Downingtown West drops Shanahan

Downingtown West sophomore Michael Riddick cruised along the left sideline and eased into the end zone. It was just 81 seconds into the team's 46-21 romp at Bishop Shanahan.

The Whippets were just getting started.

West scored three touchdowns in the first nine minutes Saturday afternoon and entered halftime with a 27-point lead.

The team responded to last week's stunning loss at Great Valley with a near-perfect first half. The Whippets (5-2 overall, 2-1 Ches-Mont League National) blocked a punt, returned a punt for a touchdown, tormented the quarterback, picked off a pass, and controlled the game.

"At halftime, we wanted to be out here on the field," junior running back Jake Barr said. "Nobody wanted to go into the locker room."

Barr scored four touchdowns, including a 70-yard punt return in the second quarter. The junior carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards.

All three of his rushing touchdowns came from inside the 10-yard line. It was his second four-touchdown game of the season.

"He has a skill set like I haven't had in a while," Downingtown West coach Mike Milano said. "He's elusive. He can be tough when he needs to be. He has a great set of hands and can run a little bit. He's a great football player."

West's defense recorded four sacks and forced three turnovers. Linebacker Colby Burke set the tone with a sack on Shanahan's first possession. He then blocked a punt by Shanahan (4-3, 1-3) on its next possession.

The Eagles' third possession ended with an interception by West's Jason Borosky. The rout was on.

"Our defense played its best game in a while," Milano said. "We need them to play well, and they did today."

In the first quarter, Barr picked up a block on a punt return and sprinted along the right sideline before being tackled at the 8-yard line. Barr said he knew if he had cut back, he would have scored.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder had redemption a quarter later, as this time, he did cut back.

"After getting beat last week in overtime, we felt like we lost ourselves," he said. "We were so excited, and we just wanted to get it back."

Downingtown West 21 12 6 7 - 46

Bishop Shanahan 0 6 6 8 - 21

DW: Michael Riddick 49 run (Brandon Bowler kick)

DW: Jake Barr 1 run (Bowler kick)

DW: Barr 6 run (Bowler kick)

DW: Barr 2 run (kick failed)

DW: Barr 70 with punt return (pass failed)

BS: Pat Corcoran 5 run (kick failed)

DW: Riddick 15 run (run failed)

BS: Nick Pasvanis 6 run (Jake Geiger kick)

DW: Collin Domblesky 40 pass from Tyler McNulty (Bowler kick)

BS: Pat Corcoran 80 pass from Dan Murphy (Nick Pasvanis run)