Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

More than just a game for Red Raiders

Talented Coatesvill­e a perfect match for a proud city on brink of history

- Peter DiGiovanni Columnist

The Coatesvill­e football team always puts on a show on the field, and on the scoreboard.

But just a few yards off the sideline, where you may rarely look, there is another image that never gets old.

It occurs — at nearly every game — along the fence behind the Coatesvill­e bench.

That’s where small children from Coatesvill­e line up, in the rain, or cold, or snow, just to get a closer look at their heroes. They stand there before the game, after the game, and during the game, hoping for a handshake, a high five, or a selfie with their favorite players, who look larger than life, and must seem that way in the eyes of a 6- or 7-year-old.

And those players always oblige, with a high five or handshake that may seem like a quick five-second moment to them, but means the world to a little kid.

Even on the big stage of a District 1 championsh­ip, the routine remained the same.

Friday night, all the way up in Bucks County, Coatesvill­e continued its assault on the rest of District 1. Back home, in an oftmaligne­d, turbulent town that fiercely protects its own, hearts continued to swell (if there was anyone left back home who didn’t make the trip).

Coatesvill­e dominated North Penn, 42-13, to claim its second straight District 1 Class 6A title. On the field, it was a very impressive feat. But on the sidelines, it felt like every resident of Coatesvill­e was bundled up in the stands at Pennridge to cheer on the red and black.

The Red Raider faithful packed the away stands and dwarfed the crowd from North Penn, which may not have been hosting a true “home” game, but was much closer to home.

This is nothing new for Coatesvill­e. The town embraced this team last season and has not let go at all.

And never is that more clear than along that fence on the sideline.

Coatesvill­e is a town that has clearly had its share of ups and downs. It’s a diverse and relatively big city, oddly situated in an otherwise rural part of Chester County.

Inside the city limits, the Red Raiders are a symbol of community, loyalty and pride. A pride that runs deep in the bloodstrea­m of every Coatesvill­e resident.

While some bad apples give the city of Coatesvill­e a bad name to outsiders, nearly all the city’s residents are hard-working, loyal to their community and faithful people who can seem tough to outsiders, but are quick to defend their own.

And the Coatesvill­e football team shows all those qualities.

The immense talent on the field is there for all to see. But what is tougher to see is all the preparatio­n, long hours and attention to detail that the Red Raider players and coaches put in to produce a product that has — without exception — mercyruled every District 1 foe it has played this season, while also showing mercy and class to those overmatche­d opponents by refusing to run up the score and inflate stats just for show.

Some North Penn people mentioned to me Friday night how amazed they were at the size of the Coatesvill­e crowd that made the long trek from Chester County. I told them that’s just the way it is in Coatesvill­e. The people of Coatesvill­e are fiercely loyal and proud of their own, and they support the team and each other week in and week out.

And one of the reasons for Coatesvill­e’s success is that the Red Raider players feel the same way.

When Malvern Prep, St. Joe’s Prep and other private schools came sniffing around and knocking on Anthony Young’s door, hoping to recruit his three talented sons away from Coatesvill­e, the Young boys said, “No way.”

They wanted to play and win in Coatesvill­e. For the fans. For their community.

A lot of bad stories appear in the Daily Local News and on TV about Coatesvill­e, and those are things that have to be reported.

But, in my 20 years covering sports in Chester County, I have become an enormous fan of the Coatesvill­e community and its people.

There is no pretense to these people. No phoniness. You know how they feel, be it good or bad. But they are never fake. And if you prove to be a straight-shooter that does his or her homework, you are welcomed into the community and embraced as one of its own.

The community has embraced what is likely the most talented team I’ve seen in 20 years watching Chester County football. A team that is on the cusp of bringing the city its first football state championsh­ip. The sheer joy on the faces of the Coatesvill­e faithful brings a smile to my face every time the Red Raiders win.

And isn’t that what high school sports are all about? Playing for your family, friends and community.

Too often these days, some players, coaches and fans seem to be in it for themselves. For a college scholarshi­p. For a gaudy stat line. For a pipe dream of a profession­al contract.

But at a Coatesvill­e game, it always feels like everyone is in it together. It is a synergy of love between a team that looks destined to make history, and some really great people from a really great city.

The Coatesvill­e faithful likely has back-to-back trips to HersheyPar­k Stadium in its near future. First for Saturday’s semifinal against Harrisburg, and barring a stunner, for the Class 6A final on Saturday, Dec. 8

And even at a big stadium, far from home, you’ll find the youngest of all the Coatesvill­e fans in once place.

Down along the fence, waiting for a glimpse or a smile from their heroes.

Peter DiGiovanni covers high school football for The Daily Local News and Digital First Media. You can reach him at pdigiovann­i07@gmail. com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteDLN.

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 ?? NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA ?? Charles Brown of Coatesvill­e celebrates with his teammates in the waning moments of the fourth quarter of the District 1 Championsh­ip last Friday against North Penn. The Red Raiders face Harrisburg in the state semifinals this Saturday at HersheyPar­k Stadium.Aaron Young of Coatesvill­e bounds with joy after Friday’s 4213 win over North Penn.
NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Charles Brown of Coatesvill­e celebrates with his teammates in the waning moments of the fourth quarter of the District 1 Championsh­ip last Friday against North Penn. The Red Raiders face Harrisburg in the state semifinals this Saturday at HersheyPar­k Stadium.Aaron Young of Coatesvill­e bounds with joy after Friday’s 4213 win over North Penn.
 ?? NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA ??
NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA
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 ?? NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA ?? Coatesvill­e’s Tione Holmes celebrates after a sack in the third quarter of Friday’s District 1 Class 6A championsh­ip game against North Penn.
NATE HECKENBERG­ER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Coatesvill­e’s Tione Holmes celebrates after a sack in the third quarter of Friday’s District 1 Class 6A championsh­ip game against North Penn.

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