Wickersham’s scamper buoys Downingtown West’s playoff hopes

By Bryan Davis
bdavis@21st-centurymedia.com
@btdavis25 on Twitter

DOWNINGTOWN >> Two dual-threat quarterbacks took center stage on Friday night at Jack Mancini Field, but Evan Wickerham made the highlight play at a crucial time put him the starring role. He broke a tie in the fourth quarter with a 77-yard run and Downingtown held off a late bid by Bishop Shanahan to post an important 21-14 Ches-Mont League National Division win.
“My quarterback can play too,” said a jubilant Downingtown West coach Mike Milano.
In Shanahan’s first possession of the fourth, they went on a sustained march from the 49-yard line to the 12. Facing a 3rd-and-8, Shanahan’s Cooper Jordan, the other leading man in this quarterback drama, threw a pass intended for running back Colin McGrory, but it was intercepted in the endzone by Dalton Downie.
Following a 3-yard run by Will Mahmud, lightning struck on the clear night. Wickersham squirted out along the left sideline, he was almost caught around the 10, but he kept his feet and finished off his 77-yard run to give the Whippets (5-3, 1-1) a 21-14 lead with 4:23 left.
“It was a triple option,” explained Wickersham. “I pulled the ball and went to attack the edge. My key went with the pitch back. I just took off and tried not to get caught.”
“They were running the option and its assignment football,” added Shanahan coach Paul Meyers. “One guy got hooked inside and the corner got too far out.”
Shanahan (6-2, 1-2) had a final chance to tie or take the lead. They were facing a fourth down at the West 24, where Jordan picked up 12 yards on a keeper for a first down, but a holding penalty pushed them back into a 4th-and-22 at the 40. Jordan’s heave into the endzone, intended for Walka Jordan, was broken up. Two kneeldowns later, West escaped with the win.
After the game Wickersham talked about dedicating the game to a fallen teammate.
“All week we put in the work talking about our good friend, 88, Cos Vilari,” said Wickersham. “We played our hearts for him. This was a game he wanted to play in so bad in his senior year and he was looking forward to it. We worked our tails for him. I’m glad it paid off.”
West got on the board first the first time they got the ball. On the ninth play of the drive, Wickersham hit a wide-open Elijah Ford over the middle at about the 25. Ford cantered in from there for a 59-yard score and the early lead.
“I’m just thankful for my linemen and my quarterback, if it wasn’t for them, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Ford.
The lead stood until the end of the first half. Shanahan went on a near seven-minute drive consisting of 15 plays over 64 yard. Jordan rolled right and floated a pass over the defender’s head that nestled into McGrory’s arms for a 3-yard score with eight seconds remaining. The score was McGrory’s 12 TD reception of the season.
Jordan electrified the home shortly after the break, scampering 65 yards down the right side for a score and a 14-7 lead.
The lead didn’t last long, West stopped the Eagles on a fourth down. Ford took a pitch around left end and found clear room as he went 32 yards for his second TD of the night to set up the late dramatics.
“It’s very disappointing,” said Meyers. “I thought our defense played real well the whole game. We had three blown assignments and it cost us three touchdowns.”
The win kept the Whippets in the District 1 6A postseason hunt. They have another emotional showdown next week when they face Downingtown East.
“We’re fighting,” said Milano. “We’re fighting.”

Downingtown West 21, Bishop Shanahan 14
Downingtown West 7 0 7 7 — 21
Bishop Shanahan 0 7 7 0 — 14
First Quarter
Downingtown West — Ford 59 pass from Wickersham (Cacciavillano kick)
Second Quarter
Bishop Shanahan — McGrory 3 pass from C. Jordan (Domsohn kick)
Third Quarter
Bishop Shanahan — C. Jordan 65 run (Domsohn kick)
Downingtown West — Ford 32 run (Cacciavillano kick)
Fourth Quarter
Downingtown West — Wickersham 77 run (Cacciavillano kick)
team statistics
DW BS
First downs 11 14
Rushes-yards 37-213 40-262
Passing 3-5-0 7-20-1
Passing yards 86 65
Total yards 299 327
Punts 4-36.8 3-41.7
Fumbles-lost 3-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 3-30 5-55
Individual statistics
Rushing — Downingtown West: Wickersham 12-80 TD; Mulville 11-47; Mahmud 9-38; Ford 1-32 TD; Barry 3-12; Kameryn 1-4. Bishop Shanahan: C. Jordan 17-168 TD; McGrory 16-58; Whitehill 7-36.
Passing — Downingtown West: Wickersham 3-5-0 86 yards TD. Bishop Shanahan: C. Jordan 7-20-1 65 yards TD.
Receiving — Downingtown West: Mahmud 2-27; Ford 1-59 TD. Bishop Shanahan: McGrory 5-43 TD; Kaoczynski 2-22.
Interceptions — Downingtown West: Downie.
Sacks — Bishop Shanahan: Taylor, Daniels.