Twenty-eight years ago, Keith Olsommer took on a daunting task as head coach at Delaware Valley High School.

Just as he did as an all-state player at North Pocono, a starter at Penn State, and a player competing with the Baltimore Ravens, he accepted the challenge head-on.

The result: A trophy case filled with championship plaques, photos of all-state players, and an historic legacy.

Last week, Olsommer joined an elite fraternity when he earned his 200th career win in a 35-0 victory over West Scranton.

Jack Henzes (444), Frank Pazzaglia (344), John “Papa Bear” Henzes (251), Allen “Butch” Keller (220) and former Elio Ghigiarelli (202) are also in the club.

“It’s nice to have the program spoken of in high regard,” Olsommer said. “That is something you always want when you take over a program. The fact that we were able to accomplish that from where we started means a lot.

“There were people who said to me that going to Delaware Valley might be the end of my coaching career, even though it was the start. Both Tom and Candi Finan told me how they would support me, and they helped build the infrastructure, and it kept building and building from there.”

Delaware Valley had a 5-67 record in the first seven seasons after it started the program in 1992.

Olsommer established a solid foundation early on, surrounded himself with experienced and knowledgeable assistant coaches, and, like any successful coach, had hundreds of dedicated athletes. A booming enrollment and an energized community helped grow the roster to intimidating levels for teams across District 2.

Using a disciplined approach and innovative strategies on both sides of the ball, Olsommer and his staff built Delaware Valley into a regional powerhouse. As success increased, he took the program outside the area, showing a willingness to compete against the best, knowing how it would benefit his teams and the future.

Delaware Valley has traveled to Florida, California and New York to face some of the top teams in the country. Inside the state, the Warriors have played Downingtown East, Central York, Pennridge, Jersey Shore, Gateway, and McKeesport. When the team needed to face the fast-paced teams from District 11 in the postseason, Olsommer scheduled Parkland, Bethlehem Catholic, Whitehall and others.

“This is a sport that has given me all that I have in life,” Olsommer said. “I know what it can do for young men, and I wanted my players to experience something unique and entirely different from just a league and local sport. I wanted to travel and do some things, and we had some success, and it became a bigger challenge for us, and we kept playing bigger opponents. It took on a life of its own. We continue to try to push this program to get better every year.”

Delaware Valley is a superpower, winning nine Lackawanna Football Conference Division I titles, and 11 District 2 championships in Class 6A (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), Class 5A (2022, 2023, 2025) and Class 4A (2012, 2014).

Olsommer also has had the opportunity to coach his son, Logan, who guided the Warriors to championship seasons.

“Obviously, the No. 1 most special thing was being able to coach Logan,” Olsommer said. “He was born and raised in the program, starting out as a ball boy and then the starting quarterback. Aside from that, the great moments for me are the conversations and relationships with the players in crucial moments. One year, we were playing Wallenpaupack, and they were pounding us by 21 points with like 5 minutes left, and the guys told me they were coming back, and we did. That fourth down against Scranton Prep a couple of years ago when Aiden Black and Ryder Machado told me to go for it because they would get it, or Bryan Schor telling me to go for 2 and the win against Whitehall (2012) and we got it. Those are the conversations that I will remember. They are the best moments.”

This year, the Warriors have endured a litany of injuries. They enter the final week of the regular season 3-6, and at rival Abington Heights (5-4) on Friday at 7 p.m. The game is for the I-84 Black and Blue Jug, and while Delaware Valley’s district playoff fate is unknown, there is plenty to play for.

“I think for this group, I tell them, this is why you fight for 10 weeks,” Olsommer said. “We are still playing for an opportunity to play an 11th game, and that is a big deal. When you lose a bunch of guys in the middle of the season to injuries. It is really tough, and it tests you. We started getting some guys back, and then we played better. It is a lesson for life that when the bad times come, it’s not time to give up and the season is not done. You buckle up and fight through the tough times. That’s the best return on the work you put in.”

Make-A-Wish

This week’s Delaware Valley-Abington Heights game at the Abington Heights High School Athletic Complex is about more than football: It’s the Comets Compete for a Cause Pediatric Cancer Awareness Game.

Donations will be collected during the game for Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia to support life-changing wishes for local children living with critical illnesses.

This year’s game is in honor of “wish kid” and 2026 Abington Heights graduate, Nathan DeMeglio, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year and is awaiting his wish to go on a cruise, according to a press release.

“Nathan was really excited to hear that he was the recipient of a wish— he’s really looking forward to having that wish trip fulfilled as he wraps up his treatment for leukemia,” said his mom, Carolyn Siwak.

Last year, Abington Heights raised more than $1,500 in support of a local wish.

For those who wish to make an online donation, go to wish.org/greaterpawv/comets.

Eastern Conference postseason

Many District 2 playoff spots are locked in, and the Eastern Conference released a leaderboard of teams in contention for an extra postseason game.

District 11’s William Allen (3-6, .497) and Delaware Valley (3-6, .482) lead for the Eastern Conference Class 6A/5A game.

District 11’s Mahanoy Area (4-5, .373) and Old Forge (4-5, .342) lead for the Class 2A/1A game. This week, a lot could change with Carbondale Area hosting Old Forge and Montrose playing at Lackawanna Trail.

LFC leaders

Dunmore junior quarterback Brady McCormick threw for 201 yards last week in a win over Riverside. He is the only quarterback to eclipse 1,000 passing yards this season (1,020).

Wallenpaupack’s Edward Kiesendahl (1,113) and Mid Valley’s Kayden Barnauskas (1,057) joined Abington Heights’ Jayden Anglin and Honesdale’s Gabe Duda with 1,000 yards rushing this season.

Division I: Anglin leads in rushing with 1,388 yards on 158 carries. Kiesendahl leads with 14 rushing touchdowns and 90 points. West Scranton freshman Austin Sostre has 920 passing yards, and Valley View’s Colin Dempsey has nine passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 172. 3. West Scranton’s Kaz Colbert has 37 receptions for 550 yards. West Scranton’s Jonye Sostre, Valley View’s Ben Evans, Abington Heights’ Rodman Azar, and Wallenpaupack’s tight end Ryan Vargo have four receiving touchdowns. North Pocono’s Shane Youngblood and Scranton Prep’s Tyler Bianchi each have 34 extra points, and Youngblood has 46 kicking points.

Division II: In addition to leading with 1,020 passing yards, McCormick has 17 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 250. 4. Duda leads with 1,377 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns, 26 touchdowns overall, and 160 points. Lakeland junior Luke McFarland leads with 34 receptions, 488 yards, and six receiving touchdowns. Dunmore’s Russell Toole has 49 kicking points – all on extra points.

Division III: Carbondale Area’s Caedon Voglino leads with 953 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 18 touchdowns overall, and 110 points. Holy Cross’ Chase Rutkoski leads with 977 passing yards, Old Forge’s Parker Harte has 11 passing touchdowns, and Lackawanna Trail’s Lucas Filipek has a 129.5 passer rating. Old Forge’s Ayden Aversa has 39 receptions and six receiving touchdowns, while Holy Cross’ Luca Berardi leads with 586 receiving yards. Lackawanna Trail’s Joey Thomas has 29 kicking points, and Old Forge’s Cristopher Nino and Montrose’s Gabriel De Llano Duran each have 21 extra points.