[tps_title]Downingtown West Whippets[/tps_title]
Downingtown West’s Will Howard is back for his third year under center. His big frame and skill set has landed him a committment to play at Kansas State in college. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Howard, Pelkisson have Whippets thinking big in 2019
DOWNINGTOWN >> Simply put, no other team in District 1 — and possibly the state of Pennsylvania — has a harder 2019 schedule than the Downingtown West Whippets.
Not only does Downingtown West have to play defending District 1 Class 6A champion Coatesville and crosstown rival Downingtown East in its league slate, the Whippets will take on some of the best District 1 has to offer.
In the first four weeks of the season, Downingtown West will play Garnet Valley, Central Bucks South, Neshaminy and Perkiomen Valley.
Whippets head coach Mike Milano talked about the arduous task his very talented team has on its plate.
“It’s not a test because this team has already been through tests,” Milano said. “This group is very talented and most of them have been together since they were sophomores, so we are embracing the challenge.
“Some of it is our philosophy that to get where we want to be, we want to play the best around,” Milano said. “And some of it is actually that it is very hard to find games for us and it has been that way for 17 years.
“I mean the Garnet Valley game, I used to coach with Mike Ricci and I have a lot of respect for what he does and I hope he has that for us. And we have played Neshaminy back and forth for the past six or seven years and they always have been good games. C.B. South we played last year and this is it for Perkiomen Valley because their schedule changes next year. And a lot of it is because the Ches-Mont League schools on the other side won’t play us. So, it is a combination of things.
“But our kids have been there in tough situations before,” Milano said. “We made the semifinals last season with a linebacker, Ryan Wetzel at quarterback, because Will Howard was injured. We will be ready.”
Downingtown West’s Sean Pelkisson broke out as a junior at defensive end, and after committing to Georgia Southern, big things are expected out of the two-way star. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Quarterback Will Howard is bound for Kansas State after the season and will be coming off a fractured wrist that derailed his 2018 season. Howard has a big time arm, is very smart and is arguably one of the top three or four signal-callers in Pennsylvania. Howard has a quality receiving corps and a very good back in Tyriq Lewis.
“I am really happy with my decision to go to Kansas State,” Howard said. “But, I am really looking forward to this year with my teammates.”
One of those teammates is senior defensive end Sean Pelkisson, who is ticketed for Georgia Southern University next fall. Pelkisson is the best defensive lineman in the Ches-Mont and his position coach Steve Mitten talked about the Whippet star.
“Sean just has an incredible work ethic, has great speed, great drive and he just loves to play football,” Milano said. “He is a heck of a talent.”
Pelkisson, along with Pat Cusack and Jack Young, will form a very formidable front wall for Downingtown West.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Will Howard >> Quarterback
The Kansas State university bound Howard has a very strong arm and is the leader of the Whippet offense.
Pat Cusack >> Defensive Lineman
The 6-foot-2, 225 pound Cusack is a great run stuffer and he also can put heat on the opposing quarterback.
By Peter DiGiovanni; pdigiovanni07@gmail.com
