of the Scottish Rite — one of the largest theaters in South Jersey and once host to major touring acts like Kansas, David Crosby, and America — to Camden County after declining ticket sales left the onus on Collingswood to pay for expenses in recent years.
Commissioner Jim Maley, a former mayor and a Democratic member of borough government for the last 37 years, said post-pandemic theater losses have cost the borough $505,000 since 2020.
Maley helped found the nonprofit that manages the Scottish Rite property, Collingswood Foundation for the Arts, with the help of two former officials back in 1999. The foundation, which Maley said was created to secure arts grants for Collingswood, has long received the borough’s financial support without question.
That changed recently.
At a heated meeting of Collingswood’s three-person board of commissioners on Aug. 3, the public demanded to know who runs the Scottish Rite, whether it is really part of the borough, and, if not, why taxpayers are paying for it, especially when Collingwood schools are struggling.
Now, residents and at least one commissioner are scrambling to find answers, while Maley says the new round of questioning is just another effort by naysayers to undermine him.
What changed?
On July 31, a website by an anonymous user went live: “The Scottish Rite. Who actually runs it?”
The site, with a corresponding Google Drive of public documents, alleges that Maley and other officials created a conflict of interest by authorizing millions in payments and loans to Collingswood Foundation for the Arts, Maley’s brainchild, since 2003.
The conflict-of-interest accusation is not the first in Collingswood.
Maley said the theater issue is another example of meaningless attacks against him. The foundation managing the Scottish Rite is part of the borough, he said, and thus deserves its dollars.
Who runs the Scottish Rite?
Maley begins his account of the theater in 2003, when the Collingswood Foundation for the Arts gained control of the Scottish Rite. That is also when the borough secured a lease for the property and entered into a management agreement for the theater with the nonprofit.
The Collingswood Foundation for the Arts, which manages the Scottish Rite Auditorium and the Collingswood Grand Ballroom at 315 White Horse Pike, was the subject of recent confusion at a Collingswood commissioners meeting on Aug. 3, 2026.Sarah Nicell
Maley and his fellow commissioners passed an ordinance at that point to borrow $5 million in bonds to fund a loan to the foundation for renovations to the Scottish Rite. The loan was never paid back, Maley said, since there was no expectation the nonprofit would do so.
At first, Maley said, borough employees ran the theater.
But when the nonprofit made more money, its staff — one full-time employee and four regular part-timers, with 20 or more brought in specifically for events — switched to the foundation’s payroll, a change confirmed by Elizabeth Pigliacelli, Collingswood’s chief financial officer.
The borough allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars in its annual budgets for the theater’s operating expenses, insurance, and utilities, and the nonprofit repaid Collingswood at the end of each year.
That is, until the pandemic hit.
Deficits at the theater left the borough paying $250,000 and $55,000 in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The theater managed to power through for the next three years, but the borough had to pay the theater $200,000 in 2025 to keep it afloat, along with $100,000 to apply for a state grant for renovations to the property. That grant has not been awarded.
A 2007 management agreement on the borough website, the most recent available, says the foundation should pay for its own operations. Still, Maley said, the borough “has always been ultimately responsible.”
A duty to understand
Some residents say public records muddy Maley’s picture.
Unlike other borough entities, the foundation has not hosted regular board meetings for two years, according to Maley. Those meetings have never been public.
And while the borough rents the Scottish Rite property, the municipality’s public works department does not maintain it. On an Aug. 14 visit to the theater, Jimni Kricket, a South Jersey landscaping business, was doing outdoor work. The company is owned by Paula Lara, the executive director of Collingswood Foundation for the Arts.
“Public works does all municipal properties,” Commissioner Amy Henderson Riley said in a text, “except you’re correct that her company has the contract for that property. why? I don’t know.”
When the commissioners were asked on Aug. 3 who sits on the board, no one could answer.
Maley later told The Inquirer the board is made up of Collingwood’s current elected officials, but Mayor Solano-Ward and Henderson Riley, both Democrats elected last year, said they were not aware of that arrangement.
“If I don’t understand the relationship, how the heck is the public supposed to understand what this is?” Henderson Riley said.
Henderson Riley said she started questioning the nonprofit when she spotted a bill in the treasurer’s July report for the foundation’s “legal fees,” more than $2,300. The meeting minutes are not yet public, but Henderson Riley said she voted against the payment, and the bill was not paid.
The nonprofit was sued in January by Chammings Electric, a Vineland-based company, for thousands in unpaid bills for work at the Scottish Rite. The lawsuit, the second against the foundation since 2024, is ongoing.
Henderson Riley said she sought legal advice from the borough solicitor, Caitlin Harney Norcia, but Harney Norcia told her she could not answer because the nonprofit has paid her for attorney services.
“I just want to understand,” Henderson Riley said. “If it’s part of the Borough, I have a fiduciary duty to protect our assets, to understand what this is.”
In the meantime, Henderson Riley said, she has sought special counsel to help resolve the problem, which she said will likely take weeks.
The foundation’s nonprofit status also complicates the puzzle.
The foundation’s tax-exempt status was revoked by the IRS in 2024, since the nonprofit had failed to file its annual reports since 2020. Maley said that the missed deadlines were mistakes and that he has since filed them to hopefully re-up the foundation’s tax exemption.
New Jersey law confirming whether a municipality can create and run a nonprofit is hard to find.
But in a 2017 notice, the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services published its view, after some officials raised questions about whether a government can establish a charity. Municipalities are not allowed to create or operate nonprofits, and while local officials can facilitate the creation of a local nonprofit, the notice states they cannot “control its operations” by using taxpayer dollars.
The notice also said local officials cannot appoint government officials or staff as the majority of the nonprofit’s board.
Still, Maley said the nonprofit’s creation was facilitated by municipal lawyers. Several South Jersey attorneys specializing in municipal government declined to comment or said they could not due to their work with Collingswood Borough.
Lara did not return requests for comment.
‘Pass the buck’
Kate Delany, president of South Jersey Progressive Democrats and a Collingswood resident since 2007, was one of several people to demand answers at the Aug. 3 commissioners meeting.
“There are better ways to spend that money if we could get some of that back in our community,” Delany said.
Schools are one clear area in need of money, Delany said.
Maley said Collingswood has started conversations with Camden County to shift ownership “because they have a greater ability to handle the expense.”
Dan Keashen, a Camden County spokesperson, said nothing has been decided yet, since preliminary conversations have not begun. But some Collingswood residents do not want the theater to trade hands, since they worry about losing their chance at answers.
Delany, whose polling place is at the Scottish Rite, said Collingswood should not “pass the buck” to the county.
“That’s something we want to stop,” Delany said. “It’s a Collingswood issue, and we want it to stay in Collingswood.”
As we alluded to last week, we at Down the Shore are moving from complaints and pet peeves to soliciting solutions, including from our text group, The Shore Line.
We received many ideas, mostly grouped around a few big problems: parking and cars, costs, public access, plus some thoughts on restaurants.
Several proposed off-island parking and shuttles to reduce the number of cars on barrier islands. One suggested congestion pricing for cars on the islands, or beach tags for cars (oof). Another idea: beach tags that could be used in any town, like a museum pass.
Kenneth Lacovara, founding executive director of Rowan University’s Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, said in an interview that, while not questioning that the father-son team found the Megalodon tooth as they said, there is no chance the tooth originated in Sea Isle.
“I don’t see how a Megalodon tooth could naturally occur on the coast of Sea Isle City.”
Deposits from the Megalodon’s Miocene epoch would be 500 to 600 feet under the sea along this part of the coast, Lacovara said, as the cakelike geographic layers get deeper and deeper as you head from, say, Philadelphia, down to Sea Isle.
Even with ocean dredging for beach replenishment, Megalodon shark teeth fossils from that depth would not surface.
“That fossil didn’t come from Sea Isle City,” Lacovara said.
Michael Bowers, 42, said he discovered the fossil while visiting Sea Isle City with Bo, 11, a dirt bike rider, who documented the find on his YouTube channel, Fastkid71. They sought out experts from the Cape May Whale Watch & Research Center and from the New Jersey State Museum, who validated the tooth’s authenticity.
“I’m not suggesting they are faking it,” Lacovara said. “That Megalodon tooth is not there naturally. It was maybe dropped by somebody, or lost by somebody. It’s more like finding a treasure than a paleontological discovery.
Mystery unlocked? Or deepened? I’m just the messenger!
📮 Have ideas or news tips about the Shore or this newsletter? Thoughts about the Megalodon? More suggestions for improving the Shore experience? Send them to me here.
🌧️ A little rain in the forecast but not a washout.
The wind shifted to a cool ocean breeze just before dusk on Aug. 17, 2026, in Ventnor, N.J.Amy S. Rosenberg / staff
Your thoughts on: Shore fixes
Jenifer Baldwin says towns should focus on sustainability and public access:
Make townships responsible for providing public parking and public restrooms with outdoor showers and changing rooms. Start working toward zoning that requires new development to include affordable public accommodations (motels, campgrounds, public beach facilities). Get creative about linking our barrier islands with alternative modes of transportation. Go car free in designated areas.
Kara Cumiskey says the problem is “cars, cars, cars.”
I think that there should be a “beach tag” for cars. Or some type of “congestion pricing” for bringing your car onto the Island. I have a rental property that has 4 bedrooms. The tenants this week brought 7 cars.
One texter thinks Shore towns need to add a golf cart lane.
Maybe either a lane or certain streets to use golf carts. It is horrifying the way people pack kids in them and drive in traffic. Many do not drive safely either. Toddlers sitting on someone’s lap or just on a seat!
Several texters, like this one, urged everyone to just … be nicer.
It really comes down to respecting one another and that starts at home. I know I sound like an old head (I’m only 45) but it’s what is wrong with the world today.
🧠 Trivia time
Kevin Pellegrini was first with the answer to Avalon’s old white underaged drinker roundup bus, the Magic Bus.
This week’s question:
This beach town established its beach patrol in 1855, making it the oldest operational beach patrol in the country and the future home of an International Lifeguard Museum.
Which town is it?
A. Wildwood, N.J.
B. Rehoboth Beach, Del.
C. Atlantic City, N.J.
D. Huntington Beach, Ca.
If you think you know the answer, email us. First one gets a shout-out.
Your Shore memory
Not to shock everyone with a winter memory, but it’s almost Labor Day! This is from Lisa Guercio.
The best off season Shore memory was a weekend special at the Bolero Hotel in Wildwood. It was a snowy weekend with my first walk on the beach with snow over the sand. We also got to swim in the indoor pool on the roof while the snow was falling, which was a thrill. There were also ice chunks in the ocean that were a wonderful sight. The shore in off season is better than summer, as far as I’m concerned. Especially now that it so unaffordable during the summer season anyway.
These are the Philly area’s best athletes under 25 years old.
By
Inquirer Sports Staff
Published
The Philadelphia area's sports scene is on the rise — and we're not talking about the addition of LeBron James to the city's professional ranks.
The region's professional sports franchises are only part of the picture. There also are athletes enrolled in the area's many colleges and universities, a wealth of talent at the high school and amateur levels, and others who dominate individual sports like boxing or figure skating. We decided it was about time to spotlight some of the best.
Welcome to The Inquirer's first 25 Under 25 list, highlighting the region's best athletes under the age of 25.
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The criteria is simple. To qualify for our list, an athlete must:
Be under 25 as of July 1, 2026, and
Currently reside in or train in the Philadelphia area (the city, collar counties, or South Jersey) and/or play for one of the area's colleges or professional teams (including their minor league affiliates).
That second rule means that high school students from the Class of 2026 are ineligible, since many have already arrived on their respective college campuses across the country. A few of them can be found on our list of the best players fromhere, which includes Philly athletes playing elsewhere. However, there is one exception this year, which we'll explain when we get there.
With those qualifications in mind, we went searching for the best of the best. And after much debate among our sports editors, we came away with 25 athletes who truly show the region's depth of talent at every level across a variety of sports. Here they are, presented in alphabetical order.
Jasmine Bascoe
Age: 20
Jasmine Bascoe was an all-conference selection for Villanova as a freshman in 2024-25 after leading the Wildcats with 16.2 points and 4.3 assists per game in 34 games.
Bascoe, who’s from the Toronto area, followed a stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign, again leading the team in points (18.9) and assists (4.8) per game. She was the Big East’s leading scorer last season, beating UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Bascoe led Denise Dillon’s Wildcats back to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a two-season drought, and the Wildcats retained Bascoe for a third season. If Bascoe takes another step forward, Villanova could be a team to watch in March.
“Denise, she trusts me, and I have all my trust in her, so I’ll do whatever she needs me to do,” Bascoe said ahead of her sophomore season. “I love it in Philly — nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Bascoe’s Villanova inspiration
Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe is having an impressive freshman season. She draws inspiration from a Wildcats legend.
She watched Jalen Brunson from home in Canada and hopes to shape her game around his. So far, it's paying off for her and the Wildcats.
Justin Crawford
Age: 22
Justin Crawford, one of the Phillies’ top five prospects entering the year, made his big league debut on opening day and has appeared in all but 10 games so far this season. Heading into play Wednesday, Crawford is slashing .270/.316/.361 as a rookie, and, after an early adjustment period at the plate, has hit .305 since June 1. The center fielder's defense also has steadily improved.
As for his struggles against left-handed pitching, which relegated him to a platoon role earlier in the season, Crawford hopes to pick the brain of new teammate Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champ and two-time Silver Slugger. And like Crawford, Arraez is a lefty who hits for average. Since Arraez’s arrival earlier this month, Crawford has been even better, slashing .342/.381/.500.
Commentary from David Murphy
Justin Crawford delights his dad Carl and showed the Phillies the weapon they might have in the nine-hole
Crawford didn’t just perform as advertised on opening day. He showed the value of what was advertised.
story continues after advertisement
Reese D’Ariano
Age: 17
The youngest member of the current United States field hockey team, Reese D’Ariano has plenty of international experience at just 17 years old. Before the field hockey World Cup in Belgium, D’Ariano won two gold medals with USA field hockey, including at the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup in Calgary, Canada, where she was named tournament MVP. D’Ariano, who is a rising senior at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School and committed to the University of North Carolina, is one of the top prospects in her class.
Before she began training with WC Eagles, her field hockey club, D’Ariano would train at a multipurpose field with her mother while her brother had swim practice. “Obviously, the progression was slow if you saw it day to day,” D’Ariano said. “But as the weeks and months went on, it was a pretty drastic change in how I progressed.”
Climbing the ranks
Reese D’Ariano embraces role as youngest player on USA field hockey’s World Cup roster
The 17-year-old, West Chester native was 9 the last time the U.S. women’s national team qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup. This will mark her biggest stage, and she's looking to contribute.
Riley Davis
Age: 16
Entering her senior year at Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, Riley Davis is the top-ranked lacrosse player in the Class of 2027, according to Inside Lacrosse. The five-star recruit and Penn State commit is a two-way midfielder for the Irish and also plays on the school’s varsity basketball team.
Riley’s father, Ben, played seven years in the MLB as a catcher. Her mother, Megan, was a two-sport athlete at Rutgers. Her brother, Tague, set Louisville’s freshman home run record (18) last year and led the nation in home runs (34) as a sophomore. Her older sister, Finley, is entering her freshman year at Furman, where she will play lacrosse after playing with Riley at Notre Dame.
Despite all that competition, Riley is considered the most athletic in a family of high-level athletes. “Riley is the best athlete in the family,” Ben told The Inquirer in April.
A family of stars
Former MLB catcher Ben Davis’ family is full of athletes. His daughter, Riley, might be the best.
Riley Davis is ranked as the No. 1 lacrosse player in the class of 2027. Her mother, Megan, and older sister, Finley, are “the anchor and the force” that guided her success.
Cooper DeJean
Age: 23
Securing your first career pick-six in the Super Bowl on your birthday is the kind of story dreams are made of. But that’s Cooper DeJean’s real life. DeJean, however, is much more than just that moment. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as the league’s best slot cornerback in 2025. He’s also one heck of a basketball player.
Now, he is taking on a new role as a safety in Vic Fangio’s base defense. He’ll still see the majority of his snaps in the slot, but his growing positional versatility is a testament to his skill as he becomes one of the Eagles’ most important players.
“Playing nickel in this defense is kind of like playing safety in a lot of ways,” DeJean said. “A lot of the techniques are pretty similar.”
DeJean’s making moves
How Cooper DeJean’s ‘first love’ of basketball helped set him on a path to the Eagles
Growing up in small-town Iowa, playing multiple sports was the norm. But DeJean stood out, especially on the basketball court, and he has the highlight reel to prove it.
Audrey Derivaux
Age: 17
A four-time world junior swimming champion, Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux was the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027. But Derivaux recently reclassified to the Class of 2026 to start her collegiate swimming journey at Texas a year earlier than expected. Derivaux shared the news on her social media with an Instagram post captioned, “See you in August, Austin! Can’t wait to rep the Longhorns next season!”
(Editor’s note: Derivaux reclassified to 2026 after our list was complete.)
Derivaux, who turned 17 earlier this month, in 2024 was the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012 when she was 14 years old. She competed in the women's 400 individual medley, but fell short of earning a spot in Paris. In July, she competed in the USA Swimming national championship, finished with the second-best time in the 100-meter butterfly, and won a trio of under-18 events (the women’s 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the women’s 400-meter individual medley).
Derivaux on the rise
Meet Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux, the 14-year-old who’s swimming’s next rising star
The rising sophomore at Haddonfield Memorial High School became the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012. Could the 2028 Olympics be next?
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Natalie Dove
Age: 24
Since her professional debut in 2023, Natalie Dove is undefeated in nine fights — with two knockouts and five unanimous decisions. Dove, a super flyweight, remained undefeated in her most recent bout, an eight-round slugfest against Maria Micheo Santizo in April that ended with a split decision.
“No Love” Dove initially was exposed to the sport as a self-defense method and started sparring in Philadelphia at 14. She fought in amateur tournaments and trained as a hopeful for the 2020 Olympics before turning pro. Since May 2025, Dove has fought for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. She credits her toughness in the ring to her upbringing in Philly gyms and learning to hold her own “in a gym full of grown men that … talk [trash] the entire time.”
“I really don’t care what anyone says,” Dove said last year. “If anything, I’m probably the biggest bully in the gym. I think it just made me tougher and it made boxing fun for me.”
When Doves fly
How Philly’s Natalie Dove went from shadow boxing in her sleep to fighting with Jake Paul’s promotion
The 23-year-old Philly native had Olympic dreams. Now, she's preparing to face Randee Lynn Morales on Saturday for Jake Paul's MVP.
VJ Edgecombe
Age: 21
By the end of his first professional game, VJ Edgecombe already had flashed his star potential. The No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting and is set to start alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James. But don’t let him slip under the radar behind those huge names.
Edgecombe averaged 16 points per game last season and performed even better in the critical stretch in which Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George were sidelined. Brown, whose Celtics were eliminated in seven games by the Sixers, praised Edgecombe as a difference-maker in that first-round series. His teammates agree.
“He’s the guy,” Embiid said after the Sixers’ season ended. “I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different, and this was only Year 1. Year 2 is going to be better.”
Sixers’ future is now
‘I want us to go down in history’: Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe’s bond will shape the Sixers’ future
Maxey and Edgecombe have served as the life source of this Sixers season. The franchise will likely will go as far as they can take them — now and in the years to come.
Tyson Foerster
Age: 24
Before an upper-body injury sidelined Tyson Foerster for 49 games, the winger was on pace for career-best numbers with 13 goals in 29 games thanks to a shot head coach Rick Tocchet called “really elite.” The Flyers signed Foerster to an eight-year extension this offseason, so, barring a trade, the winger will be in Philadelphia for years to come. He couldn’t be happier.
“For me, I love Philadelphia, and I love playing with these guys,” he said. “They asked me if I would look to extend this year, and it was a no-brainer for me. I mean, I don’t play hockey for the money, so it’s all fun, and just happy to be here, hopefully, for the next nine years.”
Foerster’s big payday
Tyson Foerster talks lucrative extension with the Flyers: ‘It was a no-brainer for me’
Foerster missed 49 games because of injury a season ago, but cited his love of the Flyers and his teammates for why he inked an extension perhaps ahead of schedule.
Colton Hiller
Age: 16
Colton Hiller, the No. 2 player in the Class of 2028, is a 6-foot-7 small forward for Coatesville. In his sophomore season, he averaged 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.8 steals. Ahead of his junior year, Hiller is uncommitted but holds offers from more than 15 schools, including Villanova and Penn State. Last summer, he was part of the gold-medal winning Team USA at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup, where he averaged 13 points in six games.
In his two seasons with the Red Raiders, the five-star recruit has already surpassed 1,000 career points. He plays travel basketball in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, representing the 17-and-under PSA Cardinals, based in New York.
Despite having ‘a lot of eyes on me,’ hoops star Colton Hiller plans to stay at Coatesville
The 15-year-old, who’s nationally ranked, just wrapped up a stellar sophomore season. With the spotlight only getting bigger, Hiller has remained committed to developing in his hometown.
Maxwell Hiller
Age: 17
Maxwell Hiller — yes, he’s Colton’s older brother — also is a five-star recruit, but not in basketball. The Coatesville offensive lineman is entering his senior year and is the top-ranked interior O-lineman in the nation and No. 2 player overall for the Class of 2027, according to 247Sports. With more than 40 college offers, Hiller received his first college offer in eighth grade from Penn State. In April, the 6-foot-5 lineman committed to Florida.
“I don’t even watch the play, I just watch [Max],” Colton said of his brother. “I definitely like when he gets people on the ground, just pancakes, and that’s probably my favorite part.”
Max also played basketball, using it as a way to stay in shape, and even received an offer to play college hoops at La Salle.
Two Hillers are better than one
Meet Coatesville High’s Maxwell and Colton Hiller, who are rising stars in different sports
Max is a rising junior and ranked as one of the best offensive tackles in the country. Colton, who recently turned 15, is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard ranked No. 4 in his class.
Salman Khalil
Age: 21
Cairo-born Salman Khalil has been a standout in squash for Penn since he joined the Quakers in 2023. He was the Ivy League’s Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 and was the conference’s Player of the Year as a sophomore. Khalil, a rising senior, has been a standout for Penn as it has claimed its first two Potter Cups as the collegiate squash national champion in his first two seasons.
As a sophomore, Khalil became the first Quaker to claim the individual national championship (Pool Trophy) and the Potter Cup in the same season — and he did it while fasting for Ramadan. In addition to his career at Penn, Khalil is No. 52 in the squash world rankings. He holds a 42-16 record in noncollegiate events.
Khalil’s big win for Penn
Penn captured another national squash title even as three players fasted for Ramadan
Salman Khalil clinched the Potter Cup national team championship by beating Yale's Tad Carney. Khalil, Marwan Abdelsalam, and Omar Hafez of the Quakers were fasting during the final.
Makai Lemon
Age: 22
Makai Lemon, the Eagles’ first-round pick in 2026, hasn’t played a snap in the NFL yet. But with A.J. Brown gone, the rookie has big shoes to fill and a big opportunity in front of him. At Southern Cal, he averaged 14.6 yards per catch and racked up 1,156 receiving yards in 12 games in his final season. Lemon is known for his elite ball skills, despite being just 5-foot-11, on the smaller side for a receiver. He suffered an injury that sidelined him during minicamp and has been dealing with a hamstring injury during training camp. But when it’s time for him to take the field, Eagles fans will be “getting a dawg,” Lemon told the crowd on draft night.
“You drafted the guy that’s going to match the city’s intensity when it comes to pro football,” said Ray Fenton, Lemon’s former coach at Los Alamitos High School, located outside Los Angeles.
What Lemon brings
What the film says about Eagles first-round draft pick Makai Lemon
What does the newest Eagles wideout do well, and how does it fit in the new-look scheme?
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Isabeau Levito
Age: 19
Isabeau Levito became a household name this winter as one of the “Blade Angels,” the women’s figure skaters representing the U.S. at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She missed out on the podium, but she still got to bask in the experience of being an Olympian.
“It was just so cool with all these athletes from different sports all in one place,” Levito said. “It was very magical, and it was a dream come true.”
The South Jersey native also skated to a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Championships in March. Levito has eight podium finishes at major events in her career, including silver at the 2024 World Championships and gold at the 2023 U.S. Championship. And she’s already started teasing her next routine.
What’s next for Isabeau?
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito reached the peak this year with the Olympics. She wants more.
The Olympics were "very magical and a dream come true," Levito said. But she also wished she pushed herself more and is eager to get back to training and up her content for next season.
Porter Martone
Age: 19
Porter Martone, who got his start blasting holes in the wall of his parents’ basement before starring at Michigan State, made an immediate impact following his NHL debut, with 10 points in his nine regular-season games. After the Flyers’ season ended in the second round against Carolina, Martone joined Team Canada at World Championships and got ice time on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby, scoring one goal and four assists in 10 games.
“He wants to be out there when the game’s on the line,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s unflappable.”
Martone’s origin story
Flyers rookie Porter Martone blasted holes in his parents’ basement before becoming an NHL phenom
The teenager has taken the NHL by storm in the playoffs. He honed his scoring touch growing up in Ontario, firing slap shots in the basement and beating "Jeff" the goalie in his backyard.
Matvei Michkov
Age: 21
Matvei Michkov’s sophomore NHL season was a bit turbulent, but the 21-year-old’s potential is sky-high, if his post-Olympic break stretch leading the team in points is any indication. At his best, the winger is a game-breaker and an elite talent the Flyers desperately need.
“He knows he needs to improve off the ice in his training — and that’s not a secret — he’s admitted that himself. … So, the big thing for Matvei is adapting," general manager Danny Brière said.
Coming to America
Matvei Michkov is 5,100 miles away from his home in Russia. But in Philly, ‘life has become easier.’
The 21-year-old's adjustment to North American culture, the English language, and the NHL is ongoing. But the Flyers winger is starting to feel more comfortable on and off the ice.
Quinyon Mitchell
Age: 25
Quinyon Mitchell is the oldest player on our list and the only one who has already turned 25 — he beat our cutoff date by about two weeks — but the Eagles cornerback is more than deserving. He won the Super Bowl and was runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and has just kept improving.
Mitchell was named first-team All-Pro in his second season and was ranked 47th on the NFL’s top 100 Players of 2026 by his peers, and there’s still room for him to grow. Mitchell’s lockdown coverage makes him a ball repellent. He was targeted just 85 times last year and gave up 36 catches for 451 yards and one touchdown. But in two NFL seasons, Mitchell still hasn’t picked off a pass in the regular season. He’s hoping to change that in 2026.
“I’ve been working with the staff on catching and eye placement and stuff like that, so I just need to get better,” Mitchell said.
Commentary from Marcus Hayes
Quinyon Mitchell looked like an All-Pro vs. the Lions. His Florida family and friends were there to see it.
The Eagles cornerback allowed zero catches against Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jared Goff, and the highest-scoring offense in the NFC.
Andrew Painter
Age: 23
After years of anticipation, Andrew Painter got his first crack at the Phillies’ rotation this year, and it didn’t go as many hoped. The 23-year-old had a 7.06 ERA in 14 appearances, including 12 starts, before being demoted to triple A. His first game back in the majors showed promise. After giving up a double and a home run early, he settled in for six strong innings and only allowed one hit after that.
“When he’s done some things with his delivery, which is going more directly to the plate rather than spinning off, he’s had more life,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowskisaid.
His three starts since — including one that was cut short by hamstring tightness — have been trending in the wrong direction. But at his best, Painter still represents a ton of potential.
Commentary from David Murphy
Andrew Painter has reached his Roy Halladay moment. It is on him to seize it.
Failing is easy. The hard work is what comes next with his demotion to triple A. It's an endeavor upon which Painter must embark, much like Halladay did at his age.
Jordyn Palmer
Age: 17
Westtown School star Jordyn Palmer is a 6-foot-2 rising senior guard/forward who is No. 9 in her class, according to ESPN. Palmer, a three-time Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 23.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 3.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks as a junior, helping lead the Westtown School (28-2) to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship game. She has 1,746 career points and 894 career rebounds.
She has offers from more than 20 colleges, including South Carolina and LSU. In June, she was named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball, awarded to the best female high school basketball player in the state, voted on by fans, coaches, and media.
Best is yet to come
Westtown’s Jordyn Palmer — a basketball phenom and highly sought-after recruit — has untapped potential
The 6-foot-2 junior, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, has had constant attention on her since she was 14. She has taken her game to a new level, but the best of her talents has yet to be displayed.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Age: 20
Labaron Philon Jr. is one of a few professional players on this list who have yet to make their debut, but there are high hopes and plenty of hype surrounding the former Alabama point guard who fell to the Sixers as the 22nd overall pick in this summer’s draft.
Of course, the expectations have eased in recent weeks as the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. But the 20-year-old brings shooting (48.2% for the Crimson Tide in two seasons) and a spark off the bench behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philon’s Sixers career already got off to a good start at NBA Summer League, and he’s got a plan for his transition into the league.
“Having the same ‘dawg’ mentality that I had at Alabama and being the same person,” Philon said after his Sixers debut. “Being me, really.”
Philon’s ready for Philly
Labaron Philon Jr. is ready for his rookie season with ‘a lot at stake’ after Sixers added LeBron James, Jaylen Brown
"Being a rookie and being able to be around all those guys is a privilege for me," Philon said after the Sixers added James and Brown this offseason.
Lavar Scott
Age: 22
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott comes from a racing family, so it’s no surprise that he was able to climb the ranks of stock car racing to become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR. In two full seasons in the ARCA Menards Series, Scott finished in the top five 22 times for Rev Racing, including four second place finishes.
He earned a full-time spot in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, making 22 starts in Alpha Prime Racing’s No. 45 Chevrolet. Scott has earned five top-20 finishes in 22 starts this season. Still looking for his first NASCAR win, Scott is chasing a feeling that he first learned racing go-karts at five years old.
“It’s a feeling that when I go to bed, I think about, [when I] wake up, [I] think about, [when I] sleep, [I am] thinking about. It’s just the feeling of standing on top of your car after a win and [celebrating] with your friends and family and knowing you did your job really well that day,” Scott said in June.
From South Jersey to NASCAR
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott, one of NASCAR’s three Black drivers, is chasing greatness and not looking back: ‘There was no Plan B’
Go behind the scenes at Pocono Raceway with 22-year-old South Jersey native Lavar Scott and the family that helped him become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR.
Luigi Suigo
Age: 19
Standing at 7-foot-3, Italian-born center Luigi Suigo was the marquee addition for Kevin Willard this summer as he tries to lead Villanova back to the NCAA Tournament. Suigo, born in northern Italy, has played professionally in Europe since 2023. He averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 26 games during 2025-26 for KK Mega Basket of Serbia. Suigo entered the 2026 NBA draft and was projected as a late first-round, early second-round selection before he withdrew and decided to play college basketball at Villanova.
“He wants to make sure when he gets drafted, he’s going to play,” Willard said of Suigo in June. “The big thing is I think he needs to get Americanized a little bit, to American basketball. I think that’s why college will be really good for him.”
Even better for the Italian big man, Suigo will begin his college career with a game in Rome, where the Wildcats will play Notre Dame on Nov. 1.
From Italy to the Main Line
Big man Luigi Suigo has arrived at Villanova. His journey to the 2027 NBA draft is underway.
Suigo is expected to join the short list of Villanova players who are on campus for one season before being selected in the NBA draft. But his temporary stop at Villanova is a critical one.
Cavan Sullivan
Age: 16
Cavan Sullivan, the youngest professional on this list, has a chance to be the most internationally recognized real athlete to come from Philadelphia — apologies to Rocky. The attacking midfielder has a deal in place that will send him to English giant Manchester City once he turns 18, but for now, he’s tearing up the pitch for the Union. He netted his first MLS goal in May, and his role for the team has continued to grow.
“It’s a big year for me,” Sullivan said in January. “It’s exciting, but I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I know there’s still work to do and stuff to prove.”
Look out for Sullivan in stars and stripes, too. He’s still waiting on his first senior team call-up, but he’s received numerous call-ups to U.S. youth national teams and scored twice at the 2025 FIFA under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
A Philly soccer story
Why Cavan Sullivan, hyped as the world’s best 14-year-old soccer player, chose to turn pro with the Union
In a few years, Sullivan will play for English superpower Manchester City. But for now he has chosen to start with his hometown team. Here's the inside story of why he picked the Union.
Quinn Sullivan
Age: 22
While his younger brother has Europe’s attention, Quinn Sullivan has developed into an integral piece for his hometown club. Before an ACL tear ended his 2025 season, Sullivan scored three goals and logged eight assists in 31 appearances across all competitions as the Union claimed the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Sullivan also has experience with the U.S. men’s national team and made one start during the 2025 Gold Cup.
Sullivan returned from his ACL injury in July 2026, and now that he’s fully healthy, he’s back in the Union’s starting lineup. Quinn isn’t making a move to Europe yet, but the Bridesburg native is happy to represent his hometown club for now.
“I’d love to be the face of this team,” Sullivan said in January. “I mean, I grew up supporting this team. I love this team; I love this city. I feel like I embody what Philadelphia means.”
Holding down the homefront
Quinn Sullivan ‘would love to be the face’ of the Union. When he returns from a torn ACL, he just might be.
Though the 21-year-old from Bridesburg likely won't be back on the field until July, he's in good spirits. He appreciates all the support he's gotten from fans, the Union, and the national team.
Gage Wood
Age: 22
Gage Wood, the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2025, made his first start at Citizens Bank Park in July — as part of the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
But the right-hander, who was promoted to double-A Reading earlier this season, is progressing quickly through the system. Wood’s elite fastball helped get him to No. 33 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, but there are questions about whether Wood is a starter or a reliever long-term.
“Obviously, I want to go back to the Bank as fast as I can,” Wood said. “I just keep working every day and try to get there as fast as possible.”
Patience paying off
Phillies prospect Gage Wood may have to take a longer road to the majors — and he’s OK with that
After the Phillies drafted the 22-year-old pitcher out of Arkansas, they plan to develop Wood as a starter. Fans caught a glimpse of the first-round pick in the Spring Breakout game on Saturday.
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That completes the first installment of The Inquirer’s 25 Under 25 athlete list. Naturally we couldn’t include every great athlete from the area, so be sure to check out our list of those who just missed the cut. We also have a list of the best under-25 athletes that are from the region but no longer play here. And, of course, we want to know who you think should’ve made the cut but didn’t, so email us at sports.daily@inquirer.com with anyone we might have missed.
Staff Contributors
Design and Development: Julia Duarte
Reporting: Gabriela Carroll, Owen Hewitt, Mia Messina
Editing: Matt Mullin
Illustration: Vivi John
List Curation: Inquirer Sports Editors
Digital Editing: Matt Mullin
Copy Editing: Maria McIlwain
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Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Laura Smythe, your new newsletter writer. I’ve been moonlighting in your inbox here and there over the last couple months alongside my colleague Lisa Dukart, but it’s a treat to formally meet you. I’m excited to pick up the baton from Lisa, who will continue to write and edit other Inquirer Local newsletters.
One thing about me — I love reader feedback. You can let us know what’s on your mind by taking our survey or emailing us at cherryhill@inquirer.com.
Family photos and souvenirs from decades of travels decorate Fred and Barbara Zucker’s two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. The 1,150-square-foot abode, which also includes a den and a west-facing balcony, is part of Cherry Hill’s sprawling Plaza Grande community.
Downsizing from a home in Delran, the couple sold off the bulk of their 50-years’ accumulation of belongings, and took to Raymour & Flanigan to outfit their new digs.
The complex also offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, and massage rooms. But Plaza Grande’s family-like feeling is their favorite amenity, the couple says. It’s not uncommon to find Barbara in the kitchen cooking up a treat for a neighbor in need of some TLC.
“Our home is a peaceful retreat for us,” she said. “It is sort of like summer camp.”
Cherry Hill-based architectural and engineering firm PS&S is leading a $24.25 million redevelopment project at Battleship New Jersey in neighboring Camden, which will include a new visitor center, double the parking, and a new private event space on the ship’s main deck, among other upgrades. The Inquirer’s Sarah Nicell has the details.
Expecting to drive on Kresson Road or Kenilworth Avenue this week? You might need to alter your routes as roadwork continues.
Timberland will host its grand opening event at the Cherry Hill Mall this weekend, including a ribbon cutting at the 1,800-square-foot store on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and giveaways for shoppers. It’s one of a number of new spots the mall is expected to add in the coming months.
Registration is now open for the township’s lineup of fall class offerings, from oil pastels and pre-ballet for kids to soapmaking and woodworking for adults.
🍽️ On Our Plate
The banana trend taking over Philadelphia’s food scene is also ripe among sweet-treat seekers in Cherry Hill. A banana pudding matcha latte is among the top-selling beverages at Ensōra, the Barclay Farms Shopping Center café’s owner, Michele Lin, told us. She said they make a small batch of banana pudding every day — folding fresh whipped cream between the pudding and layering in Biscoff cookies — that consistently sells out. Ensōra also offers a cookie butter banana pudding version of its pandan mochi waffles, and Lin is considering bringing back a banana bread latte later this year, as customers still request the now-phased-out spring special.
📽️ Oscar Movie Marathon: The library’s screenings of Oscar-winning and -nominated films continues with Hamnet today, Sentimental Value tomorrow, and Sinners on Friday. ⏰ Wednesday, Aug. 19 through Friday, Aug. 21, 2 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Cherry Hill Public Library
🦞 Seafood Night: Indulge in a seafood buffet, complete with a raw bar. ⏰ Wednesday, Aug. 19, times vary 💵 $49 for children, $99 for adults 📍 Randall’s Restaurant
🤠 Country Music Skate Night: Don your cowboy hat and head to the rink for a themed skate night. ⏰ Thursday, Aug. 20, 6-9 p.m. 💵 $6 admission 📍 Hot Wheelz
🎒 Skool Days: Wear your college gear to this themed day party, complete with old-school tunes. ⏰ Saturday, Aug. 22, 2-7 p.m. 💵 $19.03 📍 Vera
16 Saint Martins Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002@photos_by_daniel_james | REMAX Welcome Home
This three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in the Colwick neighborhood includes a double-door main entrance, fireplace, new carpet, and bamboo flooring in the dining area. In ranch style, the home intertwines with the outdoors via a covered front porch and a sunroom, which opens onto a brick patio. The backyard also has a koi pond, gazebo, and hot tub.
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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
LeBron James 76ers jerseys have arrived at Dick’s Sporting Goods across the Philadelphia area, and, despite some reports, officials at the store contend that they’re flying off the shelves — legally.
On Tuesday, Crossing Broad reported that James jerseys were being kept behind the counter at the Dick’s Sporting Goods location in Cherry Hill “because the store was having trouble with people stealing them.”
A store manager who chose to remain anonymous at the Dick’s location in Cherry Hill said the jerseys — there were only a few left — were placed behind the counter to boost sales, not because the store was experiencing thefts.
A representative from Dick’s corporate offices located in Coraopolis, Pa., confirmed that no jerseys were reported stolen, but that they were kept behind the checkout initially and are in the process of being moved to the floor.
Multiple locations of Dick’s Sporting Goods across the region noted that they have had no series issues of theft surrounding the arrival of LeBron James’ jersey now in stores. David Paul Morris
At the Dick’s location in the King of Prussia Mall, another store manager, who also chose to remain anonymous, said the James jerseys at their location are being kept on the floor and not behind the counter.
Online, Dick’s has shirts available, but only one jersey in stock, the Nike Adult 2024-25 City Edition Philadelphia 76ers LeBron James Swingman Jersey in medium, on preorder for $125.
Other outfitters like Fanatics, the NBA Store, and the Sixers Shop have James’ jersey available to be reserved in royal blue in select sizes. They’ll be shipped in September.
There are also some jerseys available by reservation in red. Both jerseys are selling for $79.99.
Mark Tatulli doesn’t know what made this year different from the last 12 times the National Cartoonists Society nominated him for one of the highest honors in his field.
But something did, since the creator of long-running comic strips Liō and Heart of the City finally won the biggest award of the annual celebration.
He had not expected his name to be called this time around, so the Gloucester County resident and Willingboro native didn’t bring his reading glasses for his acceptance speech. While it was an honor to have been nominated so many times, Tatulli said, he felt relieved to finally be off the docket.
“I’m looking forward to not being nominated this year and drifting back into the shadows,” Tatulli, 63, said.
The National Cartoonists Society gathered on Aug. 7 in Columbus, Ohio, for the 80th Anniversary Reuben Awards, named after cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize winner Reuben “Rube” Goldberg.
The Reuben Award has gone to the most outstanding cartoonist of the year since 1954 (and has been retroactively awarded to those who won the award under its original name, the Billy DeBeck Memorial Award, from 1946 on) chosen by a secret ballot of NCS members. The late Pogo creator Walt Kelly, a Philly native, was one of the first.
This year, there were seven nominees, including Dave Blazek, a Philly resident and creator of comic strip Loose Parts, and Dav Pilkey, creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants.
Tatulli won the honor on his 13th consecutive nomination, joining the likes of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes.
“I don’t even include myself in this group,” Tatulli said. “I’m a byproduct of what they already achieved.”
His wife, Donna Tatulli, and fellow members of the NCS Philadelphia chapter were present to celebrate the win. When Tatulli shouted out his home chapter, an attendee responded with a familiar “Go Birds!,” said Jamar Nicholas, a member of the NCS board of directors and chair of the Philly chapter.
Mark Tatulli, 63, of Pitman, poses front and center with his Reuben Award for 2025 Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, which the National Cartoonists Society awarded him at a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 7, 2026. He stands with his fellow members of the NCS Philadelphia Chapter.National Cartoonists Society, Philadelphia
Nicholas, author of the graphic novel series Leon the Extraordinary, said he believes Tatulli is the first NCS Philly member to win the Reuben since the chapter was formed in 2014.
“Even though this is his accomplishment, we all win,” Nicholas said.
Blazek, who has seven nominations of his own, won the Divisional Silver Reuben Award in the newspaper panel category.
Tatulli, a Willingboro High School alumnus, was 26 years old when his first comic strip debuted in the Burlington County Times. Mr. Fipps told the story of a new teacher and his experiences with junior high school students.
While Tatulli said he cannot speak for everyone, South Jersey was a good place to grow up drawing comics.
“You can literally write comics from everywhere,” Tatulli said. “My experiences in South Jersey predominantly feature in all of my comics.”
Since Mr. Fipps, Tatulli has won three Emmy Awards, become an internationally syndicated cartoonist (including features in The Inquirer), created a graphic memoir, written and illustrated several middle-grade books, and had two of his longtime comic strips explode in popularity.
Liō, a pantomime comic that shares the adventures of a young boy who treats the monstrous as everyday happenings, recently hit its 20th year running in newspapers, and Tatulli does not plan to end it until he stops having fun.
Mark Tatulli, 63, of Pitman, poses with his Reuben Award for 2025 Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, which the National Cartoonists Society awarded him at a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 7, 2026.Mark Tatulli
“If I’m not totally excited about what I’m doing, the readers will know,” he said.
Tatulli launched Heart of the City, a strip about a girl named Heart living in Philadelphia, in 1998. Six years ago, Tatulli passed the Heart baton to fellow cartoonist Steenz, who has kept the comic going since.
As for what comes next for Tatulli, he said he hopes to one day create a long-form version of Liō and keep writing middle-grade graphic and illustrated novels. He will continue to spend time with family, a benefit of moving to Pitman a year and a half ago from Washington Township. The Reuben Award — a bronze, abstract statuette designed by Goldberg — will live either on the mantle over his fireplace or down in his office, depending on where his wife wants it.
“I’m going to keep drawing until I drop,” Tatulli said.
More than two years after Danielle Lopez disappeared in the Pine Barrens while camping with her boyfriend, her mother continues to search with the hope that she’s still alive.
Plus, an athletic director of a Mercer County school district was caught on a surveillance camera lurking outside the bedroom window of his neighbor’s underage daughter, Avalon is allowing a popular bar to have one more hour of outdoor live music, and more news of the day.
Sue Quackenbush has been looking for answers ever since her daughter, Danielle Lopez, went missing in the Pine Barrens in April 2024.
“This isn’t grief yet. This is terror,” she said during a visit there earlier this year.
At the time of her disappearance, the 37-year-old woman was staying with her boyfriend at a campground in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest.
She was last seen walking alone on Lost Lane, an empty road deep in the forest.
More than two years later, the New Jersey State Police are still investigating and Quackenbush is offering $25,000 to anyone with information that could solve the case.
A Pine Hill woman was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including second-degree death by auto and driving under the influence, after she crashed into an e-bike on Saturday, killing the rider, a 46-year-old Lindenwold woman, officials announced Monday.
The athletic director of a Mercer County school district has been charged with prowling outside the bedroom window of his neighbor’s underage daughter in Bucks County after he was caught on a surveillance camera, according to local authorities.
The McKernan Supportive Housing Center, a $22 million project that will provide 60 units of supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, is set to open later this year in Gloucester Township, 42 Freeway reports.
Avalon voted to loosen its liquor license restrictions and allow the new bar Gully’s to have one more hour of outdoor live music until 9 p.m.
More than 1.1 million New Jersey residents are expected to receive letters from the state about their eligibility for the Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters property tax relief program, aka ANCHOR. WHYY shares what you need to know to get your rebate payment.
Residents in Cherry Hill, Haddon Heights, and Camden should be prepared to alter their routes, as they have the most roadwork projects this week in Camden County.
