Coatesville

Coatesville's getting older. And it has city officials concerned. In 20 years, the average age of Coatesville's population has jumped from 34 to 36.5, not a tremendous increase, but "a clear indication that the young people aren't staying here," said City Manager Wayne "Ted" Reed. "They're leaving after they finish school. " Reed recently raised the matter before the city Planning Commission, saying Coatesville must attract industry and jobs to stop the emigration of its young.

A 21-year-old Downingtown man admitted his role today in the arson spree that terrorized the city of Coatesville for more than a year. Roger L. Barlow pleaded guilty to setting nine blazes during January 2009, including the one that destroyed most of the 300 block of Fleetwood Street, leaving about 50 people homeless and generating national headlines. Chester County Court Judge Thomas G. Gavin approved the terms of a plea bargain that will put Barlow in prison for 12 1/2 to 25 years, followed by 10 years' probation.

Playing a lineup of three guards and two small forwards may not win a lot of games for a lot of teams, but that kind of lineup gave Chester the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA title last night at Villanova's duPont Pavilion. Led by forward Keith Wood's 20 points, the Clippers defeated Coatesville, 77-62, before about 5,000 fans. All season, Chester (25-2) has played without the benefit of a big man. (Wood, a 6-foot-4 junior, comes closest to that description.) But against Coatesville, the Clippers didn't need a big man. Guards Larry Yarbray (16 points)

The alleged drug kingpin dubbed himself "the breadwinner of Coatesville," an associate was nicknamed "Meatball," and the operation generated a lot of dough, authorities said. But if investigators get their way, 20 people charged Wednesday for their alleged roles in an extensive crack-cocaine ring operating out of Coatesville will have plenty of food for thought - behind bars. The alleged ringleader, Lester Womack, 33, of Darby, "allegedly bragged to associates and friends about the size and scope of his drug organization . . . claiming to sell more drugs in Coatesville than any other dealer because of the high quality of his cocaine," state Attorney General Linda Kelly said at a news conference Thursday.

The fact that they had started their football season three weeks before Saturday's opponent didn't necessarily mean that Coatesville owned an advantage. Physically, it was a disadvantage. The Red Raiders entered their nonleague game at Willingboro battered and bruised, and they ended up being beaten, 28-14, at Carl Lewis Stadium. Besides having an assortment of injuries - including the concussion that kept quarterback Todd Smith out of the second half - Coatesville (3-2)

No one will ever know what would have happened a year ago, had Central Bucks West played Coatesville, because there weren't any District 1 football playoffs. And so, on the basis of its better record, an 11-0 CB West team advanced to last year's PIAA state tournament and won the Class AAAA championship. All that 10-0-1 Coatesville could do was ponder what might have been. This time, the question has been answered. All season, CB West and Coatesville were again ranked Nos. 1 and 1A in District 1. If last year's system were still in place, an unbeaten CB West would have gone back to the state tourney, since Coatesville lost last month to the state's top-rated team, District 3's Cumberland Valley.

Once Kate Poppe's cleats find their place on the pitching rubber, there's not much that bothers her. Not the unusually cold spring weather that had many spectators wrapped in blankets Wednesday. Not the slight drizzle that sporadically came and went. And not the bases-loaded, one-out jam she smoothly worked out of in the first inning of her two-hitter against visiting Coatesville, as Bishop Shanahan earned a 4-1 win in a Ches-Mont League game. With a mixture of pitches, Poppe kept the Red Raiders off balance, striking out 12, including four that were caught looking.

Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in a June 26 homicide in Coatesville, Chester County District Attorney Joseph W. Carroll said Thursday in a news release. Falandez M. James, 22, of Coatesville, was arraigned Thursday on a murder charge in the shooting of Carron London, 17, in the 600 block of East Lincoln Highway. In the release, Carroll said that "the aggravating circumstance" needed to warrant the death penalty was not evident in the case, which involved a personal dispute, and that the victim's family had asked that the death penalty not be pursued.

Residents of East Chestnut Street in Coatesville won't have to change their addresses after all. The Coatesville City Council voted Monday night not to rename the street, just two weeks after a group of residents complained that the name change would be too expensive for many people living on the street. After looking into the name change, Council President Rodger Johnson said the action would have cost residents an average of $138 each, while costing the city $1,260. The county had received a petition with about 300 signatures, asking that the street be renamed W.C. Atkinson Drive, in memory of Wittier Clement Atkinson the first black doctor to practice in Coatesville and founder of the Atkinson Hospital, located down the street on East Chestnut.

Jeanne James sees a disturbing symmetry in how she felt about Coatesville during her teenage years and how young people view the city today. She sees teenagers hanging out on corners with nothing much to do except talk about how they plan to move away once they finish high school. Their plans are much the same as James' some 37 years ago. She talked about leaving, and she did. But James came back, and she believes that with the help of caring adults Coatesville can become a city in which young people will want to stay.

Alex Pracher pitched a five-hitter as St. Joseph's won the first Atlantic Ten tournament game it ever played, shutting out Rhode Island, 3-0, on Wednesday at Houlihan Park in the Bronx. The former Cherokee star struck out five and walked four to place the Hawks in the winners' bracket. St. Joe, seeded sixth in the tourney, will meet second-seeded Dayton at 3 p.m. Thursday. The Flyers had a first-round bye. Rhode Island immediately entered an elimination game against Massachusetts Wednesday night.

Highlights of Wednesday's contests can be found at: www.philly.com/rally Baseball DISTRICT 1 CLASS AAAA TOURNAMENT Second-Round Playoffs Council Rock South 4, North Penn 1 Coatesville 11, Penncrest 8 Methacton 14, Downingtown East 4 Wissahickon 3, Upper Dublin 3 (susp.) Central Bucks West 4, Interboro 0 Central Bucks South 10, Spring-Ford 4 Hatboro-Horsham 5, West Chester Rustin 4 Downingtown West 10, Bensalem 0 DISTRICT 1 CLASS AAA TOURNAMENT Playoff Quarterfinals Upper Moreland 3, Sun Valley 1 PUBLIC LEAGUE Playoff Semifinals Frankford 11, Washington 1 GAMP 9, Central 7 Softball CATHOLIC LEAGUE Playoff Semifinals St. Hubert 9, Archbishop Wood 0 DISTRICT 1 CLASS AAAA TOURNAMENT Second-Round Playoffs Pennsbury 1, Pennridge 0 Methacton 4, Downingtown East 0 Bishop Shanahan 5, Perkiomen Valley 1 Hatboro-Horsham 3, Upper Darby 0 Central Bucks East 3, Neshaminy 1 North Penn 4, Downingtown West 2 Spring-Ford 1, West Chester East 0 Central Bucks South 4, Wissahickon 0 DISTRICT 1 CLASS AAA TOURNAMENT First-Round Playoffs Phoenixville 8, Upper Moreland 4 Oxford 8, Gwynedd-Mercy 5 PA. INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT Playoff...

DEERFIELD, Ill. - Now that Derrick Rose is out for the rest of the playoffs with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, most of the attention in Chicago is on point guards C.J. Watson and John Lucas III, who have been forced into much larger roles. The Bulls, however, expect the most in the backcourt from Richard "Rip" Hamilton. After nine years in Detroit, in which he averaged more than 20 points in 120 playoff games, the Coatesville native signed a two-year deal in December with Chicago, which leads its Eastern Conference playoff series with the 76ers after one game.

How does Coatesville coach Jim "Scoogie" Smith compare the Chester team he saw Saturday to the one the Red Raiders lost to by 13 points in early December? "It was like night and day," he said. "Back then, they were still getting a feel for what they were doing and who they were. " Except for a short second-period lull, the well-oiled Clippers frolicked in a PIAA Class AAAA boys' basketball quarterfinal, coasting to an 87-46 victory at Norristown. In the first half, the District 1 champions, who notched their 56th consecutive victory, had a 38-11 rebounding advantage.

Tony Chapman knew what would almost certainly come along with guiding Holy Ghost Prep to a PIAA District 1 Class AAA championship and two state-playoff victories. That is, a quarterfinal meeting vs. Catholic League juggernaut and two-time defending state titlist Neumann-Goretti. And here the Firebirds are, preparing to face the Saints - and hoping to buck the odds - in an Elite Eight matchup scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Norristown. "We're looking forward to it," said Chapman, in his 34th season in charge.

THIS HAS not been a good week for bus drivers transporting District 12 teams to PIAA second-round playoffs. Tuesday, Carroll's guy earned a ticket for speeding en route to Coatesville. Last night, Bartram's players strolled into Norristown's gym with only 6 minutes showing on the warmup clock . . . oh, and the members of the school's small, yet boisterous student section didn't arrive until 10 minutes had been played. Only in the Cath/Pub. After the start was delayed by 12 minutes, Bartram fell to Coatesville, 61-51.

When Jim "Scoogie" Smith returned to the Coatesville bench in November, he had no idea his fill-in duties would last until mid-March. But Smith and the Red Raiders are very much a part of the PIAA Class AAAA boys' basketball tournament. Wednesday night, with Smith showing his usual exuberance, Coatesville built a 19-point advantage and held off Bartram, 61-52, in a second-round matchup at Norristown. Smith is filling in this season for Rick Nelms, who is on sabbatical for personal reasons.

When Jim "Scoogie" Smith returned to the Coatesville bench in November, he had no idea his fill-in duties would last until mid-March. But Smith and the Red Raiders are very much a part of the PIAA Class AAAA boys' basketball tournament. Wednesday night, with Smith showing his usual exuberance, Coatesville built a 19-point advantage and held off Bartram, 61-52, in a second-round matchup at Norristown. Smith is filling in this season for Rick Nelms, who is on sabbatical for personal reasons.