Future looks bright for DWest’s Howard, but senior QB still has much to prove

DOWNINGTOWN — There, in the midst of last year’s improbable playoff run, Downingtown West quarterback Will Howard found himself in his own, separate battle.

The exhilaration and pride that came with every win was confronted by those awkward, bittersweet feelings of knowing it was all happening without him.

After Howard was ruled out for the season with a broken arm during a week seven game against Coatesville, West reeled off three straight wins, one against Downingtown East, to conclude the regular season and then two more in the playoffs to vault the Whippets in the District 1-6A semifinals. All Howard could do was watch and cheer his team on.

“Obviously I was super happy, but in a way, yeah, it’s tough because if you’re out and they lose, then you feel like you’re responsible for them losing,” Howard said. “If you’re out and they win, then you feel like, ‘do they need you?’ I didn’t really feel that way, but it does kinda suck sitting out and not being able to play. Seeing the success, it was inspiring.”

Ryan Wetzel, a senior who started at linebacker and H-back, moved into a QB slot he hadn’t been in since his freshman year, and along with a gritty senior class, the Whippets shocked many who had written them off without Howard.

“We talked about that from the very first snap,” West coach Mike Milano said. “(Howard) didn’t miss a practice after his surgery on his arm. I talked to him every day about how hard it’s gonna be. This is gonna be killer for you. You’re gonna wanna root for your teammates but when they have success, it’s gonna be hard. Watching the team succeed without you, that’s tough. That’s a tough pill to swallow. He handled it with great class, it was amazing, coaching Wetzel, talking to Wetzel, making sure he knew what was going on.”

Howard is back for his senior season, all healed up and fresh off a commitment to play college ball at Kansas State. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Howard has the prototypical QB frame. But after West’s success last fall, along with that shorter, yet much more-accomplished, quarterback up the road, Villanova-bound Ricky Ortega of Coatesville, Howard is not shying away from the fact his mission as a high schooler is far from complete.

“I feel like there’s always more to prove,” Howard said. “I want to prove I’m the best quarterback in the state and that we’re the best team in the state. That’s been our goal since day one, Ches-Mont championship, district championship, state championship. We’re not shooting for anything less. I can’t wait to prove we’re the best and I feel like I’m the best and I think we can prove that this year.”

West is 11-6 when Howard starts, and the senior has thrown for 3,177 yards and 23 touchdowns, with only 6 interceptions. Those numbers don’t pop off the screen, but Milano has coached his fair share of star high school quarterbacks and says about Howard: “I’ve never had that guy.”

His return brings with it a sense of confidence, throughout the roster and staff.

“It’s amazing, man,” West running back Tyriq Lewis said. “It’s more comfortable. This been my guy for three years now so it feels like it’s normal. He didn’t skip a beat.”

As near and dear as the 2018 playoff run will always be to Milano’s heart, the coach agrees with Lewis’ sentiment.

“To have our guy, I don’t know what we could’ve done if we had him last year,” Milano said. “I’d like to think we’d have had the same success or more. For me, there’s so much I don’t have to coach. It’s already been coached. He’s a coach on the field. We have some new skill guys around him and he’s getting them lined up if we’re not and that’s a joy. If you have a coach on the field, that’s a joy.”

There is justified optimism in Downingtown. Lewis is arguably the top returning back in the National Division, and Georgia Southern recruit, Sean Pelkisson, is a force at tight end and defensive end. Fellow seniors Max Hale and Pat Cusack help to give the Whippets one of the best front lines in the county. 

There have been high hopes before, and Coatesville has been happy to stomp them out forcefully the past three seasons. As a sophomore, Howard had his worst statistical game of his career against the Red Raiders, throwing for 45 yards and an interception in a 42-6 loss. Last year, in a battle of unbeatens, the result was similar, 42-14, and Howard was lost for the season.

It’s a long way between now and their week nine showdown, but make no mistake about, Coatesville is on West’s mind.

“That’s the game we think about in the offseason,” Howard said. “Personally for me, that was rough last year and the year before, too, so I’m certainly looking forward to it. I feel like we really got the guys this year and I feel like we should beat them this year. I feel like we can and we will, so I can’t wait. I’ve been looking forward to it since I came off the field last year.”

Howard’s future beyond high school is bright. The past adversities are long gone. The present provides as a platform for redemption and for proving oneself and, probably most importantly, one last chance for Howard and his teammates to be kids, playing a kids game.

“The recruiting being wrapped up now, I’ve really been able to focus in on this team more, which is what I wanted to do,” Howard said. “It’s good to kinda settle down and be back with the boys, these dudes I’ve been playing with since I was eight, nine years old. It’s great to be back out here and focus on achieving all those goals we set as freshmen.”