West Chester East bounces back from loss to roll rival Henderson

WEST GOSHEN >> You can learn something out about a team when it is faced with a bit of adversity. 

Last week, West Chester East lost a last-second decision to perennial District 1 Class 6A powerhouse Downingtown East to knock the Vikings from the unbeaten ranks. 

Friday night at Harold I. Zimmerman Stadium, West Chester East responded in a big way, jetting out to a 35-point halftime advantage and beating crosstown rival West Chester Henderson, 35-14, with nearly the entire second half played under the mercy rule.

West Chester East (3-0 Ches-Mont American, 4-1 overall) received three first-quarter touchdowns from the county’s leading rusher, Kyle Cichanowsky, and also got a sterling passing night from junior Ryan Duell. Duell completed seven of nine passes for 140 yards and a pretty 27-yard touchdown pass to John Wilezczek at the end of the first half.

“It really helps to have Kyle back there for us,” Duell said. “When you have a Division I running back in the backfield, the defense always has to worry about him. I mean, tonight they were loading the box and it opened up some things for me. And John Wileczek had a great game tonight.”

The Vikings’ defense allowed Henderson just 43 yards of total offense in the first half and they set up two scoring runs by the mercurial Cichanowsky by forcing two straight three and outs. The Vikings’ senior had a four-yard touchdown run that was set up by a 33-yard screen pass from Duell to Cichanowsky. Cichanowsky then broke two tackles on his way to a 19-yard touchdown run to make it a 14-0 game after just eight plus minutes of play.

After the Viking defense forced another Henderson (1-2, 1-4) three and out, Cichanowsky took a punt at his own 19-yard line, made two cuts and was on his way to another touchdown and the Vikings had a 21-0 lead after one quarter.

Duell really came alive for the East offense in the second frame, hitting John Wileczek with a 13-yard pass on the right side. Two plays later, Joey Wileczek ran it in from 17 yards out and the rout was on at 27-0.

“Ryan has really grown over the course of the season,” West Chester East head coach Scott Stephen said. “He has worked really hard on becoming the quarterback he showed tonight.”

East was not done, even with a 27-0 advantage. The Warriors showed some life by picking up a first down on a fake punt, but the East defense pushed Warrior quarterback Eddie Smink out of the pocket and forced an incompletion on a fourth down play.

After another Warrior punt, the Vikings needed just five plays to score when Duell hit John Wileczek with a 27-yard touchdown toss, and after Cichanowsky went in for the two-point conversion, it was 35-0 at halftime and the mercy rule was on.

“We were really upset after losing a game we thought we should have won last week,” Duell said. “And to win a West Chester game is very important. It is a big rivalry game and now we play Great Valley next week and we have to be ready for them.”

Henderson showed some offensive life in the second half against the reserve Viking defense. The Warriors started to gain some yards on the ground behind the running of Jay Pierce and Mark Gunther. The Warriors put up two second half touchdowns to make it a more respectable 35-14. But West Chester East had a big Ches-Mont American Division win over its crosstown rival.

“We were focused on Henderson all week, not last week’s loss,” Stephen said. “And we did very well coming back from our first bit of adversity this week. For us, it is all about getting better week to week and constantly improving.”