An official website of the United States government Veterans receiving care at the Coatesville VA Medical Center (VAMC) now have improved access to specialty care providers thanks to the new Provider Connect program Provider Connect aims to increase Veterans' access to on-demand specialty consultation by linking VA providers with VA’s network of specialists to consult on treatment options via chat “We recognized the opportunity for us to enhance patient experience by improving our clinical team's coordination and collaboration,” said Dr “Veterans have had access to specialty care but Provider Connect immediately connects the provider and Veteran to the specialist in real time and can eliminate the delays in care that are typical with the consultation process.” Coatesville VA is piloting the Provider Connect program in their region Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 4 It currently connects Veterans to services such as cardiology The benefits of Provider Connect include:  “Veterans are going to appreciate the time and hassle Provider Connect is going to save them especially when it means they can be treated more quickly.” Veterans registered for care at Coatesville VA can make an appointment with their VA provider by calling 610-383-0239 Governor Josh Shapiro has made it a priority to position the Commonwealth as an economic development and innovation leader and will advance that with a $50 million investment for the new PA Innovation program Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget continues to capitalize on our strengths by implementing the Economic Development Strategy positioning Pennsylvania as a national leader in innovation Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger joined local leaders to tour businesses and organizations in Coatesville in Chester County that are focused on advancing innovation in the technology and life sciences sectors which includes a one-time $30 million initiative to spur life sciences job growth and $20 million to provide annual funding to support large-scale innovation “The success of technology and life sciences entrepreneurs is key to Pennsylvania’s economic growth in every region of our Commonwealth,” said Secretary Rick Siger and Governor Shapiro’s proposed PA Innovation program will continue to spur economic development Secretary Siger visited businesses and innovation resources including: nth Solutions the Chester County Economic Development Council’s Business Resource Center Made in Coatesville Small Business Incubator “Coatesville is rising and with investments in economic development we’re going to keep the momentum building,” said Senator Carolyn Comitta “I want to thank Secretary Siger for coming to Chester County to see the important work that’s underway and Governor Shapiro for fighting for investments in the future of Coatesville and the people of Pennsylvania.” “I feel privileged to be a witness to the revitalization of Coatesville here in the 74th district This city is defined by the hardworking community members that have been the catalyst for this awe-inspiring resurgence,” said Representative Dan Williams and I have an immense sense of gratitude that I have the honor to represent this great city and the entire 74th district in Harrisburg.” Governor Josh Shapiro has brought a G-S-D attitude to government moving quickly and aggressively to get stuff done and deliver results for the people of Pennsylvania The Governor’s 2025-26 budget builds on two years of progress by solving more problems Explore the Governor’s 2025-26 Budget in Brief or visit Governor Shapiro’s Budget website to learn more Governor Shapiro and his Administration have worked aggressively to make Pennsylvania a leader in innovation and economic development and create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians Governor Shapiro has had many major economic development successes at the midway point of his first term including: As Governor Shapiro marks two years in office his Administration is continuing to focus on innovation The Shapiro Administration’s commitment to investing in our businesses and workforce is positioning Pennsylvania to be a global economic development leader while opening the doors of opportunity MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Backover, dcedpress@pa.gov or or 717.418.4014 COATESVILLE — Through the first three quarters of Friday night’s district quarterfinal the Spring-Ford defense made Colton Hiller a non-factor the Coatesville freshman wouldn’t have paid too much attention to the zero next to his name in the scorebook Hiller knew he needed to find a way to leave his mark on the game He finally found the bottom of the net on a three early in the fourth marking the beginnings of a take over of the game by the youngster.  Hiller scored all 21 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime to guide the second-seeded Raiders to a 63-56 win over 10 seed Spring-Ford and send them into Tuesday’s semifinal round against third seed Conestoga Coatesville freshman Colton Hiller had all 21 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime. This bomb was one of the biggest buckets of the game.[image or embed] Coatesville freshman Colton Hiller had all 21 of his point in the fourth quarter and overtime The Raiders (21-5) led 18-17 at halftime despite falling behind by eight early but Spring-Ford (19-8) senior Jacob Nguyen had 12 of his 29 in the third quarter to help his team to a 35-25 lead late in the period Hiller’s first points of the game didn’t come until a minute and a half into the fourth when he drained a three to cut the deficit to five.  He added four more free throws during a 10-0 run that gave Coatesville a 37-35 advantage with 4:30 left in regulation The 6-5 guard/wing had 11 fourth quarter points “Their freshman Hiller is a fantastic player,” Spring-Ford coach Joe Dempsey said “I thought we did a fantastic job on him for three quarters and he got loose a little bit in the fourth quarter and then obviously in the overtime we lost him once or twice.” Spring-Ford didn’t let Coatesville out of its grasp Junior Syaire Barnes tied the game a minute later Nguyen put the Rams back up 41-40 at the 1:28 with his fifth of six triples in the game Two Hiller free throws flipped the lead back to the Raiders before Barnes drilled a go-ahead three to put the Rams back in front 44-42 with 19.1 seconds left Coatesville went inside to junior forward Larry Brown on the ensuing possession and Brown muscled his way to the hoop to tie the score with 3.6 seconds to go.  “I just stayed focus,” Brown said made sure I get it right when it goes up.” Tied 48-48 after regulation. Larry Brown had the tying bucket with 3.6 seconds left. Headed to OT.[image or embed] Coatesville's Larry Brown jumps for a pass as Spring-Ford's Luke Pufko defends After the Raiders' defense forced a five-second count Spring-Ford had to defend Brown down low again as Coatesville went for the win senior Tommy Kelly held his ground to force the game into overtime Brown got the Coatesville crowd into the game with an and-one to start the extra period Hiller let loose a long three a few moments later that put the Raiders up 50-44 and sent his teammates (most notably junior guard Chris Allegra) and the crowd into a frenzy.  He took a few moments to think about the decision before letting the long bomb fly I didn’t know if I wanted to shoot it,” Hiller said “But I just went back to my mechanics Hopefully it went in or I would have got yelled at.” “The stadium erupted after that.” A steal and score by Coatesville senior Amon Fowlkes made it an eight-point game with two and a half minutes left and continued to liven the Raiders faithful a Nugyen four-point play allowing them to get as close as four but Coatesville made 10-of-11 free throws in overtime Hiller made his first 11 free throws before missing his last one of the night Brown (11) and senior guard Nasir Williams (11) joined Hiller in double figures “We were one stop away from winning the game,” Dempsey said I think they have a little more talent than us big crowd and I’m proud of my team.” Spring-Ford will play two more games for state seeding starting with a home game against Cheltenham on Tuesday night The Rams have already locked up a state playoff bid for the third straight season Coatesville will play in its first semifinal since 2019 when it faces Conestoga on Tuesday The two teams played each other in early December when the Raiders topped the Pioneers 63-60 “It’s going to take all of us,” Fowlkes said “It’s not just going to be him (Hiller) it’s not just going to be me or Larry It’s going to take a team effort.” Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardCoatesville football standout Terry Wiggins commits to Penn StateWiggins chose Penn State over Syracuse and other schools Terry Wiggins, a standout linebacker at Coatesville Area Senior High School, made his verbal pledge to Penn State on social media Friday Wiggins, who is ranked as the No. 9 player in the state The rising senior was at Penn State’s spring game last weekend following an official visit to Kentucky two weeks ago Wiggins became the 14th commitment in Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class and the third Philly-area player to make their pledge to the Nittany Lions joining Timber Creek offensive tackle Roseby Lubintus and Winslow Township’s Julian Peterson Coatesville finished 5-5 last season, with Wiggins playing both linebacker and tight end. Penn State now has the No. 5-ranked recruiting class in 2026 READING — It was already Amon Fowlkes’ night.  But the 5-foot-11 guard made sure that Thursday will be Amon Fowlkes Day in Coatesville.  Amon Fowlkes (above) hit the game-winner for Coatesville in the 6A second round With his team battling Cumberland Valley in a back-and-forth PIAA Class 6A second-round game Fowlkes was responsible for much of Coatesville’s early shot-making His deep 3-pointer from the left wing was the game-winner for the Red Raiders who advanced to the state quarterfinals with a 59-56 win at the Geigle Complex on Wednesday night Coatesville will play Roman Catholic on Saturday at a venue and time to be announced Fowlkes has played hero for Coatesville before when his layup with less than five seconds left lifted the Raiders past Downingtown West in overtime But there was no doubt where this game-winner ranked in his mind.  “It’s definitely at the top,” he said “Because it could have been my last game so definitely hitting that shot was a big moment for me.” The trey was Fowlkes third of the evening capping off a team-high 20-point outing for the combo guard who was a 3-point specialist as a freshman at Collegium Charter before coming to Coatesville his sophomore season He’s since turned his game from a pure shooter to a true combo guard who can handle the ball and get to the rim though he’s always loved to uncork that outside shot.  So when he got the ball back on a pass from sophomore Jahlil Thedford standing beyond NBA range on the left wing and the clock down below six seconds “I know (the) clock’s running down and it’s got to go up.  “I couldn’t even see it go through the net because someone closed out on me,” he added “I just heard the crowd and I saw it go through the net at the end Coatesville had to survive one final attempt but a half-court heave at the buzzer was off the mark It’s the second year in a row that Coatesville beat Cumberland Valley in the second year of the state playoffs Last year’s game was a much easier 52-37 Coatesville win Cumberland Valley (24-6) with many of the same players back from a year ago.  and inexperienced,” Coatesville coach John Allen said “I knew it would be tough [this year] and we’ve had our issues with zone throughout the year they’ve been in a lot of big games as a group Junior forward Larry Brown complemented Fowlkes with a 13-point the 6-7 big man adding three assists as well Senior guard Nasir Williams and freshman wing Colton Hiller added 10 apiece as Coatesville improved to 24-6 on the season Fowlkes’ shot was just the final big play in a game full of them It was a tie game multiple times in the fourth quarter including three times in the final two minutes.  Cumberland Valley sophomore Jared Dolimpio put CV up 54-52 with 1:50 left on a driving bucket Brown equalized on a put-back bucket with 1:23 left but CV immediately struck back as senior Nolan Buzalka found classmate Creston Austin III in transition for the last of his game-high 22 points but Fowlkes poked the ball away from a CV player and freshman Colton Hiller took it in to tie it up with 50 seconds to play Coatesville then got the ball back with 23.6 seconds to play on a five-second call The Raiders know they have their work cut out for them in the quarterfinals. They were watching from the stands as Roman beat defending state champs Central York by 50 in the opening game of the doubleheader getting three different 20-point outings and a double-double from Shareef Jackson.  Coatesville hasn’t played a Catholic League squad since beating St The Raiders are eager to prove themselves against one of the top programs from the top league in the state confident they have the pieces to match up with the Cahillites despite what they saw earlier they’re definitely got the biggest hype in the area,” Fowlkes said “so playing the Catholic League team that’s going to be a good thing to showcase what we can do what I can do and what we can do as a team.” Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardA Coatesville teen accused of helping plan a school-bus shooting will face a county judgeChester County prosecutors said Friday that Jaki White-Marshall was part of conspiracy to attack a rival teen last fall in retaliation for a high school fight as two of Jaki White-Marshall’s friends opened fire on the crowded bus causing students and the bus driver to duck for cover as bullets shattered the vehicle’s windshield offenses that District Judge Gregory Hines held for trial after a preliminary hearing Friday morning asserted during the hearing that his client should not be lumped in with the other suspects there’s nothing that was of this record that he knew exactly what they would do,” Nenner said “And the totality of these circumstances shows he acted independently.” » READ MORE: Gunman, accomplice arrested for shooting at school bus in Coatesville, police say Assistant District Attorney Anne Yoskoski said White-Marshall was not being truthful A video pulled from his cell phone that had been recorded four days before the shooting showed the teen boasting that he was a member of “21 Hunnit,” and that the group’s rivals would soon be targets of gun violence The three others present during the shooting — Gabriel Johnson Jose Medina and Medina’s brother — are also affiliated with the group were part of a text thread discussing how to retaliate against the intended target after the teen had “jumped” Medina’s brother hours before the shooting at Coatesville Area Senior High School according to messages from the group text presented in court Friday investigators testified that White-Marshall told them he saw Medina wave a handgun around hours before the shooting seemingly implying he would use it on the teens who had attacked his brother “You see a gun brandished at 11 a.m.; logically what do you think is going to happen at 2:30 p.m. when you show up with a mask and gloves to watch a fistfight?” Yoskoski said was one of the shooters who fired eight bullets at the school bus but they have not identified the second shooter face criminal charges similar to White-Marshall’s Both waived their preliminary hearings in the case earlier this year and are proceeding to trial The Inquirer is not naming Medina’s brother because he has not been charged with a crime The bus struck by the gunfire was dropping off students at the intersection of Hope Avenue and Charles Street about 2:30 p.m Surveillance video played during Friday’s hearing showed Medina and Johnson parking a gold Honda Civic and walking toward the corner where the bus was scheduled to stop driving a white Kia sedan registered to his grandmother He followed the three others to the scene of the planned attack White-Marshall sprinted away from the scene running in a different direction than the three others White-Marshall caught up with them too late watching as they pulled away in the Honda and exclaiming that they left him behind Detectives traced the Kia back to White-Marshal’s grandmother said that prosecutors had failed to prove White-Marshall was part of any conspiracy saying they had left the judge to “solve a puzzle without any pieces.” Our campus is a hub for mental health care services including marital and family counseling and health services offered at Coatesville VA Medical Center Select a service on this page to check the hours We encourage everyone to review available parking locations by viewing the campus map Veterans may use the call boxes located at the shuttle booths near most parking lots. Please check the campus map for shuttle stop locations Wheelchair availability: Coatesville VA Medical Center has wheelchairs available at the entrance to clinical buildings Beneficiary travel includes round-trip transportation from your home to the medical center Beneficiary travel is not authorized when receiving FREE transportation through the VA Find out if you qualify for beneficiary travel benefits VTS provides free transportation service for VA authorized medical appointments. Drivers are employees of the medical center. Veterans need to schedule their transportation request through the VTS office at 610-383-0254 the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provides free transportation for ambulatory and outpatient Veterans for VA authorized medical appointments Schedule your transportation request through your Primary Care Clerk Drivers are volunteers of the medical center and transportation depends on weather conditions and driver availability Learn more about DAV and the other van services available in your county County Veterans Affairs offices provide transportation for Veterans and authorized caregivers for scheduled VA authorized medical appointments Drivers are volunteers and availability depends on weather conditions and driver availability two County VA offices offer free transportation service: The Coatesville VA Medical Center is located in Chester County and is a major destination on the bus route which connects to other public Transportation services in Thorndale Chester County – Ride GuideDelaware County transitMontgomery County transportation servicesBucks County Transportation Management Association General visiting:   8:00am to 8:00pm daily Acute psychiatry inpatient unit: Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Weekend and holidays from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm 7 days a week. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult Visiting hours are individualized to meet the needs of the patient Whenever possible and medically appropriate Patient Care Services will coordinate special visiting arrangements to meet patient and family needs Please coordinate this through the unit staff A patient may receive no more than two visitors at a time or prescription medication to patients without authorization from unit physicians or nurses See VA Coatesville's full visitation policy Visitors are not permitted to stay overnight in the medical center itself If the Veteran is a patient in the hospice unit family members may sleep overnight in the Veteran's room. Here are some other options Many hotels have shuttle service to VA hospitals Check with the hotel you’re staying at Comfort Suites, Exton610-594-4770 Hampton Inn, Downingtown/Exton610-363-5555 Courtyard by Marriott, Coatesville/Exton610-380-8700 NOTE: These links are provided for your convenience only VA Coatesville Healthcare System does not endorse and is not responsible for the content on the linked web sites The official tourism and promotion agency for Coatesville and Chester County has up-to-date listings for area hotels, as well as activities, transportation, restaurants, shops and more. Coatesville, PA Serving grill items for breakfast and lunch We also have excellent Broaster fried chicken Located in machines throughout the medical facility Drinks and snacks are available around the clock Currently all Canteen operations are closed on Saturday and Sunday The All Faith ChapelDirectly ahead from front doorsHours: Monday through Friday Buddhist & JewishSpiritual support can be scheduled upon request you can request or decline visits by a VA chaplain and emotional care for you and your family in accordance with your own beliefs and practices This includes locating clergy or religious leaders in the community if you wish to receive visits from your local clergy Learn how to request chaplain services during your stay at VA Coatesville. Use these maps to help you get around the campus There are 3 main entrances to the Coatesville campus.  Located off Blackhorse Hill Road at Connecticut and Georgia Avenue on weekdays and closed on the weekends and Federal holidays Use the shipping entrance outside of these hours.  Located off Blackhorse Hill Road at North Delaware and Georgia Avenue The shipping or delivery entrance is open 24/7 and available for all campus visitors.  The south entrance is also referred to as the front hill entrance. Use the shipping entrance outside of these hours We help Veterans on their recovery journey through outpatient and inpatient services Our residential facility helps Veterans deal with substance abuse and unemployment through its 24-hour therapeutic and educational programs Learn more about our VA treatment programs Call Audiology at to schedule an appointment Our Audiology clinic provides diagnostic and rehabilitative services and screening for employee hearing conservation We offer a full range of audiology services like: Our Optometrists and Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) can assess your needs and provide a rehabilitation plan tailored to your personal goals we can provide referrals to the VA Blind Rehabilitation Continuum of Care Our goal is to help Veterans with severe vision loss regain and maintain their independence and quality of life. Our clinic services include: Learn more about our Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Veterans eligible for VA health care may call to schedule a vaccination appointment Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at VA Coatesville health care you can get support by contacting one of our caregiver support coordinators Caregivers may be eligible for many services and referrals to available VA and community resources Learn more and connect with a support coordinator If you're eligible for VA dental care we offer a full range of quality dental services like: We provide care for many medical and surgical skin conditions We assess your situation and condition to decide which outpatient geriatric services are right for you or a senior Veteran in your care Our Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Teams (Geri-PACT) help outpatient Veterans with challenging health care needs Learn more about VA's Geriatrics and extended care call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans We help homeless Veterans or those at risk of becoming homeless due to financial hardship Contact one of our care coordinators to get help with:      Learn more and connect with a care coordinator queer and questioning (LGBQ+) Veterans and their families and affirmative environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services like: Learn more about LGBQ+ care and connect with a care coordinator Our laboratories provide a full range of clinical and diagnostic testing services Our laboratory and pathology services include: Weight Management Program for Veterans can help you adopt a healthy lifestyle It is about increasing your ability and confidence to achieve your health goals MOVE!’s basic ideas—helping you learn tools and approaches for healthy eating and physical activity—are easy to follow and based on the latest research losing 5%-10% of your weight can improve your health Keeping a weight that is healthy for you can help you feel good and have energy to do the things you want to do.  Learn more about VA MOVE! Our medical center and clinics provide consultation and treatment for a range of issues that may impact your mental health or emotional well-being Our confidential outpatient services include individual and group therapy for: Learn more about Coatesville's mental health program We offer care for military sexual trauma in our mental (behavioral) health clinics Military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault or remarks that you experienced in the military Our goal is to help you improve your quality of life with strategies to manage emotions and memories related to your military sexual trauma Learn more about military sexual trauma we can help you get the services and benefits you need Our Minority Veterans Program serves all Veterans who are African American and Native American (including American Indians Learn more about minority Veteran services My HealtheVet is a web-based tool you can use to manage your care and improve your health from your computer or mobile device you can contact our coordinator by phone or in person Learn more and connect with a My HealtheVet coordinator We provide inpatient and outpatient services for chronic diseases and disorders that affect your brain Our neurologists read electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings which measure the electrical impulses brain cells use to communicate with each other We evaluate and treat many neurological illnesses and disorders such as:   While many people think of neurosurgery as brain surgery Our neurosurgeons diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions related to the nervous system including: The nutrition clinic at the Coatesville VA Medical Center and its CBOCs provides nutrition education and counseling by Registered Dietitians in both group and individual sessions Our VA Registered Dietitians promote wellness and disease prevention through comprehensive nutrition assessment and provide nutrition therapy tailored to the needs of the individual The Registered Dietitian provides counseling in the following areas: Our optometrists provide many eye-related services and treatments like:  If you have symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event We offer assessment and treatment support such as private counseling Our health care professionals treat Veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using evidence-based therapies and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to help Veterans identify and work through the single event that often triggers PTSD The goal is for Veterans to resolve the issues and learn how to cope We offer you a wide range of  treatment and support options: Learn more about PTSD Our palliative and hospice care services support you and your family as you cope with a life-threatening or terminal illness and improve the quality of life for patients being treated for serious illnesses Hospice care focuses on helping patients with terminal illnesses to manage the final stages of their lives Our palliative and hospice care services include: Our patient advocates work hard to make sure you receive the best possible care at our health care facilities They can:                        Learn more and connect with a patient advocate  Our pharmacists fill thousands of prescriptions each day We only fill new prescriptions in person at the pharmacy window but you can refill your current prescriptions 3 different ways: Learn more about our pharmacy Our physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors and therapists focus on whole-body health and improve your quality of life with services like:       occupational therapy and kinesiotherapy can help restore movement and function if you have been disabled by injury or disease If you’re living with or recovering from an injury or chronic condition that limits your mobility and independence and movement therapists combine therapeutic exercise and training to help you improve your health and quality of life Our podiatry specialists evaluate and treat a wide range of injuries diseases and disorders that affect your feet and ankles—from ingrown toenails to inflammation to diabetic foot ulcers many Veterans experience trouble with their feet and ankles We can help treat those problems so you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle Your VA primary care provider will work closely with you to plan for all the care you need to stay healthy and well throughout your life They will also work with family members or caregivers who support you We offer primary care at all of our VA Coatesville health care facilities We take a team approach to health care that centers on you and health care professionals to create a plan for your lifelong health and wellness Your primary care team can also coordinate other services as part of your care like: Veterans can communicate with their team using secure messaging through MyHealtheVet state-of-the-art adaptive home equipment and other equipment to help you preserve and increase your mobility and independence VA is the world’s largest and most comprehensive provider of sensory aides and prosthetic devices Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and referred by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can receive a full range of services and equipment like:  Learn more about the VA prosthetic program If you’re struggling with a mental health problem—or just need to talk with someone—we can help We offer treatment and support such as therapy alternative treatments  and medications when needed For emergency inpatient services a referral is needed by your psychiatrist You can present for admission to Urgent Care during their hours of operation Good mental health is a vital part of your overall wellness and treatment to help you with a range of mental and behavioral health problems Our pulmonary medicine team treats diseases and conditions that affect the lungs and breathing acute respiratory distress syndrome and sleep apnea If you find it difficult to breathe or sleep We offer a wide range of activities (arts and crafts The purpose of the recreation therapy process is to improve or maintain physical and spiritual functioning to promote full participation in life Services are provided or directly supervised by a certified therapeutic recreation specialist Recreation and creative arts therapy provides services and activities that include: Learn more about our recreation therapy independent lives at home as they recover from extended illnesses Veterans in stable condition with chronic (long-lasting) health problems can also receive long-term care at our community living center Learn more about VA's geriatrics and extended care If you’re returning from military service we can help you readjust to civilian life and get started with VA health care We can also help connect you with programs like mental health services and education and career counseling we can help you readjust to civilian life if you’re returning from military service or an activated National Guard or Reserve member Talk to one of our care coordinators about how to best use your health care benefits Learn more about health care benefits for returning service members To speak with a social worker contact the call center Social workers in primary care can see Veterans on a walk-in basis No referral is required for social work services We can help you and your family manage stress-related problems due to injury or illness and find VA and community resources to meet your needs including: You need a referral from your primary care provider for Speech appointments or call to cancel or reschedule Our Speech Pathology clinic provides diagnostic and rehabilitative services We offer a full range of speech pathology services like: We work with behavioral health providers and community organizations to help you and your family during times of crisis The COMPACT Act guarantees eligible Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care Learn more and connect with a care coordinator tele-eye screenings and VA Video Connect call ension 3819 We use the latest in secure digital technology to set up remote visits between you and our health care providers Clinical video telehealth provides instant individual or group appointments between Veterans at outpatient clinics and their VA health care providers Our most popular way for Veterans to connect with their providers from home for individual appointments is through VA Video Connect and may include the following services: The Toxic Exposure Screening (TES) includes screening for a wide variety of agents that service members may have been exposed to during their military deployments or assignments Veterans enrolled with the VHA may ask your care team to start the Toxic Exposure Screen please contact our Eligibility & Enrollment office at you will be assigned a primary care team who will schedule your screening Additional toxic exposure screening (TES) fast facts: walk-in care for minor injuries and non-emergency illnesses that are not life-threatening but need early attention Our urgent care clinic offers walk-in health care when you need help right away Urgent care doesn't replace your primary care doctor but we can help you when your doctor's office is closed and you need to see a health care professional right away 24/7 Urgent triage nurse line: If you have an urgent medical or mental health question, we have nurses ready to help 24 hours a day. Call a VISN 4 Tele Emergency Care at 1-833-835-3874 Learn more about VA Tele Emergency care services you’ll need to contact your primary care provider or other licensed VA provider first We help Veterans with physical and mental health challenges find and keep jobs Our program (formerly called Compensated Work Therapy) finds jobs through our long-term partnerships with business The Whole Health System includes three components Learn more about Whole Health care and connect with a care coordinator We offer women’s health services to meet your specific needs such as disease screenings maternity care and female-specific medical equipment Our Women's health program targets the unique needs of our female Veterans in a relaxing We offer complete health care for women Veterans of all ages Learn more and connect with a Women Veterans Program Manager Joseph Santoliquito (@JSantoliquito) WEST CHESTER — Max Hiller has to shop online to buy clothes Every time his parents signed him up for a youth sport other parents would demand to show them his birth certificate What the rest of District 1 better get familiar with is him—all 6-foot-6 305 pounds of the five-star sophomore football offensive tackle a larger role for the Coatesville basketball team the older brother of Red Raiders’ freshman standout Colton went from sitting at the end of the bench to playing significant minutes in the Red Raiders’ push for a PIAA District 1 Class 6A championship Max Hiller is making a late-season impact for Coatesville (Photo by Joseph Santoliquito/CoBL) Max helped push the Red Raiders with an impactful first half as Coatesville won its second-straight Ches Mont League championship behind brother Colton’s game-high 22 points He outscored both of Coatesville's 6-7 starting forwards 2 in the PIAA District 1 Class 6A rankings behind No Coatesville coach John Allen has certainly added large potent depth in the addition of “Big Max,” as he is called by his Coatesville teammates.   “Max just had to get his basketball legs and he got his basketball legs by playing junior varsity,” Allen said We wanted to use him and he fully committed to us the last two months.” said his first priority was to ease into playing basketball Max has received 22 scholarship offers from every major school in the country “People look at me and think I came out of the womb at around 5-8 I think we’re a good (basketball) team right now I think we have a great shot at states.” Colton opens up any defense with his three-point shooting ability He says his brother is too much to stop inside “He’s too wide and big,” Colton said with a laugh about his brother Max “We have to work on getting the ball down there to him.” Max’s Red Raider teammates were looking to get him the ball inside he bodied his way through three Shanahan defenders to score easy layups It was actually almost cartoonish as Shanahan and you can’t turn the ball over 18 times as we did and expect to beat a really good team like Coatesville,” Shanahan coach John Dougherty said “They got the ball down low to him and he helped break this game open in the second quarter The Red Raiders got out to a 25-13 lead after one quarter and a Fowlkes’ layup with 4:54 left in the third quarter provided the 30-points or better difference for the mercy rule to be invoked “I feel we aren’t even at our best yet,” Fowlkes said “We are getting it and trust each other much better You can’t really match up with someone as large as Max He is finishing a lot better around the rim and now Max is a big part of us.”   Shanahan was led by David Maddrey-Rylander’s 14 The Eagles will embark on their District 1 postseason path next week They entered Monday night’s championship ranked No The Eagles could face Pope John-Paul II in the finals Since there are only four teams in District 1 Class 4A the Eagles will face Collegium Charter on Feb with the other semifinal being between PJP-Lower Moreland “We have a lot more basketball ahead of us,” Dougherty said Coatesville (19-5):  25 | 17 | 18 | 9 || 69 Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on BlueSky here The .gov means it’s official.Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil make sure you're on a federal government site The https:// ensures that you're connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and sent securely Jennifer Harkins was appointed as the medical center director of the Coatesville VA Medical Center (VAMC) on August 28 she directs a staff of approximately 1,150 employees and oversees all aspects of health care operations of a complexity level three In addition to the main campus in Coatesville Community Based Outpatient Clinics are operated in Newtown Square and West Norriton Harkins began her VA career as the Women Veteran Coordinator in 1993 at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center she served in increasingly more complex leadership roles at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and was appointed as the Interim Associate Director at the Wilmington VA Medical Center in 2014 Harkins was appointed as the Associate Director of the Coatesville VAMC During that time she served as the acting Director for Coatesville VAMC on two occasions Harkins is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives a graduate of VA’s Healthcare Leadership Development Program has earned an Executive Leadership Certificate in Lean for Healthcare from the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Business and holds a master’s degree in Organizational and Strategic Leadership COATESVILLE — Around the first time Conestoga coach Sean Forcine picked up a basketball was the last time the Pioneers reached the PIAA District 1 championship but he carries a reminder on his cell of that title game box score in February 1987 Forcine and his team defeated Tuesday night in the PIAA District 1 Class 6A semifinals to reach the district championship again for the first time since 1987 1 seed Lower Merion in the other semifinal Shane O'Brien combined with Rowan Miller and Cory Hogan to score 45 of Conestoga's 55 points (Photo by Mark Jordan/CoBL) That 1987 Conestoga team revolved around 6-foot-10 Clay Buckley who went on to win a national championship at Duke in 1991 the former Immaculata University coach currently an assistant at West Chester under Damien Blair Those names are forever etched in Conestoga lore possibly soon to be joined by a host of new ones who combined to score 45 of the Pioneers’ 55 points The smaller Pioneers were the more physical team the more assertive team against the much larger Red Raiders They were not about to be intimidated and made it known not just on (Coatesville’s Colton) Hiller including the clinching free throw to seal it “We knew going into this game that there were no excuses for being smaller “We came in the tougher team and fought as hard as we could because their guys were so much bigger than us we came back to make the next play.” then hung there for what seemed like seconds it felt good leaving my hand,” said Miller “It’s been since 1987 since Conestoga was last in a district championship You can see how big this is for our program We wanted to earn that respect and I think we did Our program does not get a lot of respect.” Miller used the term “grit and grime.” He knew not many expected this to happen “That chip on our shoulder gave us the motivation to move on,” he said we couldn’t play with their big guys.” After Miller’s three put the Pioneers up Sam Gibbs and Hogan created some distance at the line hitting three of four to give Conestoga a 53-46 lead with 28 seconds left The Pioneers had rarely played a zone defense this year Forcine used a 2-3 against Cheltenham in the playoffs and liked what he saw There were some moments when they had problems primarily with Coatesville’s 6-foot-7 junior Larry Brown who singlehandedly kept the Red Raiders in contention Forcine and the smaller Pioneers stayed with the zone while keeping a watchful eye everywhere Hiller went The Red Raiders were a collective 2-of-19 from three-point range with the second three not coming until the closing seconds of the game when Amon Fowlkes tossed in a floating trey with 12 seconds to play Cory Hogan hit a “You have give a lot of credit to Conestoga and there are a lot of things that went wrong,” Coatesville coach John Allen said “You have to give a lot of credit to Conestoga and there are a lot of things that went wrong,” Coatesville coach John Allen said “We didn’t play the way we normally play They were physical and we were prepared for it and anytime you go 0-for-10 in the first half and we had it on the board—we wanted to play inside-out punctuated by Hogan’s steal-and-score at the buzzer The talented freshman had 12 of the Red Raiders’ 21 halftime points including an exclamation mark of his own with an emphatic slam dunk with 4:05 left in the half The Pioneers used precision shooting and balanced scoring in controlling the first two quarters with Miller leading the way with nine at halftime followed by seven each from Hogan and O’Brien but Conestoga answered with six unanswered points to seize the lead Seven points was the largest difference between the two teams made when O’Brien landed one of the Pioneers’ five three pointers in the first half with 2:22 left in the half Almost every time Brown got the ball inside It was quite possibly Brown’s best game this season and we didn’t execute,” Brown said We didn’t stick with our game plan.” Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on BlueSky here NORRISTOWN — Roman Catholic seniors Shareef Jackson and Sebastian Edwards did not have to be reminded about the last time they played at Norristown Area High School 2024 — exactly 52 weeks ago to the day — their 2023-24 season ended with a 57-50 loss in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals to eventual state runner-up Parkland “They outhustled us,” Edwards recalled “We were flat the whole game.” Shareef Jackson (above) and Roman Catholic avenged last year's state playoff loss at Norristown Jackson also remembered that day: “We definitely talked about losing last year and coming back here and not wanting it to happen again.” Jackson and Edwards made sure it didn’t on Saturday before a capacity crowd in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals in the same gym where last season came to an end for the Cahillites improved to 24-5 on the season and advanced to the PIAA Class 6A semifinals on Saturday at a site to be determined where they will play District 7 champion Upper St Sophomore guard Tyler Sutton led the Cahillites with 17 points while Jackson added 15 and Edwards finished with 11 Roman Catholic coach Chris McNesby said the team talked about last year’s loss to Parkland during the practices leading up to Saturday’s return visit to the scene of last year’s season-ending loss “Parkland had a bunch of seniors who just seemed to — in that moment — want it a little bit more than us,” McNesby said and they kind of remembered that sting a little bit.” Roman Catholic and Coatesville entered the game coming off completely different types of wins in the PIAA Class 6A second round The Cahillites defeated defending state champ the Red Raiders got a three-pointer from Amon Fowlkes with two seconds left for a 59-56 win over Cumberland Valley The first quarter set the tone for the rest of the game behind six points from the 6-foot-8 Jackson “I thought I had a really good first quarter,” Jackson said Edwards hit a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter as Roman Catholic extended its lead to 21-12 “I had to find my rhythm,” Edwards said “It took me a minute to find my shot.” as they scored the final six points of the first half to pull within 21-18 at halftime Amon Fowlkes (above) headlined an eight-man senior class that graduates from Coatesville Roman Catholic entered the game focused on containing Coatesville’s 6-foot-5 freshman star Colton Hiller “We really wanted to limit his touches,” McNesby said “He’s a really talented player Hiller scored two points in the first half and finished with a team-high 13 Roman Catholic junior Sammy Jackson - Shareef’s brother - followed Hiller’s eight points in the third quarter including a deep three-pointer with one second left pulled Coatesville within 34-32 entering the fourth quarter Shareef Jackson’s steal and layup with just under four minutes to play extended Roman Catholic’s lead to 45-39 “I’m not going to lie,” a smiling Jackson said of the steal that led to his key basket “It should have been a little bit of a foul.” its season ends with a 24-7 record and in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals for the third year in a row Coach John Allen has rebuilt his alma mater into one of the top programs in the Philadelphia area — a program he helped win a state championship in 2001 before embarking on a stellar career at Seton Hall University and a long stint playing professionally overseas He’ll say goodbye to eight seniors led by Fowlkes who came over from Collegium Charter after his freshman year and instantly became an integral part of the Coatesville prgorgram “The seniors - they’ve been a part of everything that I’ve done I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me We went out as winners - went out as winners.” It’s difficult for us to be in this position to be so close and to fight and compete and then lose,” he added Tyler Sutton led Roman Catholic with 17 points they will have off until Saturday when they play an Upper St Clair team that is 26-2 on the season and is led by 6-foot-10 Tyler Robbins a Miami (Ohio) commit whose dunk with 1.2 seconds to play lifted his team into the PIAA Class 6A semifinals.  The Cahillites know that they will have to travel farther than Norristown for their next game — Upper St is approximately 315 miles from Broad and Vine “It’s fun,” McNesby said and you don’t know them,” Edwards said of playing an unfamiliar opponent in Upper St “It makes it a better experience.” Edwards and Jackson have looked at the PIAA Class 6A bracket They know that a rematch with Father Judge in the Philadelphia Catholic League championship game on the last Sunday in February is a possibility in the state championship game that is scheduled for March 29 at the GIANT Center in Hershey “We have been taking it one game at a time but definitely looking forward to it - but not enough to harm us,” Jackson said but this year is even bigger with the chance to play the guys that beat us.” But Roman Catholic knows that it has to win another game before it could possibly have another shot against Father Judge “When you start this tournament you know the potential is there but it’s so far away,” McNesby said but as it inches closer you kind of think about it - but you have to get through the next one.” will be trying to reach his third state championship game during a remarkable career When he was a sophomore — the last time Jackson played in the GIANT Center in Hershey — he and his team lost to Reading in the state title game.  the goal for Roman Catholic is to win their semifinal game and return to the GIANT Center — as their redemption tour continues According to a mental health care rating system Coatesville VA Medical Center has consistently been rated in the top 2 of 139 U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers for the last three years The Mental Health Domain Quality (MHQ3) score rating system is part of the Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) Value Model MHQ3 tracks 36 measures in three categories: Veterans' ability to initially access to care Consistently delivering high-quality mental health care to Veterans is no accident and it doesn’t happen by chance; it happens by design.  Mental health staff at Coatesville VA will often attribute the high rating to their investment in the training committee that oversees the selection and mentorship of interns each year. How does a committee overseeing the training of interns have such a big impact on Veteran care It starts with attracting the right interns.  Attracting and selecting the right interns “VA is the largest provider of psychology intern training nationally,” explains Dr Chief of Psychology Services at Coatesville VA “meaning our training committee plays a role in preparing psychologists not only for VA careers but to competently serve the country as a whole.” Coatesville VA’s reputation as a top-tier VA mental health facility helped attract more than 100 candidates for the six available intern positions this year.  “Selecting the right candidates is absolutely essential to the psychologists on the training committee.” To remain focused and consistent through applications that can exceed 100 pages each committee members follow standardized criteria This guide is designed to help them identify which interns have the training and interest that have repeatedly proven to identify those who go on to serve Veterans' best interests the committee filled its six positions in the first round.   “Filling the intern slots in the first round is like a sports team getting all their top picks in the first round of the draft psychologist and training committee chair explains “We couldn’t ask for more.”  Onboarding interns who serve full-time for a year comes with additional benefits Adding interns to the local team expands Veterans’ access to mental health care and psychologists can spend the extra time with Veterans who need more frequent therapy and counseling.  Developing and retaining engaged professionals The longer interns choose to remain at Coatesville VA after graduation the higher the return on investment is for the training committee and the more the Veterans they serve will benefit New psychologists are mentored into roles on the training committee and are encouraged to share their innovations and ideas to improve the care the team delivers.  Coatesville VA retains a wealth of experienced psychologists who support and treat Veterans through substance use and 18 of them did their internship right here at Coatesville VA “The staff who supervise the interns report that being an intern supervisor is an enriching role for them It helps us retain our good quality psychologists because they feel more invested.” With psychologists experienced with the interdisciplinary collaboration model small details are less likely to be missed This industry standard model is designed so that the Veteran’s primary care provider and psychologist have access to information from the Veteran’s most recent interactions with their treatment team but retaining interns elevates Veteran care in ways that only practitioners could anticipate Veterans who received their mental health care through Coatesville VA are more likely to be seen by a psychologist who has experience serving Veterans who might be giving VA health care a try for the first time trust their therapist and feel comfortable receiving mental health care at Coatesville VA.  Veterans considering their mental health treatment options are welcome to explore our mental health services and can call the Mental Health Outpatient Clinic to discuss options suited to their unique needs DOWNINGTOWN — He tends to do that He tends to make anyone shake their heads when they hear how old he is and his uncanny acumen for the game at such a young age A packed Bishop Shanahan gym received a good dose of just who Colton Hiller is For four quarters Tuesday night they still wondered what all the fuss was about—and then it happened Colton Hiller exploded in overtime in leading Coatesville by Shanahan (Photo by Joseph Santoliquito/CoBL) but the 6-foot-5 Coatesville freshman made an impact scoring 13 of the Red Raiders’ 14 points in overtime to keep Coatesville clean in the Ches-Mont League National Division with a 67-64 victory at Bishop Shanahan snapping the Eagles’ eight-game winning streak The Red Raiders are now 11-3 overall and 7-0 in the Ches-Mont National while Shanahan dropped to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in the Ches-Mont National with both league losses coming against Coatesville Hiller finished with a team-high 21 points scoring more in the four-minute overtime than he did in the previous 32 minutes combined His shot had been a little short during regulation though once he splashed a three-pointer from high on the left wing He made all three of his 3-point attempts in overtime and went four-for-four from the foul line capping his most clutch performance in a young career that is surging with promise When one Shanahan fan seated courtside found out Hiller was just 14 they shook their head in disbelief and quipped “I want to see the birth certificate What was intriguing about Tuesday night was that he struggled and kept shooting he began to do other things that helped change the course of the game like when he came from nowhere to pin a layup against the glass by Shanahan’s Danny Keenan Hiller grabbed the blocked shot and then got the ball up the court to the Red Raiders’ Amon Fowlkes for a layup producing the fourth lead change in the fourth quarter and a 48-47 Coatesville lead with 5:51 to play What many found out Tuesday night is that the head is there He has played 14 varsity high school games and has been one of the Red Raiders leading scorers in almost each one “I still feel I can get a little more comfortable (playing at the varsity level) trusting my dribble a little more getting to the rim a little more,” he said I took deep breaths and kept thinking I had to do whatever it takes to win “Overtime I found a new burst and took it from there.” Coatesville coach John Allen tends to beam every time he talks about Hiller not wanting to put too much pressure on him “We’re making sure Colton has to get the work in and he has done a really good job of it,” Allen said “We have absolute faith and trust in Colton but I wish we would have found him earlier With the guards that we have and the way we can drive the ball and collapse a defense; we could have found him earlier We needed to be challenged and we were challenged It’s what I wanted to see tonight and we saw it I know people don’t believe it.” Coatesville beat Shanahan back in December The Eagles started their season 0-4 and 1-6 But coach John Dougherty has done a wonderful job turning around what looked like a bleak season into a contending one The Eagles had won eight-straight games entering Tuesday night’s game and a big reason is because Sean Griffin and Danny Keenan are healthy and was absolutely dominant in the third quarter scoring 10 of his 25 in the quarter and positioning the Eagles to win after a strong start in which he scored seven by halftime The Eagles’ undoing was 19 turnovers Dougherty saw a blatant difference in the team that lost by 29 a month ago to the team that lost by three in overtime Tuesday night and you have to be perfect to play against them and we weren’t,” Dougherty said “We had too many turnovers in crucial times We work on doing our best at the end of the season and guys begin getting in a rhythm But I love that we battled a very good team The rest of District 1 may learn Shanahan could be a threat if it keeps improving considering the Eagles are a Class 4A school 5-2 Ches-Mont): 15 | 10 |  16 |  12 | 11  ||  64 It had not been Amon Fowlkes’ best night.  Amon Fowlkes (above) delivered Coatesville into the Ches-Mont championship game The Coatesville senior had a rough night shooting the ball in the Ches-Mont semifinals making three of his first 12 shots going into overtime against Downingtown West in a tough But with the seconds ticking down under 10 and with the ball in his hands his layup with 3.8 seconds remaining the game-winner sending Coatesville to the championship with a 57-55 victory on Friday night Bishop Shanahan, which beat Sun Valley 41-39 in the night’s earlier semifinal awaits in Monday’s championship game (WCU Coatesville ran the clock down into the final 10 seconds called timeout to inbound under its basket Fowlkes took the pass in the corner opposite his bench drove around to the top of the key and then towards the basket holding off a defender with his body as he used his left hand to get the ball up and in “It was kind of a broken-down play and I knew I had the guy on my hip and I just went downhill what I do best,” the 5-foot-10 guard said “(Coatesville coach John Allen) said ‘go at ten,’ but I went at eight — close enough.” had a strong overall game with six rebounds But he was having issues putting the ball through the bucket through the first 32 minutes and change against Downingtown West; not not had he missed all three of his 3-point attempts but he was 2-of-6 from the foul line.  None of that mattered with the game on the line.  “My team puts a lot of confidence in me,” he said “They’re just telling me to stay poised Amon Fowlkes with the layup and Coatesville takes the lead. Timeout DWest with 3.8s left.[image or embed] Coatesville (18-5) won the two previous meetings between the teams The Whippets made it clear they were as ready as ever fighting off every challenge the Raiders threw at them getting 16 points from star senior Donovan Fromhartz on his future college court and nine points each from junior Brady Moore and sophomore Isaiah Hicklen and Brendon Good-Kimble.  The teams traded leads all throughout the second half Downingtown West (14-9) had several leads late but none larger than three points The last of those came with 35 seconds left after Hicklen split a pair from the line his floater a minute earlier breaking a tie.  Colton Hiller (above) hit three 3-pointers as part of his 20-point outing the 6-5 baby-faced 14-year-old who’s been one of the top high school rookies in the region found himself at the line with 18 seconds left fouled on a 3-pointer from the top of the key capping off a 20-point outing which saw him hit three 3-pointers and go 5-of-5 from the line.  “I just took a deep breath and went back to my mechanics,” Hiller said but the first one and last one were easy.” The Whippets were 8-of-18 from the foul line in the second half 18 team in the unofficial District 1 6A rankings as of Saturday night 15 Chester (15-7) in the opening round.  While things are always liable to shift before brackets come out on Monday the Raiders are currently in line to face the winner of No 23 West Chester Henderson in the second round.  a game that was moved up from Tuesday night in case of a potential snowstorm that evening Shanahan has won 15 of 17 games after a 1-6 start but two of those losses came to Coatesville: 63-34 in December when Shanahan was shorthanded The first things that came to Fowlkes’ mind when he thought about Shanahan was senior forward Sean Griffin — who had a 14-point 12-rebound double-double against Sun Valley — and the Eagles’ zone defense which require a focus on “swinging the ball sticking to what’s working and not to get too far ahead of ourselves Derek Brooks would prefer his Upper Dublin squad not play an additional four minutes of overtime with a tied game after the first quarter against Coatesville Upper Dublin outscored Coatesville in the second and third quarter going into the fourth up four while holding onto a six-point lead for most of the final eight minutes.   Idris Rines (above) scored seven of his 20 points in overtime With the Cardinals inability to close out in the final minutes the Red Raiders inched their way back into the game until Coatesville’s Amon Fowlkes hit a three pointer to tie the game at 48 with five seconds left in regulation eventually sending the game into overtime.  along with Upper Dublin’s senior gamer Ryan Mulroy’s 22 points on the afternoon the Cardinals turned to fellow senior Idris Rines who scored seven of his 20 points in overtime to down Coatesville While Mulroy hit shot after shot in regulation Rines’ overtime performance really helped Upper Dublin first through the finish line “He’s so smart; he is able to make plays with the ball in his hands and off-ball,” Brooks said “He starts overtime off with a back door pass and then he buries a huge three that kind of shifted everything.” After a back-and-forth beginning of the game a seven-point second quarter by Mulroy gave Upper Dublin a three-point lead going into halftime For a Coatesville team that is not afraid to shoot from deep Coatesville’s Colton Hiller was responsible for hitting all of the Red Raiders’ three-point shots in the first half as he led Coatesville scoring with 10.  And as happens often in high school play out of halftime: adjustments.  And like many teams do when time is limited: they buckle down on defense Upper Dublin shot 0-4 from beyond the arc in third Coatesville still lost the quarter to Upper Dublin by a point.  Rines’ ability to use his physicality to return to the line and drill two pairs of free throws in the third quarter helped separate the Cardinals from the Red Raiders “I mainly just try to use my IQ and follow the game plan,” Rines said Coach Brooks keeps us in the game preaching physicality and not backing down.  While Upper Dublin held onto a six-point lead for much of the final quarter several miscues involving passing and turnovers kept Coatesville in the game Amon Fowlkes hit a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.  The additional four minutes of play would prove consequential holding onto a 53-51 advantage with 1:10 left lost the ball at midcourt due to a Nasir Williams open court steal He went up for a layup to tie the game but was blocked by Mulroy.  eventually earning Coatesville head coach John Allen a technical and then a second one on the following possession The non-call would continuously find Upper Dublin on the line several times in the final minute With several free throws coming Upper Dublin’s way Rines stepped up to the line and buried four in a row “The thing I am most proud about from that game is being able to weather that storm and come back and win it in overtime,” Brooks said That’s a very good physical team that really took us out of our offense all game.” Many teams would crumble in overtime after decently controlling the game the whole way and especially at the end This Upper Dublin team would not leave any “what ifs” open during the additional time added Rines has really stepped up this season for the Cardinals the senior scored 22 points at La Salle to help the team earn a 57-50 win He recorded a triple-double later in the week against Downingtown West Rines also helped pave the way for Upper Dublin to repeat as Jim Church Classic Champions.  The win against Coatesville improves the Cardinals to 8-1 in the early season After losing their season opener at Lower Merion the Cardinals have ripped off eight straight wins they are just satisfied to finish off Coatesville.  “It was a good team win,” Rines said “Not just for me in overtime… I think my teammates found ways defensively We boxed out great and followed the game plan.” being able to come out with a win against a strong Coatesville team should help give them a boost going forward the Cardinals team faced a significant adversity against Coatesville and their ability to outscore the Red Raiders 19-5 in the four-minute overtime session says a lot.  the Upper Dublin win against Coatesville really could be a turning point for the Cardinals Both teams have deep postseason aspirations so coming out of this game with a win should boost the confidence and mindset of Upper Dublin that they very well have something special brewing.  “We wanted to show we’re at that upper echelon We failed our first test of the year at Lower Merion; and have played great since there would be some doubt if we could beat the big boys The Lincoln’s Promise Food Pantry at the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center has expanded significantly in 2024 to more than double the number of people they served to 348 in December 2024 Originally launched to combat food insecurity the pantry's growth reflects both an increasing demand for its services and the ongoing support from the community “We hear from Veterans every day about how grateful they are for the pantry,” said registered dietician Lauren Windle “Veterans are stating they are eating better have access to fresh fruits and vegetables they would not have without the pantry and no longer must choose between paying bills or buying food.”  The food pantry opened its doors in 2022 as a partnership with the Chester County Food Bank because of the well-established relationship of hosting the Fresh2you Mobile Market throughout the growing season each year.  Expanding to meet Veterans’ needsBy January 2024 the pantry grew to serve 148 people and continues to expand to meet the growing needs of Veterans with the community.  One of the most significant changes this year was relocating the pantry to a larger space almost a year ago The move provided additional storage space for more shelf-stable food and allowed Veterans to increase visits from once a month to once a week.  A donation from the Chester County Food Bank included two refrigerators and a freezer expanding the variety of food offered to include fresh produce Large and small donations from the community grew to more than $80,000 in 2024 The continued expansion allowed the food pantry to serve 348 people in the community by providing them with food assistance that improves Veterans' health and eases their financial burdens Make a donationAlthough donations from the community have increased the pantry continues to rely on donations to keep its shelves stocked The most needed items include canned fruit and canned proteins like tuna and chicken.  call the Lincoln’s Promise Food Pantry at (610) 384-7711 Accessing the food pantryAny Veteran who is food-insecure is welcome Eligibility does not depend on an income threshold Veterans do not need a referral to use the pantry; they can self-refer by contacting a Coatesville VAMC nutrition specialist at (610) 384-7711 If you know a Veteran who lives in Delaware Montgomery or Chester County and could benefit from either food assistance or easing their financial burdens talk to them about the Lincoln’s Promise Food pantry (Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.) John Allen said he didn’t do much coaching last fall In his second year at the helm of Coatesville the Raiders head coach let his veteran group go out and compete and see how they stacked up in the preseason and saved most of his Xs and Os talk for the winter Following a second straight state quarterfinal finish and the departure of an experienced senior class Allen is pulling out the whiteboard a bit more this preseason The new-look Raiders have a few talented returners and an exciting group of youngsters that has Allen back in teaching mode “I’m enjoying this fall,” Allen said “We actually shut it down early last fall because those guys they were seniors Larry Brown is entering his third year as a starter Coatesville won its first Ches-Mont League title since 2017 last year before reaching the District 1 and PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals First team All-Ches-Mont selections Zuri Harris (Elizabethtown) and Dior Kennedy (Hargrave Military Acad.) paved the way for Coatesville in the last two seasons but the Raiders still expect to compete for championships in the league Junior 6-foot-7 forward Larry Brown is a big reason why Brown tantalized with potential in his freshman and sophomore seasons even garnering interest from the Division I level Brown’s growth this offseason has left an impression on his coach The Raiders will lean on him for production and leadership as he looks to play a new role in his career I don’t think ended the way he would have liked personally and team wise but he’s been focused locked in showing up for everything,” Allen said “We have weightlifting class during school where he does it “He’s been mature about a lot of things that’s going on and I think he’s been playing well He deserves it because he puts the work in.” Brown is one of two starters back along with senior guard Amon Fowlkes Senior 6-4 forward Armon Shockley is another returner who provides plenty of toughness work off each other and learn how to trust each other on the court off the court and it’ll come together with time,” Fowlkes said There’s plenty of talent behind that veteran trio After typically bringing about seven players to fall events in 2023-24 Allen has had 13 guys traveling this fall as he tries to get them some experience Freshman wing Colton Hiller (above) has been an impact player this summer Junior 6-7 forward Jonas Chester is an intriguing piece who saw a little bit of varsity time last year Junior 5-11 guard Chris Allegra will earn plenty of minutes as he plays extremely hard and contributes in a number of ways Senior guard Nasir Williams (Sankofa Freedom) and junior guard Nasir Buchanan (Collegium Charter) are at Coatesville this school year after both leading their teams in scoring last season.  Freshman 6-4 guard Colton Hiller has been terrific this preseason with a polished offensive arsenal to go along with a mature approach to the game “He’s special,” Fowlkes said It’s definitely good to play with him It’s a lot of new guys who are good to play with most of this season’s Coatesville team grew up playing together so there is a palpable chemistry that both the players and their coach can already feel Allen has also seen a buy-in from his group that includes time spent in the weight room and attendance at voluntary early morning workouts basic stuff like that and it can take you a long way," Fowlkes said. "It’s pretty much the same things just a different group.” but they are excited about where they could end up They know at a program like Coatesville there’s an expectation to win.  “There’s a standard,” Brown said “The standard is really high and we’ve gotta keep it up there We’ve gotta play hard and bring it everyday and then deciding to enter a treatment program Sherry Robinson found herself hesitating to take the final step of walking into the residential rehabilitation and treatment (RRTP) program at Coatesville VA Medical Center Robinson owned a working car and was staying 45 minutes away in Pottstown but admitted to making all kinds of excuses over the last three days for why she couldn’t go I was scared that I was going to be in a lock down facility because I did not want that.” She went on to explain “I don't want to be controlled anymore You were being controlled the whole time in the military and I'm just completely over that.” Robinson accepted she couldn’t heal on her own and needed help to work through everything she had experienced during her military service Life altering eventsRobinson served in the Army during Operation Enduring Freedom but says she decided to separate from the Army at the end of her term of service and was honorably discharged in 2010 after experiencing toxic discrimination and military sexual trauma during a deployment Robinson had been managing her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms when her mother died and then her long-term relationship ended badly That’s when the depression and drinking worsened.  it triggered PTSD from events during her time in service and she felt alone.  told her she wasn’t taking therapy seriously hadn’t been honest with her therapist in a while Her therapist recommended a women Veterans residential program That’s how Robinson found herself in Reading hesitating to take the next step.  Taking the final stepRobinson eventually stopped hesitating and took that final step after three days and checked in at the Coatesville VA for the Power of Women Embracing Recovery (POWER) residential treatment program.  “They made me feel so welcomed here even the other Veterans that are in here.” She went on to say "It's hard to explain the comfort you feel when it's another Veteran They're here for the same things.” Robinson was relieved to see for herself that residents were not ‘on lockdown’ and described the environment as a safe zone for women Veterans Veterans have a say in their medication plan and even when to check out of the program.  The treatment team supported her while she worked through her PTSD depression and alcohol dependency and together they set goals on what she wanted to accomplish Robinson sought a better version of herself and made plans to return to school with the prospect of a career she was excited about.  If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who is hesitating to accept treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD substance use or Military Sexual Trauma, talk to your care provider about your treatment options or call the Coatesville VA RRTP admissions department at 844-RRTP-COA or email them at VHAACOADomAdmissionsDept@va.gov COATESVILLE — It’s frustrating Coatesville coach John Allen openly admits it’s frustrating Allen sees so much in Amon Fowlkes that the 5-foot-11 Red Raiders’ senior guard does not see in himself A strong case in point came on Saturday night when Coatesville hosted Plymouth-Whitemarsh and its star 6-foot-5 junior guard Mani Sajid With coaches from Penn State and Villanova in the packed house to see Sajid handing out 10 assists and coming up with four steals to lead Coatesville to an impressive 64-52 victory over the Colonials Amon Fowlkes led the way for Coatesville against Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Photo by Joseph Santoliquito/CoBL) It marked the second-straight victory for Coatesville after the Red Raiders snapped a three-game losing skid while the loss dropped Plymouth-Whitemarsh “People just don’t know about Amon,” Allen said and it’s frustrating because Amon is very good I see a lot more in him than he sees in himself He is a better playmaker and a better defender than what he shows.” Fowlkes suffers from some internal frustration himself He has gained some attention from a few Division III schools he knows -- there are players out there who are getting Division II looks that he is better than leadership and ballhandling over the summer He intended to enter this season as the calming force the Red Raiders would need in tense game—like the victory on Saturday When the Colonials got within 49-45 with 4:53 to play it was Fowlkes who stole the ball and scored on a layup It was Fowlkes who scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half four in the fourth quarter in crucial moments “I play with a chip on my shoulder,” Fowlkes said “I have been getting used to my guys and it’s coming together It’s why I play with a different type of attitude and why I play harder Beating Plymouth-Whitemarsh was a big victory but the Red Raiders are still far from where they want to be and where they could be They had difficulty with the Colonials’ 6-9 junior center Michael Pereira inside 6-4 freshman Colton Hiller and 6-7 junior Lawrence Brown Pereira sometimes found it difficult to get the ball Coatesville looked as if it would take off and run away with 6:14 left to play But Sajid and Tyriq Taylor nailed treys and suddenly he certainly had a few eyebrows of the college scouts that were there “You see these college scouts and they better be looking at him We keep him grounding and enjoying his progress right now He missed that (put-back dunk) in the second quarter Plymouth-Whitemarsh finished the second leg of a mini gauntlet The Colonials were coming off a victory against tough Abington Friday night traveled to Coatesville on Saturday and take on Upper Dublin on Tuesday night “This going to take some time,” Colonials’ legendary coach Jim Donofrio said I think we’re inexperience understanding the kind of focus this requires We don’t have the experience even close to the hype we were given There is a lot to get through to get to where you want to go But I have kids who you try to turn into the highest level of competitor when they have no major experience to begin with Donofrio said this team reminds him of his 2009 PW team that reached the PIAA Class 4A (before the 6A system) semifinals that had an up-and-down season and still reached the state semifinals “You are going to get punched some nights in front of a lot of people and have to love with it,” Donofrio said “We don’t know what we don’t know CHESTER — It’s easy to envision Brady Moore wearing construction boots and a hard hat when he plays The 6-foot-6 Downingtown West junior has a no-frills game where he puts his head down and drives to the basket when Chester tried pushing its way out of a big hole it was Moore who stomped down in the fourth quarter towards a mild 76-68 upset over host No 15 Chester in the opening round of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A playoffs 18 Whippets (14-8) will now travel to Ches Mont League rival Coatesville (17-5) for a second-round game on Tuesday at Coatesville at 7 p.m Brady Moore made an impact in the fourth quarter of Downingtown West's playoff victory over Chester (Photo by Joseph Santoliquito/CoBL) West Chester-bound Donovan Fromhartz started on fire scoring 12 of his game-high 30 points in the first quarter The Whippets began the fourth quarter holding a 51-43 lead and the way the Clippers can dissect a team there was no way West coach Stu Ross was going to let up Each time Downingtown West looked like it would pull away Chester would create a steal or nail a three and find itself back into contention That’s when Moore put his hard hat on He scored five of West’s first seven points in the fourth quarter He finished scoring eight points total in the quarter The closest the Clippers came was 74-65 in the last minute of play with Moore on the bench fouling out with 2:00 to play “I think the preparation all week and handling the pressure helped. We beat them earlier this year and that helped us a lot with our confidence that we can come in here and do this,” Moore said “This sets up another game with Coatesville I just think we didn’t come together as a group I don’t think we were sharing the ball the way we could put my head down and go right to the basket.” getting out to a 21-17 lead after one quarter and holding a 35-30 edge by halftime Chester would use its vaunted press and make a run with 14 of his team-high 19 coming in the second half but we put our guys through a lot of early-season tests like this so it doesn’t faze them,” Ross said I really like how we are playing right now We had a chance the last time we played Coatesville We battled them all the way until the end.”   Ross liked his team’s composure under the strain of the Chester pressure.   He had been called for goaltending in the third quarter and received an earful for it from the coaching staff Amari used the goaltending call as motivation and was a defensive force blocking three shots and grabbing six rebounds in the last quarter “I had a tough time there and I had to bounce back,” Amari said “I used the bad stuff into motivation and a do better job I know my job is to rebound and block shots.” which is small in comparison to West to begin with did have trouble with Fromhartz and Amari Ross down low they killed us down low.” Chester coach Keith Taylor said A lot of people didn’t expect us to even be here “We weren’t even expected to win 10 games These kids have been through a lot in a year I thanked my kids for everything they gave us Stu Ross feels his team is playing its best basketball at the most important time of the season “Compared with the way we played Coatesville the first time to the third time That last loss has not hung over our heads,” Stu Ross said we are playing together and sharing the ball.” Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. 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Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY COATESVILLE — John Allen does not want to jinx anything The Coatesville legend is now in his third season as Red Raiders’ head coach His team is off to its best start in his young coaching career and first 4-0 start in at least five years But he will stop you right there when it comes to the “D Word.” Any mention of that will have to wait another month Allen is willing to bask in easy nights like Tuesday when he played everyone in Coatesville’s easy 63-34 victory over visiting Bishop Shanahan in the Ches-Mont League season opener for both teams Coatesville's Nasir Williams scored 10 of his 12 in the second quarter to help the Red Raiders beat Shanahan (Photo by Mark Jordan/CoBL) Ten different players scored for Coatesville which is 4-0 overall and has started the season with victories over defending PIAA District 1 Class 6A champion Lower Merion The Red Raiders were led by freshman Colton Hiller followed by Nasir Williams’ 12 and Armon Shockley’s 10 while Shanahan was led by junior Andrew Corcoran’s team-high nine He likes the way his team has started the season This is primarily a new team that he has pieced together and seeing what player combinations work best together But he is hesitant when he comes to looking too far ahead can’t you tell (laughs),” Allen said “We get reminded about the bigger picture ahead and it’s why we try to make our practices even more difficult than games we are going to slow it down and take it game-by-game Let’s leave out the ‘D word’ for now.” The “D word” refers to the District 1 championship Allen was on the last Red Raiders team in 2001 to win the District 1 championship (then in Class 4A) He was the centerpiece on Coatesville’s last state championship team — in 2001 He is not yet ready to go talking about breaking a two-decade old championship freeze the program is in Everyone at the end at the end of the bench better play with as much energy as the starters on this team We will talk and think about district championships and talk about district titles a month from now I don’t want to jinx anything.” Armon Shockley (above) scored 10 points against Bishop Shanahan Even though the Ches-Mont League opener was easy Tuesday night points were still left off the board in gimme buckets inside that missed and there were some defensive rotations that could use some tightening Allen says he fights his players every day about the little things he will concern himself with battling complacency a month from now if the Red Raiders’ success continues going in this direction Coatesville won its first Ches-Mont League title since 2017 before reaching the District 1 and PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals What is markedly different was on display Tuesday night The Red Raiders could easily nine to 10 players deep Coatesville got knocked out of the district playoffs last season by Chester in the quarterfinal round Shockley is determined not to let that happen this year “We are very confident,” he said We are putting the brakes on thinking ahead to the district playoffs I like our defense and how aggressive we are playing Knowing how deep we are takes the stress off the starters.” Coatesville got off to an 8-0 start and was never threatened Shanahan showed some grit in playing for coach John Dougherty But Coatesville simply had too much firepower for the Eagles and Williams and Shockley driving the lane Red Raiders’ junior 6-foot-7 forward Larry Brown was hardly a factor in foul trouble early the Eagles could do nothing to fend off the Red Raiders’ aggressive defense Williams scored 10 of his 12 points in the second quarter “I like how competitive everyone is on this team,” he said We need to communicate better on defense and that will come and we are only going to get better.” (Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.) The former Downingtown and Penn State legend knows there is no hiding it Entering her third year as head coach of Coatesville Nicholson will have a bunch of players much like herself this season If a few emerge with anywhere close to the skill level in which Nicholson played that is still a work in progress—as are the Red Raiders Tina Nicholson (above) has her eyes on another step forward in her third season Nicholson has the program going in a positive direction and reached the Ches-Mont League final four and 8-4 in the Ches-Mont League National Conference one game behind conference leaders West Chester East and eventual Ches-Mont tournament champion West Chester Henderson The Red Raiders lost to Kennett in the first round of the Ches-Mont tournament and were upset 19 seed Penncrest in the opening round of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A playoffs “That still stings,” she admits “We fouled someone with less than a second left on the clock Nicholson graduated guards Serenity Burgess and Alexis Fields from that team beginning with starting sophomore guards 5-foot-4 Makiah Datil and 5-5 Gianna Jackson Top rotational players back include 5-9 junior forward Gabriella Bookard and 5-7 junior guard Bella DiMatteo They will be joined by newcomers Kaylin Monterroso a 5-9 junior forward transfer from Minnesota 5-foot-6 senior guard Kori Beasley and 5-6 junior guard Nasira Towels Perhaps the most impactful addition will be 5-3 freshman guard Milan Bryant the younger sister of former Coatesville and La Salle star Jhamir Brickus who has transferred to Villanova this season and is the niece of former Coatesville legend LaToya Brickus who is one of Nicholson’s assistant coaches “We are small,” said Nicholson She has great hands and I think she can help us this year But we will have to win by forcing teams to play faster than what they like; try to make them play out of control a little bit It will have to be a fast-paced style on both ends Sophmore guard Makiah Datil (above) helps lead an undersized-but-tough Coatesville backcourt Nicholson also promised a lot of minutes to go around Depth may come from 5-6 sophomore guard Ava Barber and 5-7 freshman forward Jenasia Holmes Nicholson will be throwing Bryant into the deep end of high school varsity basketball immediately Bryant will be sharing the point guard duties with Datil “I’m ready,” Bryant said be aware of where we are on the court and play good defense I’ve been a little nervous (playing the older Datil will certainly be able to provide her new backcourt mate with advice since she started as a freshman She stressed the team’s strong connection off the court will translate well on to the court She also knows that the Red Raiders will run a lot every game but the Red Raiders do have the team built for it “That’s how we are going to have to win,” Datil said We are going to be smaller than probably every team we face But we are also going to be faster than almost every team we face It even means us little guards will need to help.” As Nicholson worked the sidelines this summer exhorting her team on installing the various presses the Red Raiders will be applying she was often sweating more than her players “This will take time with a young group I can see Kori and Nasira really breaking out this year They are leaders and I love Nasira’s energy We need to make it further than the first round of the district playoffs I want to bring Coatesville girls’ basketball back to where it was in the late-1980s and early-1990s She sees a team that could possibly play into March She also knows what is ahead to overcompensate for their lack of height “Always pressing is a challenging way to play,” Towels said coach Nicholson is trying to turn us into a bunch of little coach Nicholson’s (laughs) We will be playing a lot of full court pressure and the mindset will need to be where to be on the court and when to be there Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter here We are delighted to announce the appointment of Yusef Sayeed DABPM as the Chief of Staff of the Coatesville VA Medical Center Sayeed to our Coatesville VA team to support our continued pursuit of excellence and the delivery of safe and quality care to our Nation’s Veterans said Executive Medical Center Director Jennifer Harkins Sayeed oversees all medical staff including physicians physician assistants and nurse practitioners he supervises support services including pharmacy office of care coordination and credentialing and privileging.  From April 2024 until accepting his current position Sayeed was detailed as Acting Executive Director of Telehealth Services he oversaw the national operations of the Telehealth program Sayeed was Deputy Chief of Staff at the Columbia He continues to teach resident physicians and physicians as an assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) Yusef Sayeed’s academic credentials include his medical degree from the University of Kentucky a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Louisville He is board-certified in the American Board of Preventive Medicine a diplomate in occupational medicine and is board-eligible in the American Board in Interventional Pain Physicians and the American Board of Pain Management along with membership in many professional societies He is well published in the field of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound He will continue to train providers around the country and across the world in Musculoskeletal Medicine and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound where he is a certified master level educator for the Veterans Administration.  “I am most looking forward to helping our nation’s heroes here at the Coatesville Veterans Medical Center where I hope to bring value and high-quality services to our region,” said Dr Eight weeks earlier Renè Toney’s situation was as bad as it had ever been her wife and almost lost her home and her life Toney hadn’t slept for three days and doesn’t remember much about her experience, but she knows she owes her life to the Veterans Crisis Line responder who is the reason she woke up in the hospital.    It was then that Toney agreed to stop saying no and said yes to a residential rehabilitation and treatment program (RRTP) at Coatesville VA Medical Center to treat the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she had been experiencing for more than 20 years.  this combat Veteran stands on the edge of tomorrow and reflects on the treatment program while looking forward to doing the work in front of her to repair the relationships in her life.  Chaos and crisisBy the time Toney arrived at Coatesville VA there was one thing she was sure of.  “What I realized when I got here was … I was going to have to get really brutally honest and accept whatever treatment was coming my way.”  The traumatic events that fuel this combat-Veteran’s PTSD happened in the 1990’s Toney spent more than 20 years in and out of counseling detox and rehab programs in the private sector The medication-only treatment they offered fell short and she continued to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol Toney wasn’t always able to suppress the memories of that night and she would relive those moments over and over again The chaos and crises in her life grew more frequent and intense eventually her wife left and she was fired from her job for the first time in her life Toney was on the verge of losing her house as well The only things she hadn’t lost on the day she called the Crisis Line were a few friends Prolonged Exposure TherapyWhen Toney’s psychologist challenged her to go back to the moments that she was constantly reliving and talk about them using a process called Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy Toney wasn’t comfortable with the idea “You don't ─ you don't understand. I've been trying to push ‘these demons’ down and now you want me to not only talk about it but talk about it in first person I don't know how that's going to work.” PE therapy or talk therapy is an evidenced-based psychotherapy for PTSD It is just one type of exposure treatment that assists patients in gradually approaching difficult memories By repeatedly recalling and processing avoided memories individuals can decrease or eliminate many or most of their symptoms of PTSD causing her to “get ready for the fight.”  “Now I don't have the fear of the nighttime That anxiety doesn't start around dusk because… the fight is over Standing on the edge of tomorrowJust two days from leaving the program Toney stands on the edge of tomorrow and is looking forward to  the days in front of her when she gets back to work and repairs her relationships.  “The real world isn't going to be this kind and nice and gentle and understanding about where you've been and where you are But I've never been more equipped to … deal with those issues If you are a Veteran who is finding it hard to manage your PTSD, talk to your care provider about your PTSD treatment options or call the Coatesville VA RRTP admissions department at 844-RRTP-COA or email them at VHAACOADomAdmissionsDept@va.gov Are you a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one? You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call the Veterans Crisis Line COATESVILLE — Milan Bryant would hear the stories when she was around five She was too young to completely comprehend them at the time What she did realize was basketball always was involved whether it was talk about her aunt’s exploits Both played major roles on the last girls’ and boys’ Coatesville state championship teams The game has been an omnipresent part of the 5-foot-5 Coatesville freshman guard’s life She was brought up in a basketball culture currently Villanova’s starting point guard Coatesville freshman Milan Bryant is a budding star with great bloodlines (Photo by Joseph Santoliquito/CoBL) Milan put on an amazing show against visiting and undefeated Great Valley handing out four assists and coming up with eight steals in the Red Raiders’ 38-24 victory over Great Valley Milan showed an incredibly high basketball IQ was a calming factor early when the game was competitive and easily established herself as one of the best even though it’s biased,” said Coatesville coach Tina Nicholson the former Downingtown and Penn State legend in her third season as head coach of the Red Raiders plus she’s a little taller and probably faster than me She has a knack off the ball to fill passing lanes I’ve been putting her on the best opposing player I was a little nervous about that at first because she was coming up from junior high But she goes off instinct and she is doing a great job for us.” That could not be more apparent than it was on Saturday afternoon Great Valley came in 4-0 under head coach Todd Frederick She scored 11 of her game-high 15 in the second half seven in the third quarter when the Red Raiders took control Coatesville’s starting sophomore guard we have a good best friend relationship on and off the court,” Datil said which is good because no one sees her coming We’re 5-0 right now and we’re really getting on a roll We probably will not lose for a while—if we keep working the way we are.” If the Red Raiders had one glaring weakness against Great Valley The Red Raiders caused 18 turnovers for the game Coatesville kept Great Valley from only taking nine shots The Patriots had more turnovers (10) than shots taken (9) was a far more competitive game than the final score indicated “Our game plan going into this was maintaining our composure because we knew their strength is defense,” Frederick said it is hard to stay disciplined and maintain the pace That (Bryant) three-pointer in the third quarter shook us a little bit but we told the girls this was a phenomenal game for us and we will grow from this La Toya Brickus is Milan’s aunt and is also Nicholson’s assistant coach Talking about her niece brings tears to her eyes She can remember the times she would call her sister Milan played AAU for her aunt for two years I’ve seen her grow up before my eyes She has the family back in local basketball we have not been involved in Coatesville basketball La Toya Brickus was on the Coatesville 1993-94 PIAA Class 4A (before 6A was instituted) state champion has his name prominently displayed up on the Coatesville 2000-2001 boys’ Class 4A state championship banner The Red Raiders are currently 5-0—the best start in Nicholson’s three-year coaching career and the best start in over five years for the girls’ program Could Milan Bryant’s name one day be hanging up on the next Coatesville state championship banner she may have something to do with it whether it is now or in the future “I don’t mind the pressure,” Milan said It all comes from anticipating and watching the game Other kids in school are playing video games and I sneak and watch basketball clips on YouTube A frightening proposition for anyone facing Milan Bryant this year 2025Tower Health has sold the shuttered Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville (WPVI) -- Tower Health has sold the shuttered Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville Action News has learned that Tower Health has reached an agreement to sell the property to Mill Farm The firm is affiliated with Dover-based Regal Builders There's no word yet on the future plans for the site.