Delaware Valley

  A for-profit company that runs alternative-education schools in the region said it was prepared for students to arrive next month - despite laying off its staff in July. "They are open and ready to go," said Alan E. Casnoff, an attorney who represents Delaware Valley High School. He said the school had agreements in place with suburban districts for its campuses in Reading and Warminster but does not have a signed contract with Philadelphia for the two sites it has operated in the city.

A for-profit Philadelphia education firm whose records recently were subpoenaed by federal authorities has settled a lawsuit with three former teachers. Documents filed in court Wednesday said the instructors who had been laid off by Delaware Valley High School had reached a settlement with that embattled company, which runs alternative-education programs for school districts in the area. In a suit filed in the Court of Common Pleas in March, the three said they were owed nearly $20,000 in back wages for their work at Delaware Valley's former disciplinary school on Kelly Drive during the 2010-11 academic year.

There was a magical presence in the air at Lackawanna County Stadium last Thursday that wasn't present at Arlington Stadium in Texas. On the same night Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan lost a chance for his sixth career no-hitter on a one-out ninth-inning single by the Detroit Tigers' Dave Bergman, the Delaware Valley baseball team was attempting to gain a berth in the gold-medal round at the Keystone Games. There wasn't any Bergman in the Delaware Valley lineup, however. And all the magic was in the other team's dugout.

Josh Tyler hit a three-run homer and scored four runs and John Leith pitched six-hit ball over six innings as Delaware Valley crushed Philadelphia, 19-3, at Lafayette College yesterday in the opening round of the scholastic baseball competition in the Keystone State Games. Delaware Valley took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning by capitalizing on the wildness of Philadelphia starting pitcher Dave Miller. Ed Rush led off with a walk. After a fielder's choice, Tyler, from Upper Perkiomen High School, drew the second of seven walks that Miller would give up in his three-plus innings.

  A Bala Cynwyd alternative-education company under federal investigation has been warned it could lose its approval for a disciplinary school in Reading because it allegedly is not complying with state and federal laws. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has told the for-profit Delaware Valley High School it has begun proceedings to revoke its approval because the school did not provide required academic and counseling programs and failed to address violent incidents that endanger students and staff.

The Philadelphia and Delaware Valley baseball teams in the Keystone State Games opened play against each other yesterday, just like last year. And Chestnut Hill Academy's David Miller and West Chester East's John Leith were the starting pitchers, just like last year. The result, however, was nothing like last year. Riding the left arm of Miller, Philadelphia won, 5-3, at Allentown's Bicentennial Park, avenging a 20-3 defeat of a year ago. "I just wanted to get a little revenge," admitted Miller, who struck out seven and walked four.

Pitching and defense, as expected, were the strong points of the Delaware Valley scholastic baseball team when the Keystone State Games began on Wednesday. But both the coaches and the players were surprised by the potent hitting, which led the team to a gold medal. The offense was shaky in the first game, but was outstanding in the final three as the team outscored its opposition by a combined 35-6. Del Val defeated Capital, 12-2, yesterday afternoon for its second gold medal in the last three years.

The Philadelphia School District has severed ties with a for-profit alternative education company that had served city students for nearly a decade. Delaware Valley High School, which laid off its staff in July, will no longer run the city disciplinary school and program for at-risk students, district officials said. "Due to business reasons, the district decided not to enter into a new contract with DVHS," spokesman Fernando Gallard said Wednesday. That decision is final, Gallard said, declining to elaborate.

On the final day of the Keystone State Games, only two local soccer teams won gold medals - down from the five teams that won gold last year. The Delaware Valley open female team, with eight Archbishop Wood graduates on its roster, repeated as champion with a 2-1 overtime victory over Blue Mountain-Nittany. The Delaware Valley junior girls provided the other gold medal by unseating Philadelphia, the defending champion, 2-1. The open team's winning goal was scored by Jen Richart at 92 minutes.

Three-time defending state champion Conestoga sealed its place in the PIAA boys' lacrosse semifinals with an easy 12-1 win over Delaware Valley on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals at Exeter Township. Steven Hildebrand scored twice and Alex Mezey added a goal and three assists for the Pioneers. Nine others scored for Conestoga, and Jim Walton helped preserve the win with six saves. The Pioneers will meet Avon Grove in the semifinals Tuesday. Avon Grove topped Wilson-West Lawn, 7-4, at West Chester Henderson in the quarterfinals.

Boys' Lacrosse PIAA STATE QUARTERFINALS Avon Grove 7, Wilson-West Lawn 4 Conestoga 12, Delaware Valley 1 La Salle 13, Garnet Valley 4 North Allegheny 9, Carlisle 5 Girls' Lacrosse PIAA STATE QUARTERFINALS Harriton 20, Kennard-Dale 9 Radnor 15, Springfield (D) 8 Manheim Township 18, Wyoming Seminary 5 Peters Township 16, State College 4 Baseball STATE CLASS A FIRST ROUND Cal. Christian vs. GAMP at Temple Ambler, 1 Devon Prep vs. York Cath.

If you think 1.2 billion Catholics around the world had a celebration when Pope Francis was elected this past month, wait until you see a couple million Delaware Valley sports fans party when the city's next championship is won within a couple of years. Each of the last five times a new pope has been elected, Philadelphia has won a major pro sports title within 4 years. Pope John Paul II's long reign (1978-2005) ran eerily parallel to the city's title drought (1983-2008).

Joe Galasso of Father Judge won the 138-pound championship with a technical-fall win over Parkland's Josh Ortman in the Northeast Regional Class AAA wrestling tournament Saturday at Bethlehem Liberty. Galasso won the match, 23-8, in 4 minutes, 38 seconds. He was the only District 12 wrestler to earn a regional title. Galasso, a junior, has registered 38 wins and lost just four times this season. Eight of those wins have been technical falls, and 21 have come by pin. Only two area wrestlers in the regional qualified for the state tournament.

Joe Galasso of Father Judge won the 138-pound championship with a technical-fall win over Parkland's Josh Ortman in the Northeast Regional Class AAA wrestling tournament Saturday at Bethlehem Liberty. Galasso won the match, 23-8, in 4 minutes, 38 seconds. He was the only District 12 wrestler to earn a regional title. Galasso, a junior, has registered 38 wins and lost just four times this season. Eight of those wins have been technical falls, and 21 have come by pin. Only two area wrestlers in the regional qualified for the state tournament.

Jeremy Beckett scored 20 points while Daulton Derr had 19 points and 15 rebounds on Wednesday night as Delaware Valley thumped Misericordia, 65-49, in Doylestown to advance to the Freedom Conference title game. Steve Ware had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Cougars (13-13). The Aggies (18-8) will travel to Center Valley, Pa., on Saturday to face DeSales (21-5) after the Bulldogs grabbed a 59-57 win over FDU-Florham. Kansas 68, Oklahoma State 67 - Naadir Tharpe hit a jumper with 20 seconds left in double overtime, and Travis Releford stole the ball with three ticks left on the clock to preserve the win for the No. 9 Jayhawks (22-4, 10-3 Big 12)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is investigating a Bala Cynwyd company's alternative-education program in Bucks County after finding a series of problems in the company's program in Reading. Department spokesman Timothy Eller confirmed Tuesday that state authorities were gathering and examining information about Delaware Valley High School's operations in Warminster. The program serves students with academic and disciplinary problems from school districts in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

The Reading School District is cutting its ties with an embattled alternative-education firm in Bala Cynwyd. Reading's school board voted unanimously Wednesday night to terminate a $1.1 million contract with Delaware Valley High School to operate a disciplinary school for troubled students as of Feb. 6. "We are acting in the best interest of our students," the district said in a statement Thursday. "We have a transition plan in place for our alternative education services, and that will be communicated to our parents and students.