Tonight the fourteenth rendition of the Battle of the Brandywine was played between the Downingtown West Whippets and Downingtown East Cougars. It is also known as a “Celebration of Downingtown Football”. For Downingtown East, it was a celebration of a different kind, as the Cougars beat the Whippets for the fourth year in a row, and the seventh time in eight years.
The score was 28-14, but it was closer than the score indicated.
The script was the same as the previous six vanquished Cougar opponents, wear the opponent down with a physical offensive line, a three headed monster at running back, and a smothering defense. It worked again, to the tune of 304 yards rushing (400 total). The Whippets were held to 265 total yards and minus two yards rushing.
Downingtown West was successful in limiting East’s possessions to one in a scoreless first quarter, and three first half possessions. East struck first, as Tim Aivado scored from three yards out. The Whippets answered with a three yard run by sophomore quarterback Wil Howard, after Howard connected with Jack Willenbrock on a 41-yard pass. The score was 7-7 at halftime, and many were shocked that West was hanging in with a heavily favored opponent.
Although the Whippets never laid down, the physicality of East’s front line was taking its toll on the smaller front. Bryce Lauletta scored on fourth and goal from the 1, Brassir Stocker scored from five yards out to extend the lead to 21-7.
The Whippets got their deficit back to seven, on a 78 yard flanker screen from Howard to Willenbrock. Unfortunately for West, that would be as close as they would get, as Stocker scored again from five yards out with 90 seconds left.
After the game, West coach Mike Milano said his team, “…played pretty well. We got a couple injured players back, and it helped on defense. I’m proud of how they rebounded from last week.”
East players Bryce Lauletta and Jack Riley were, “…ecstatic to be the first class to beat West four years in a row. It’s a testament to how hard we work.”
West quarterback Wil Howard threw for 267 yards, Owen Landis had 105 yards receiving, and Jack Willenbrock had 135 yards receiving. Brassir Stocker ran for 155 yards (187 total).
