Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
INSIDE: PETE’S PICKS
Peter DiGiovanni makes his picks for Week 5, including Malvern Prep-Berks Catholic and Downingtown East-Bishop Shanahan.
As hard as it is to imagine, we are at the halfway mark in the scholastic football regular season. League play started last week, and we have a full slate of games on tap, including Bishop Shanahan visiting undefeated Downingtown East one week after losing to Coatesville 49-0.
TONIGHT’S GAMES
Columnist BISHOP SHANAHAN AT DOWNINGTOWN EAST Bishop Shanahan head coach Paul Meyers knows what a challenge Downingtown East will be and how tough it is for a Class 4A school to play two District 1 titans in back to back weeks. The undefeated Cougars have used their same old formula of running the football, stopping the run and getting enough out of the passing game to jet out to a 4-0 mark. For the Eagles, they have dropped two in a row and head coach Paul Meyers talked about the Cougars. “Downingtown East is very big and physical,” Meyers said. “They want to run the ball right at you. Our defensive line will have to try and match their physicality for us to stop them. Their defense is quick and they swarm to the ball. They have a lot of athletes on both sides. “As far as playing them right after Coatesville it is tough going back to back with two of the best teams in District 1,” Meyers said. “However, I love the challenge. It makes your team battle tested. It forces you to play your best game. You can’t make mistakes. If you do, teams like Coatesville and Downingtown East will make you pay for it.” Downingtown East seems too big and physical up front on both sides of the ball for the Eagles, who will have trouble stopping the Cougars vaunted running attack.
Pick: Downingtown East 35, Bishop Shanahan 14. WEST CHESTER HENDERSON AT COATESVILLE This should be a a very tough game for the Warriors, as Red Raider quarterback Ricky Ortega completed 12 of 16 for 211 yards and four touchdowns in Coatesville’s rout of Bishop Shanahan. Three of those touchdown tosses were to Dapree Bryant, who leads the area in yards per catch. Throw in a Red Raider defense led by linebacker Nik Thompson and it looks like Coatesville can name its score.
Pick: Coatesville 49, West Chester Henderson 0. KENNETT AT SUN VALLEY Sun Valley defeated West Chester East 50-49 last week in a wild affair. The Vanguards piled up 481 total yards with running back Julz Kelly rushing for 175 yards. Kennett has had trouble scoring points so far this season and the Blue Demons only accounted for seven points last week in a 28-7 loss to West Chester Rustin.
Pick: Sun Valley 35, Kennett 14 UNIONVILLE AT OXFORD Oxford lost for the first time last week in a 28-7 defeat to a very good Penn Wood team, while Unionville defeated Great Valley, 31-14. Unionvilel looks to be hitting its stride and this will be a close one, but I like the Indians. Pick: Unionville 21, Oxford 20. PENN WOOD AT WEST CHESTER RUSTIN Penn Wood is 4-0 and the Patriots may be the surprise team in Class 5A. The Golden Knights held Kennett to just 154 yards of total offense and this should be another tough one. Rustin will have to stop a very good Penn Wood rushing attack.
Pick: Penn Wood 24, West Chester Rustin 21. BERKS CATHOLIC AT MALVERN PREP Another tough game for Malvern Prep, but the Friars held powerful McDonogh School to just three points in a 19-3 Malvern Prep win. Berks Catholic is a Class 4A power from District 3, but Friar linebacker Keith Maguire, who is bound for Clemson and is the best linebacker in the area, will lead a very good Malvern Prep defense to another victory.
Pick: Malvern Prep 21, Berks Catholic 10. PENNCREST AT CONESTOGA This is a game winless Conestoga can win. Penncrest is a bottom rung Central League squad and Pioneer running back Milton Robinson will have a big game rushing the football. Conestoga gets its first win of the season.
Pick: Conestoga 28, Penncrest 21.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
WEST CHESTER EAST AT AVON GROVE West Chester East was knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten by Sun Valley, 50-49, last week. The Vikings amassed 310 rushing yards in the loss, with Pierre Merchant leading the way on the ground. Avon Grove can score, but I think the Vikings have too much offense for the Red Devils.
Pick: West Chester East 28, Avon Grove 23 DOWNINGTOWN WEST AT GREAT VALLEY The Whippets are 4-0 and looked razor sharp in a 47-0 win over Henderson last week. Quarterback Will Howard and receiver Dan Byrnes hooked up for five catches for 193 yards last week against Henderson. The pair is up there with Ortega and Bryant as one of the most dangerous duos in District 1.
Pick: Downingtown West 38, Great Valley 10