DOWNINGTOWN – There will inevitably be some comparisons.

Following the resignation of Mike Milano, Downingtown West’s first and only coach, shortly after one of West’s best seasons as a team, the team will now look to its successors.

On Friday night at Kottmeyer Stadium, the new contributors wore jersey numbers 4, 10, 15, etc. and Tom Kline donned the head coach’s headset, but the results remained – in their own new way – the same.

For the second year in a row, the Whippets opened the season with a win over Abraham Lincoln of District 12, this time 30-14.

“Off the field, people compare us and say we lost a lot of guys,” West senior Tommy Miller said. “And we did. We lost a lot of guys, but we have guys that step right in and play with 100 percent heart.”

Before becoming head coach, Kline was the offensive line coach under Milano. He continues to coach the O-line and his philosophy is clear: let the big guys lead.

West ran the ball 48 times for 321 yards against Lincoln. The opening drive of the game was capped by Miller’s three-yard touchdown on the ninth play of the drive.

“That’s who we are,” Kline said. “That’s who we’re going to be. We’re going to be a physical football team. We’re going to be fast and physical and we’re going to try to run the ball.”

On Lincoln’s first drive of the second quarter, Kysheion Dawkins was tackled in the end zone by Brian Carter and Max Wolfington and scored a safety.

After receiving the free kick, West marched straight back up the field and Spencer Dunn converted from a yard out to give the Whippets a 16-0 lead.

But what would a Week Zero game be without adversity? Lincoln scored on its next drive, cutting West’s lead to 10. The Whippets responded, getting as far as the Railsplitters’ two before losing the ball.

West didn’t reach the end zone again until the beginning of the fourth quarter, when Cole Bricker threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Mike Taraschi.

Luckily for the Whippets, their defense held Lincoln to 45 yards on 16 attempts and allowed only two rough air plays.

“We’ve been preparing for these guys for the last 5 months and we’ve spent a lot of time developing pressure packages and coverages for them,” Kline said. “Overall, this is a really talented team. They have kids from all over the city playing for them right now and there are athletes everywhere and I think we did a great job.”

Darian Smith had a 23-yard run late in the fourth quarter for West’s final score. He rushed for 82 yards on nine carries, while Taraschi rushed for 70 yards on nine carries. Dunn was the leading ball carrier with 162 yards on 23 carries.

“It meant a lot to me,” Dunn said. “To step up as RB1. I have to give a lot of credit to my O-line, which created big gaps and allowed us to do a lot. Mike and Tommy had a lot of runs, too. I’m just thankful for my O-line.”

The Whippets continue to create new legacies when they play against Smyrna (DE) next Friday at 8 p.m. at Salesianum High School.

“The seniors came to me and said we wanted to set a standard here,” Kline said. “Coach Milano has done a great job here and we owe it to him to continue what he started.”

Downingtown West 30, Abraham Lincoln 14

Abraham Lincoln 0 6 0 8-14

Downingtown West 7 9 0 14-21

Rating

First

DW-Miller 3 run (sharp kick)

Second

DW – Dawkins is tackled to the rescue

DW-Dunn 1 run (sharp kick)

AL – Sutton 3 runs (pass failed)

Fourth

DW- Taraschi 4-Pass from Bricker (sharp kick)

DW-Smith 23 run (sharp kick)

AL – Cotton 91 Kick Return (Bredell pass from Sutton)

Team totals

AL-DW

First Downs 7 20

Rushing yards 45 321

Yards passed 151 25

Total yards 196 346

Passes 16-22-1 5-8-0

Fumbles-lost 2-0 2-2

Punts Average 3-25.7 2-47

Penalty yards 5-26 2-20

Individual statistics

Run: AL — Sutton 9-22, TD; Beh 2-11; Dawkins 4-10; Bredell 1-2. DW — Dunn 23-162, TD; Smith 9-82, TD; Taraschi 9-70; Miller 4-9, TD; Bricker 2-5; Team 1-(-7).

Passes: AL – Sutton 16-22, 151 yards, INT. DW – Bricekr 5-8, 25 yards, TD.

Receiving: AL — Bredell 7-88; Beh 4-41; Dawkins 5-22. DW — Miller 2-16; Taraschi 2-9, TD; Dunn 1-0.

Intercepted Balls: DW — Miller

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 22:54