By PETER DiGIOVANNI
The Downingtown West Whippets are 5-1 and have been one of the surprise teams of the season so far. Whippet head coach Mike Milano told me after Friday’s 6-0 win over West Chester Henderson that he has 61 tough Downingtown kids that care deeply about each other and it is a pleasure to coach them.
Well, the Whippets have shown that they not only care about what goes on during games, they care deeply about people’s lives also. West assistant coach Tom Wickersham’s eight-year-old son, Evan, is the ball boy and mascot for the West Team. Evan has Type 1 Diabetes and the entire Whippet family has rallied around this fine young man.
The 50-50 at the Downingtown East game on October 19th that is run by the booster club, has said that some of the proceeds will go to fight this disease. And for just $5 dollars, you can buy a foam finger that says "fight diabetes," and those proceeds will also go to fight this illness.
The Downingtown West players and cheerleaders will also participate in a walk to raise money on October 28 at Rockford Park in Delaware. All these proceeds will go to fight Type 1 diabetes also. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will also be collecting at the East game to fight Type 1 diabetes.
It says a lot about the young men on the West football team and the young ladies who are the cheerleaders to get behind young Evan Wickersham, and give of their time and money to help this fine young person and others like him. No matter what happens the rest of the season, to me the West football family will be winners.
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We are being treated in this area to seeing two very fine quarterbacks in Downingtown East’s Kyle Lauletta and Coatesville’s Emmett Hunt. Both young men are leaders on and off the field, both are very accurate and both have the respect of every guy in that huddle looking at them for leadership. It would be something if the Cougars and Red Raiders get together again in the Class AAAA District 1 playoffs.
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Speaking of District 1, the path to the title will not go through Lansdale for a change. North Penn lost its third game of the season, 36-29, to Central Bucks South last week and one more loss puts the Knights out. I believe they still get in if they run the table and finish 7-3, but maybe this is the year that District 1 really is wide open.
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West Chester Henderson senior linebacker Adam Weaver had another monster game last week against Downingtown West, making 11 tackles and leading the Warrior defense.
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Conestoga has now won three games in a row and the Pioneers travel to Strath Haven next week. ‘Stoga gets in the playoffs if they win out, and wide receiver Andrew DeStefano is doing his part with a county-leading 53 catches.
And the Pioneer defense has allowed just 13 points in the last three games and has really been helped by the return of Max Dolente.
Follow Peter DiGiovanni at twitter.com/dlnsports.
Daily Local News
Football Top 10
Records through Oct. 7
1. Downingtown East (6-0): Cougars defeat a very good St. Mark’s team.
2. Coatesville (4-2): Who would want to play the Red Raiders in the District 1 playoffs?
3. Malvern Prep (3-2): Friars get ready for Inter-Ac play with win over Upper Darby.
4. Downingtown West (5-1): Defense, defense, defense for the Whippets.
5. Unionville (4-2): The Indians bounce back against Oxford.
6. W.C. Henderson (5-1): Warriors lose tough one to Whippets.
7. W.C. Rustin (5-1): Golden Knights get ready for Henderson battle.
8. Conestoga (4-2): Pioneers have allowed just 13 points in last three games.
9. Kennett (4-2): Blue Demons look sharp against Sun Valley.
10. Great Valley (4-2): Patriots lose at home to W.C. Rustin.
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