[tps_title]Downingtown West Whippets[/tps_title]
NATE HECKENBERGER — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA
Returning starter Kyle Geiser (12) and sophomore Will Howard (7) have battled it out for the quarterback spot this preseason and both are expected to see time.
Whippets using pain of losing season to drive them in 2017
DOWNINGTOWN >> Downingtown West football under head coach Mike Milano has always been known to be at the top of the Ches-Mont League, and a regular entrant in the District 1 playoffs.
So, after a very unfamiliar 2016 season saw West miss the playoffs with a 4-6 record, the Whippets are in uncharted territory. 
The 2017 season brings a lot more optimism in Whippet land, but the West players and coaches are not forgetting the hard lessons they learned during the 2016 campaign.
“We learned a lot from last season,” Milano said. “We learned to be resilient and our schedule was very tough. The three teams we lost to the first three weeks went a combined 29-1 through the 10-week regular season and we lost our first two games by a total of four points.
“The strength of our team is the desire and commitment these kids give this program for nine months a year. We learned from last year that little mental mistakes can cost you a lot. We play the same three teams to start the season, all on the road, but I feel we will be ready to compete at a high level in those games and then get into the tough league schedule.”
One of the players who set the tone for the Whippets is senior running back/linebacker T.J. Simmons, who loves to hit people and runs to the football from his linebacker spot.
“We talk about what happened last season and that has been a big part of what we have doing in the offseason,” Simmons said. “We lost those three games to start the season and we learned that we have to clean up the mental mistakes for this season.
“And we will be ready for these first three games this season because we know how important it will be to start the year strong going into the Ches-Mont. We have an experienced group of linebackers and our secondary is very good also. We need to get at least two out of the first three games and then that will give us a great attitude going in the league schedule.”
The Whippets have some very good quarterbacks in camp and last year’s starter, Kyle Geiser, is locked in a battle with sophomore Will Howard. Geiser said last season those first three losses took a lot out of the Whippets.
“I think the attitude and pulse of the team took after the three losses took a little out of us,” Geiser said. “But, we worked real hard in the offseason and we have a good running game and I think the competition for the quarterback job can only make me better and more focused.
“This year we are going to take one week at a time and not let what happened the previous week affect us. I like to think I lead the team by example and inspire my teammates to be better. We are not the biggest team but we have really good athletes on the offensive line and with our skill people. We are really looking to pay some teams back this season.”
Downingtown West open with Perkiomen Valley, then travels to Wayne Valley (N.J.) before taking on a very tough Neshaminy squad, always one of the top teams in District 1. The Whippets’ Ches-Mont League crossover game is with Great Valley.
“The schedule is very tough but we feel this season we are more prepared to handle things.” Milano said.
By Peter DiGiovanni; pdigiovanni07@gmail.com
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