Breaking down Dtown East-West I ahead of round 2 rematch

Over the past two decades since the Downingtown school district split into two high schools, Downingtown East and Downingtown West have found their shares of success, establishing themselves as upper echelon programs in District 1.

But of all the postseason triumphs the Cougars and Whippets have accumulated over the years, the two have never met in the playoffs.

That is, until Friday. 

East, the No. 12 seed in the District 1-6A bracket, is coming off a thrilling win against No. 5 Coatesville. The Cougars erased a 15-point deficit and scored the final 31 points to advance to the second round. That spot has been troublesome for East, in its existence, as the Cougars have lost in the quarterfinals nine of their 15 playoff appearances, including their last six, dating back to 2015.

West, the No. 4 seed, took care of No. 13 Conestoga in the first round, and the Whippets have won their last five district playoff games, dating back to 2019 when they won the title. But West won’t have one of its stars, Dean Hangey, who was ruled ineligible by the PIAA after he transferred from Malvern Prep after last season.

Hangey was the hero against East in week 10, with the game-winning touchdown, 177 yards receiving and was possibly even more of an impact from his outside linebacker position. 

Now, a look back a look back at West’s 31-28 win over East in the regular season finale:

Downingtown West opened the game with a short kick that was returned by Tanner DiLullo to its 49. The Cougars made their name on a punishing run game, but on the opening drive, it was their air attack that got the job done. After a pair of fruitless plays, East lined up with three receivers to the right, out of the shotgun. With West rushing four and playing man-to-man coverage, East’s trio ran off the defenders, leaving space for Bo Horvath, who beat a linebacker out of the backfield for a 15-yard gain. Two plays later, East lined up with a tight end/wing combo to the right, but the wing, Caden Walsh, went in motion to the left and got past the defense with a wheel route for 25 yards to the West five. East then broke out its jumbo look, with four down blockers, a wing and another blocker behind the guard on the left side. That troop overwhelmed West’s right side and Horvath ran in, untouched, for the first touchdown.

Downingtown East 7, Downingtown West 0 – 10:15 first quarter

John Mulville returned the favor on the ensuing kickoff with a return to midfield. The Whippets started with a pair of receivers stacked to the left. The front man, Hangey, ran off the defense, leaving Jake Kucera with space for a 23-yard pitch and catch from Quinn Henicle. Two plays later, West lined up in a two-tight end set, with twins to the right. Using nine to block East’s three-four defense, Kucera got open on a corner route, but dropped a would-be touchdown. West ended up turning the ball over on downs two plays later.

The Cougars tried to establish their run game on their second possession, out of their favorite run set, the shotgun pro formation. A pair of runs by Horvath and another by Owen Lammy netted just seven yards and East was forced to punt.

West took over at its own 29 and picked up 19 yards on carries from Hangey, Mulville and Kam Alex. On a second-and-three, West sent three receivers to the left, and East blitzed its two backside linebackers. That left a huge opening for Hangey, who took a tunnel screen on the right for 18 yards. West went back under center and tossed it to Mulville out of the I-formation for a 17-yard gain. East’s cornerbacks played back most of the night, in effort to limit West’s big play potential, but Hangey picked up another easy first down on a stop pattern under the coverage. On a first-and-goal at the six, West broke out the triple option, and with all the East attention going to to the dive back, Henicle scored easily.

Downingtown East 7, Downingtown West 7 – 4:26 first quarter

Once again, West kicked short and once again, East used a nice return to start with great field position. The Whippets tried kicking deep later in the game, as well, but the Cougars’ average starting field position on the six kickoffs was their own 44. Jamy Jenkins had one of his best games as a three-year starter at quarterback for East, and he navigated another drive to perfection. On second down, with West playing bump-and-run coverage, Jenkins connected with Walsh for a back-shoulder catch, netting 14 yards. Jenkins then hit Jackson Noble for four yards. On third-and-six, in a two-tight end set, East ran right, away from the wing, and Horvath picked up 13, his only carry of double-digit yards in the game. Two plays later, from the seven, East went back to its jumbo formation and Horvath followed the two extra blockers into the end zone for his second TD of the night.

Downingtown East 14, Downingtown West 7 – 2:13 first quarter

West’s average starting field position from kickoffs was its own 28, which was a yard further than the Whippets started their third drive. Henicle got to work with three short completions. After netting zero yards on two plays, West had a fourth-and-one at its own 49. Henicle used a sneak for two yards. A delay of game penalty and a short completion made it third-and-13, and Henicle dropped back to throw. East’s Chad Lovenguth dipped back under Ryan Howard and hit Henicle as he threw, despite having nine in for protection. East’s Fred Bono grabbed the fluttering pass for the only turnover of the game.

East started its next drive with a false start and a two-yard run by Horvath, leading to a third-and-13. The Cougars went four-wide for the first time, with two on each side, and Jenkins threw another perfect pass to Walsh on a corner route, just out of the reach of Kucera, for a 25-yard gain. Hangey killed East’s momentum for a second by sacking Jenkins for an eight-yard loss, and the Cougars had another third-and-long. Despite Horvath running for just 43 yards on his first 12 carries, East dialed up a play for its star back. With twins to the left and a wing and receiver to the right, East motioned the wing to the left, bringing the safety with. West showed that it was bringing seven, but at the snap, the strong side backers dropped into coverage. When Horvath ran a wheel from the backfield to the right, the outside backer broke off his blitz, but couldn’t chase down Horvath who caught the pass from Jenkins and weaved his way to a 57-yard TD.

Downingtown East 21, Downingtown West 7 – 7:38 second quarter

West started its next drive at its own 24 and picked up 17 yards on five plays to set up a third-and-three. The Whippets went back to the option, but this time, Michael Waite read it right and blew up Mulville, who took the pitch for a yard loss, forcing a punt.

The Cougars took over at their 21, and after another short run, Jenkins made another huge play. Out of the shotgun pro again, East ran it’s famous “God’s play” to the right, but Jenkins pulled it and found Walsh in the left flat. Walsh made a man miss and raced 43 yards to the West 33. An incompletion and an eight-yard run by Horvath set up a third-and-two, and East went back to the jumbo. West’s Mason Hale got penetration, bouncing Horvath, who was taken down by Darian Smith for a three-yard loss. It was one of only two negative rushing plays for Horvath on the night, but on fourth down he picked up three-and-a-half when he needed four and West took over.

The Whippets made East pay multiple times on missed chances in West territory, and this was the first. After a Cougar penalty moved the ball to the Whippet 42, West lined up in a tight trips formation to the left, with Hangey by himself on the right. Out of the trips formation, West had predominantly run its tunnel screens and shovel passes, but in this instance, Henicle took a shot. Hangey ran a stop-and-go down the right sideline, but East was there to defend the pass. Somehow the ball snuck through Michael Leo’s hands and into Hangey’s, who raced in for a 58-yard TD.

Downingtown East 21, Downingtown West 14 – 1:20 second quarter

East picked up a first down but eventually punted and West ran out the final seconds to get to halftime.

The Whippets received the second-half kick, but a block in the back penalty started them at their own 11. West picked up first downs on receptions from Kucera and Hangey, and a run by Mulville and eventually had a third-and-four at the East 40. West ran its first triple option out of the shotgun pro set, but Henicle gave to Harrison Hayford for a gain of one, while the right edge was wide open for Henicle or Mulville. Henicle couldn’t find anyone open on fourth and the Whippets turned it over on downs.

East took over at its 39 and picked up three on its first two plays, setting up a third-and-seven. Horvath ran an out pattern from the backfield, but West was more ready for the play this time and Hayford and Hangey stopped him two yards short to force a punt. 

Denied points on its first drive of the third quarter, West started at its 15 and continued to move the ball between the 20s. Kucera had a 22-yard reception and Mulville a 17-yard run and the Whippets moved to the East 22. West went back to the option from the shotgun pro for the second time on the drive, and after a misread on the previous possession, Henicle pulled this one and ran for 15. Two plays later, Mulville found the end zone on a speed option to the right but it was called back due to a holding penalty. Two failed pass plays led to a 27-yard field goal by Ben Mehan. 

Downingtown East 21, Downingtown West 17 – 2:27 third quarter

East took over at its own 32 and gave Horvath six straight carries. After picking up one first down, Horvath was stuffed on a third-and-three at midfield and the Cougars elected to punt on the first play of the fourth quarter.

West started at its 24 and after no gain on first down, the Whippets lined up in an offset-I with a tight end and wing to the left. On the snap, the two backs sprinted left, while Kucera, the wing, ran down the seam. Waite, who was on Kucera, took a jump step to his right, following the backs and that hesitation allowed Kucera to cut inside him and get past. Henicle hit Kucera, but Waite tracked him after a 74-yard reception. Mulville plowed in for a two-yard TD run to give the Whippets their first lead of the game, but the extra point sailed wide.

Downingtown West 23, Downingtown East 21 – 11:01 fourth quarter

Waite received the ensuing kickoff and returned it 43 yards to the West 47, but the referee spotted it at the 45. East went back to it’s ground game, but found itself with a fourth-and-two. After East had a false start and West gave it back with an offsides penalty, Horvath plunged two yards for the first. The next play, Jenkins and Walsh connected again with the back shoulder pass to the West 21. After completing seven of 10 passes for 183 yards in the first half, Jenkins threw just two passes in the third quarter. East picked up 12 hard-earned yards on three Horvath runs and on a first-and-goal from the nine, Jenkins pulled the handoff and walked in for the score as all eyes are on Horvath.

Downingtown East 28, Downingtown West 23 – 7:53 fourth quarter

West took over at its 28, and after moving the ball well its first three possessions of the second half, the Whippets floundered in a big spot. They picked up a quick first down, but two plays later the timing on a screen was off and Henicle was dropped by Felix Mason for a seven-yard loss. Another yard loss and a false start pitted West with a fourth-and-21. The long snap was low and Mehan’s punt lost two yards.

East was in prime position, at the West 25, up by four with under six minutes remaining. Horvath picked up five on first down, but East committed a false start on second down. Horvath picked up another two, and on third-and-eight, Jenkins threw to Horvath on a quick wheel to the left side, but the ball was dropped and West’s defense was there short of the line, had it been caught. On fourth-and-eight, Jenkins and Walsh went to the back shoulder well one last time, but West’s Jordan Barry was ready and broke up the pass.

With four minutes, nine seconds to go, West took over at its 23. With twins left and a tight end/wing to the right, Mulville went in a jet motion to his left and faked the handoff. Kucera, the slot on the left, ran a slant, and Hangey ran a go-pattern on the outside. Henicle was hit as he threw by a blitzing Sam Barton, forcing the ball over Hangey’s outside shoulder. Hangey made the adjustment, catching the ball at the East 46 and racing rest of the way for the TD. Henicle pitched to Mulville on an option to the right for the two-point conversion.

Downingtown West 31, Downingtown East 28 – 3:58 fourth quarter

The Cougars started at their 35, and after a one-yard loss by Horvath, Jenkins connected with Noble for a 13-yard gain. Horvath runs sandwiched a Jenkins incompletion, setting up a fourth-and-seven from midfield. East got DiLullo in single coverage against Kucera, and Jenkins’ pass was on the money, but Kucera got just enough on the deflection to cause an incompletion.

With one minute, 55 seconds to go to start the drive, West got an eight-yard run by Henicle on third-and-four and the Whippets were able to end the game in victory formation and claim a share of the Ches-Mont National Division title.