Cichanowsky, O-Line powering way for WC East

WEST GOSHEN — This was supposed to be a feature about West Chester East’s Kyle Cichanowsky.

And, let’s face the facts, he’s been too dynamic this season for it not to be.

But as much as his breakaway speed and explosive plays jump off the screen in his highlights, some of the holes he’s been fortunate to run through this season are just as eye-opening.

So Cichanowsky will get his due, but the offensive line should get something too, right?

“(Kyle) gives us some snacks here and there,” East guard Joe Carozza said.

Well, that’s a start. The Vikings’ run game, on the other hand, has been bountiful this fall. Their 6-1 record is thanks largely in part to the second ranked run offense that churns up 277.9 yards per game.

The line made up of tackles Carozza and Max Bowman, guards Demetrius Smith, Syncere Cooper and Luke Borkowski, center George Andraos and tight end Scott Cummings have barely skipped a beat with injuries to three-year starter Hugh Lemmon-Kishi and Andrew Dunleavy.

“It’s been great. It hasn’t been like this every year,” Cichanowsky said. “Our linemen have stepped it up this year and create holes that I can trust them to make and we have a lot of camaraderie.”

“They definitely deserve everything I’ve earned as well because it’s all because of them, really.”

The emergence of East’s offensive line as a big, physical power has timed perfectly with Cichanowsky’s leap to the next level.

 A three-year starter at defensive back, Cichanowsky shared time in the backfield the last two years before taking over as the feature back this fall. Since, he’s running away as the leading rusher in the league with 1,332 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, on 131 carries, and averages over 200 yards of total offense a game.

“Any time he gets the ball he has the ability to take it to the house,” East coach Scott Stephen said. “He’s gonna give you anything and everything he has on every play. It’s been great for the younger guys to see that. When you have a player as successful as Kyle, who doesn’t take plays off, who practices 100 miles an hour, who’s in the weight room at 100 miles an hour, they’re able to visually see what it takes to have a successful high school career and grow as a young man.”

Cichanowsky averages 30.4 yards per rushing touchdown, showcasing his playmaking ability. He also has an 81-yard punt return for touchdown. A week ago, against a Kennett defense that came in giving up 73.5 rush yards a game, Cichanowsky set a school record with a 97-yard TD.

“My favorite part is making moves and cutting it up and being explosive,” Cichanowsky said. “And then celebrating with my team afterwards.”

That play was a perfect display of East’s excellence. Bowman and Carozza executed powerful down blocks, while Seth Cohen kicked out the linebacker and Mitch Zingani led through the hole with a pancake block on another backer. Cichanowsky took a jump step to his left, followed a stalk block by John Wileczek before toying with the safety and racing past him to the end zone, completely untouched.

“I think the biggest thing is his patience,” Stephen said. “He’s setting up some runs that’s allowing him to utilize his strength and speed in the open field.”

Friday’s matchup with Class 6A power, Downingtown West, is another opportunity for Cichanowsky and crew to prove themselves. The Whippets are allowing just 125.1 rush yards a game.

Against Downingtown East in week four, Cichanowsky put up 192 yards on a Cougars’ squad that had surrendered 222 yards the first three weeks.

The success is little surprise to the Vikings.

“Kyle just works every single day,” Carozza said. “All over the summer he’s lifting, running, always texting us, ‘who wants to go to the field to get footwork?’ He’s definitely gotten better as the season went on, as we’ve gotten more comfortable with each other.”

Since the Vikings’ last Ches-Mont title in 2006, they have won six games in a season just once, and that came in week 11 of the 2013 season. With the Whippets and West Chester Rustin the next two weeks, getting that seventh win will be no walk in the park, but East feels it’s built for November.

As a team, East is averaging just under nine yards per carry, and change-of-pace back Joey Wileczek is eighth in the area with 469 rush yards.

“Every game we go in, wanting to send that message,” Cooper said. “We like being that physical line. It gets in the other team’s head. You win the game up front, it’s been our goal as big guys up there. …Hitting somebody as hard as you can each and every play, eventually they’ll start to break. That’s the end goal and it’s definitely showed.”

This is uncharted territory in a lot of ways, for East, but fortunately for Stephen, he’s got just the ride man to guide the ship.

“He’s stays the course no matter what,” Stephen said of Cichanowsky. “He’s as calm and poised as you can be. It translates in the classroom, it translates in the weight room and it translates on the football field. He’s got an unbelievable drive for the game of football.”