Quick start powers Whippets

What a difference a week makes. After last week’s loss to Coatesville, Downingtown West took out a little frustration and played a nearflawless game Saturday at Kottmeyer Stadium. The Whippets scored 35 points in a first-period blitzkrieg, and dominated Great Valley, 52-7, in a nonleague tilt.

Downingtown West (3-2) rolled up 286 yards on the ground. Sophomore quarterback Will Howard threw for 93 more in just one half of football as the Whippets dominated both lines of scrimmage, limiting the Patriots (2-3) to just 120 yards of total offense in a very impressive showing.

“We were really jacked up this week in practice because last week against Coatesville, we did not do anything right,” Howard said. “We wanted to come out and get on them early because we knew they are a good team

and we wanted to leave no doubt who was going to win this game.”

Downingtown West started things right away as they took the opening kickoff and marched nine plays,running a very effective counter trap with Owen Landis and Josh Willenbrock. Landis went in from the two to make it a 7-0 game after just twoplus minutes of action.

Following a Great Valley three-and-out, the Whippets went six plays to score with Landis scampering in from 30-yards out to make it 14-0.

“We got behind real early and things just snowballed,” Great Valley head coach Dan Ellis said. “They played very well up front and we didn’t and that was the story of the game tonight.”

After a Great Valley fumble that was recovered by Dan Brynes, the West offense struck again. The running game drove the ball down to the one. Howard snuck in for a 21-0 lead. The Patriots could not move the football at all against the Whippets’ starting unit as the defense swarmed to the football on every play.

Howard threw two touchdown passes to Willenbrock, one for eight yards and the other a nice 49-yard, catch-and-run to make it 35-0 after just one period. Howard completed seven of 10 passes for 93 yards and two scores in his very productive half.

“I’m glad that the kids thought they had a good week of practice because we had a weird type week,” West head coach Mike Milano said. “We had two inservice days and any coach will tell you, it is not good when kids are out of their routine.

“We were worried on Wednesday and Thursday, but tonight, we came out and really jumped on them early and that is important especially for a young team like us. It gets everybody going and the momentum on your side. Dan is a good coach and we knew we had to play well tonight.”

Great Valley averted a shutout with a touchdown in the third as the reserves were used.

Downingtown West travels to Avon Grove next week, and Milano is wary of the suddenly hot Red Devils.

“Harry O’Neill does a great job down there and he is one of my old assistants from Penncrest, so we know we are going to be in a fight down there. But, tonight, we did a lot of things right.”