Over the first three weeks of the 2016 High School Football season, we have seen our fair share of surprises across District One. We could put the start of the Downingtown West Whippets in as one of the season’s early disappointments.
Over the first two weeks of the season, the Whippets surrendered 76 points and over 800 yards of offense in their first two games. Tonight was more of the same for the much maligned Downingtown West defense, as the Neshaminy Redskins rolled up 480 yards of offense, en route to a dominating 42-14 victory. For the first time since 2010, and the second time since Downingtown High School split into East and West, Downingtown West has started a season 0-3. Dating back to last season, the Whippets have lost five straight games.
It looked like Neshaminy would dominate early, as the Redskins used a big play in the passing game to go up 7-0, when Mason Jones hit a wide open Mike Garlick for a 74-yard touchdown pass on Neshaminy’s third play from scrimmage. Following a three and out from Downingtown West’s offense, it did not take long for the Redskins to double their lead, when star tailback Will Dogba scored from three yards out.
Downingtown West would not go away, as Cole Zapf scored from 16 yards out to cut Neshaminy’s lead in half at 14-7. Neshaminy’s offense scored on another big play in the passing game, as Jones hit Cory Joyce for a 54 yard score. The Redskins’ advantage was cut to 21-14 before halftime, when Zapf scored his second touchdown on the night.
Unfortunately for the Whippets, Zapf’s second touchdown was the last time they would hit pay dirt for the evening. Mason Jones hit star receiver Zach Treadway for 27 yards to go up 28-14, then backup tailback Mike Crescenzo scored two fourth quarter touchdowns of three and five yards for the final score.
Tonight, Neshaminy’s defense was overshadowed by their effective offensive output of 480 yards and 42 points. The Redskins held an offense, that scored 72 points in their first two games, to 178 yards of offense and shut them out in the second half.
After the game, Neshaminy signal caller Mason Jones said, “Although we have a new coach this year, Will (Dogba) and I got on the same page as our coaches rather easily. We run a lot of checks at the line of scrimmage, we took advantage of man coverage, and hit some big throws.” Regarding receiver Zach Treadway, he said, “He’s a big threat every time he touches the ball. He has the best hands I have seen.” His big play receiver Zach Treadway said, “We say that West’s defense plays a lot of quarters and cover two, and we just executed like we did all week.”
A dejected Downingtown West coach Mike Milano stated, “Neshaminy is a Run/Pass Option team, and we had to play man to man on them. The quarterback is a three-year starter, Treadway and Dogba are three-year starters. We tried to hit their quarterback, but he was able to hit big plays on us.”
RECAP-
Neshaminy 14-7-7-14- 42
Downingtown W 7-7-0-0- 14
N- Garlick 74 pass from Mason Jones (McDonald kick)
N- Dogba 3 run (McDonald kick)
DW- Zapf 16 run (Biscardi kick)
N- Joyce 54 pass from Jones (McDonald kick)
DW- Zapf 10 run (Biscardi kick)
N- Treadway 27 pass from Jones (McDonald kick)
N- Crescenzo 3 run (McDonald kick)
N- Crescenzo 5 run (McDonald kick)
DW N
First Downs 10 21
Punts 5-38.2 3-33
Penalties-Yards 5-35 4-37
Fumbles-Lost NONE 2-0
Rushes-Yards 38-159 30-177
Comp-Att-Int 2-12-1 13-27-0
Yards Passing 19 303
Total Yards 178 480
Passing-
DW- Geiser 2-12- 19 yards- 1 INT
N- Jones 13-27-303 yards- 3tds
Receiving-
DW- Costello 1-10, Williams 1-9
N- Dogba 1-0, Treadway 6-123 (TD), Garlick 1-74 (TD), Stills 1-17, Manzyk 1-10, Joyce 2-74 (TD), Crescenzo 1-5
Rushing-
DW- Geiser 8-15, Zapf 4-33 (2TD), Costello 7-20, Riddick 18-88, Willenbrock 1-3
N- Jones 2-(minus 9), Dogba 20-146 (TD), Crescenzo 8-40, O’Connor 5-17
