Despite hardships, Whippets look forward to big season

DOWNINGTOWN >> It’s been a trying few months for the Downingtown West High School football program.
First, the Covid-19 outbreak that shut down the program during an already truncated season. Then tragedy struck when teammate Cos Villari took his own life in May.
However, a new season dawns and the Whippets are focusing on the field as an experienced group tries to put the traumatic events behind them and focus on the task ahead.
“The kids are awesome,” said head coach Mike Milano. “They’ve been through the traumatic experience of losing a classmate and that was a horrible, horrible event, for the senior class especially who were very close to Cos Vilari. It kind of galvanized the group. They’ve tried to make a positive out of the ultimate negative and done a good job converting it out here on the practice field.”

The field, for coaches and players alike, has become even more of a sanctuary.
“That’s been like that since Covid,” said Milano. “With the shutdown last year when we were able to get back together, the energy we were able to have with kids being back together and feeling normal again was amazing. Kind of the same feeling with that. I think it was a healing effect to get everybody and heal together. And I still feel we’re healing every time we get together.”
The Whippets have trsditionally been more of a ground-based attack, and they have a stable of running backs to call on.
Foremost among them is senior and returning member of the DLN All-Area first team, Will Mahmud.
“I think we’re looking really good,” said Mahmud. “We’re a very old team, lot of experience, lot of seniors and I think that will show on the field. We’re going to show teams that we have something to prove and we’re going to win some games.

“Personal goals for this year, make all-league, all-area and all-state. Definitely, get back to districts and win it like when I was a sophomore and just improve daily.”
Heath Williams adds more heft and blocking power in the backfield, while Ryan Waters will provide the speed and game-breaking abilities.
“We got a real solid offensive line and we got a stable of backs,” said Milano. “We also have Elijah (Ford) on the outside, so we’re able to do a bunch of different things, so I’m excited to see the offense get on the field and compete.”
Evan Wickersham will begin his second year under center. The senior can also be a threat to take off and run.

“Evan Wickersham is our QB like he was last year too,” said Milano. “He’s marketedly improved from last year. He’s worked his tail off and I’m looking forward to him having a great season for us.”
Senior Elijah Ford returns to be one of the main pass-catching threats for Wickersham.
“I just want to have a great season, said Ford.”I want to come out and play for my city. I improved the most at catching the ball. Our line is huge and we’re definitely going to run the ball. We have some weapons on the outside.
Heading the offensive line is massive Drew Shelton. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound senior is headed to Penn State.
Mahmud and Ford will both also shine defensively. Mahmud is an oustanding linebacker who worked on his pass-covering skills during the summer. He teams with Josh Barron and Waters to give the Whippets a solid trio.

Ford is a lockdown corner who had one of the plays of season last year when he channeled DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks to chase down Coatesville quarterback Harrison Susi.
Shelton and Williams will be three-year starters among the front. Cooper Young, who played mostly offense last year, will make his presence felt along the line. Junior Jake Kucera is expected to bolster the secondary.
The schedule is loaded, it leads off with home games with Garnet Valley and the Haverford School and includes Ches-Mont crossover games with West Chester East and Kennett.
“We have to get to the Ches-Mont,” said Milano. “We play the Central League champ (Garnet Valley), the PAC-10 champ (Perk Valley), the Haverford School and a contender in the Del-Val League (Penn Wood) just to get to the Ches-Mont, which is always challenging. Downingtown East and Coatesville is always rivalry game and Bishop Shanahan is going to be real good.”