Langhorne: With a beautiful September evening providing the backdrop for tonight's game, football fans from Lower Bucks were piling into Harry's House well before the kickoff. And with the Redskins hosting a very solid Downingtown West team, the excitement could'nt have been more evident. First suiting up in 1896, the Whippets have a long and notable history pre-dating the Downingtown Area split into two schools, East and West, in 2003. In fact, in 1996 the pre-split Whippets claimed gold in Hershey after earning silver in 1994. This year's group looks to be special too as they are loaded with experience and talent.

Of course, Neshaminy's squad is senior heavy and sporting its own quiver of talent (and has been getting plenty of ink as well). No doubt, this contest is certainly set up to validate the pre-season outlook for '13 Redskins. So with the refs signaling its coin toss time, let's get down on the field.

As the 'Skins took the flip, they also took the ball with the Whippets kicking off to start the game. Immediately bringing the crowd to their feet was Devon Brown as he brought the ball back to the 50 before the kicker tripped him up. Three run efforts came up short, though, and the 'Skins punted on fourth down. Following a nice effort by Chris Watson, the Whippets started it up at their own 17.

Showing their pistol offense and Shotgun too, D-Town earned a first on the ground and then tacked on 15 more on a pass interference call to get them to the 42. One play later the West quarterback then squirted through a hole and made it down to the 14. But getting bottled up there, the Whippets had to set up for a 31-yard field goal try which went wide. As the ball then went back to Neshaminy, D'Andre Pollard popped one free to the 39 followed by Blake Sullivan's trek to the 45. A holding call pushed it back, though, before Cole Creighton caught a screen and took it back to the line of scrimmage for a manageable spot.

Going to a third and short after Pollard added eight, Tyler Wombough went back to the junior back once again as he lugged it to West's 40 for a new set of downs. Thinking another pass was in order, it was Wombough finding Creighton for 25 yards and a first at the 15. Denny Lord then went down to the 7 and it was Pollard to the 5. Catching the Whippets in tight, Wombough then nailed Bill Ritchey in the endzone for the score. Dylan McDonald earned the PAT and it was Neshaminy 7-0 with just a minute left in the first-quarter.

After Sullivan's short kick, the Whippets had a good spot at their own 45. And looking lively on their first few efforts, it was Brown's tip of a Whippet pass, to Denzel Hughes, who snagged the pick at the Skins 25. With Neshaminy back on O, Pollard earned four out to the 29 just as the gun signaled it was time for the teams to change sides.

After the exchange, a short screen to Hughes added three to the 28 with Pollard out to the 38 for the first. Brown then came in on The Wildcat and took the gap for 8 to the 46. Calling his number again, Brown had it across mid-field for the first before handing off to Pollard who earned 6 to the Whippets 44. Hughes then caught a short pass that lost a few as it went to 3rd and nine. A nice gain came back on a penalty and the next play went for nothing. Forced to punt, the ball went back to the visitors at their 30.

With the second quarter at its mid-point, the Whippets looked to establish themselves with their air attack look. But posting a three and out, the ball was soon punted back to Neshaminy where the Blue & Red started it up at their 35. A run and a pass gained just a bit as a long third down play came around. No problem for Wombough, though, as he rolled right and found Hamiid Pack for the first out to mid-field.

With 2:30 on the clock, the 'Skins had pushed it to the visitor's 40 where Lord then smashed it down inside the 30. Neshaminy looked bogged down at that spot before Lord then broke the jam as he barreled his way down to the two-yard stripe. Not wanting to mess with success, it was Lord then lugging it across for the TD. McDonald was on the money once again and Neshaminy went up by 14 with a minute to play in the first-half.

The Sullivan kickoff went out at the 20 and D-Town West took a re-kick. With the ball teed up once again, this time the boot was a little deeper and the visitors opened at their 35 with under a minute to play. Going into their spread, a nice West pass earned a first in 'Skins territory but on the next hurry up play Alex Nicolas sacked the Whippet QB at the 50. After a D-Town timeout a running play earned a few and a pass then missed; however, a questionable interference call put the ball at Neshaminy's 30 with 20 seconds showing. Three passes were then batted away or missed as it went to a fourth and ten with five seconds on the clock. Slamming the door, it was Luke Carrezola catching the scrambling West QB as Nicolas cleaned up the sack just as the gun sounded. Taking the hint, the two teams then headed for the lockers for a well-deserved halftime break.

Back on the field for the final two sessions, it was Lord doing the honors as Neshaminy kicked off to their Ches-Mont League guests. Another out-of bound shot had Sullivan back in to boot it away from the Neshaminy 35 as West asked for another re-kick. This time the boot was returned to West's 39 where the Whippets set up in their Shotgun but a quick fumble by a West back was recovered by a Neshaminy player as the 'Skins then had the ball on the 44.

Looking sharp, Pollard earned 10 with a late hit pushing the Schmidtmen to the 20. Three plays later it was at the ten from where Pollard finished it off. McDonald's PAT was true once again and the scoreboard rolled to 21-0 home lead early in the third. And catching another break on the kickoff, the Whippets returner lost the ball at the 14 where Trokon Buesmaill covered it up. Pollard danced it in from there on the first assignment to make it 27-0 which is where it stayed as the PAT was tipped.

After the kickoff it was a nice return that saw Downingtown at their 38. From there it was the hurry up offense back on display. Three plays on the ground earned a first by a nose before it went to another third and five at the 'Skins 45. On fourth down and five, the Whippets lined up to go for it and just made it on a pass before two more plays had it at the 35. From there a double-reverse didn't fool a soul and lost a few as another fourth came up and then went nowhere as a pass play missed everything but the ground and the 'Skins took over.

Back on offense, Sullivan and Pollard quickly had it at mid-field on two plays with Pollard then down to the 25 on the next effort. With the Whippets stiffening, it then went to a third-down before Wombough hit Creighton with an aerial to get it to the six-yard stripe. From there it was Pollard posting his third TD of the night. The two-point try was short and with the third-period almost over, it was 33-0 Neshaminy.

After the kickoff the Whippets went three and out and were forced to punt. A nice roll put the 'Skins at their 26 with 11 minutes in the fourth. A new group came in for Neshaminy as Mason Jones took the controls and immediately handed off to one or the other of the Dogba brothers, Will and Dan, on two straight. Going to a third and seven, Cale Kitchenman earned a few yards on a try but not the first. Watson came in for the punt took and bounced it to the Whippet's 15 where the West offense came back on the field.

Another three and out for D-Town had them punting it away again and after Creighton waved everyone away from the bouncing pigskin it was Jones and crew back out for the Creek Kids at their 45. Dogba took the first handoff and earned 12 to the Whippet's 43 and another bunch to the 35. Jones then went up top and found Jack Spingler at the 25 from where Dogba next punched it to the 22. Dogba then took a pitch and threaded his way to the 6. A Redskin score on the next play was then brought back on a holding call before Will Dogba took it in from penalty spot at the 14. Going up 39-0 the 'Skins took a knee on the PAT.

With the clock showing just about four minutes on the clock, Sullivan's kick was deep but a nice return had the Whippets at their 32. Showing life, a D-Town back picked up 10 yards to put it at the 42. But with the running clock in effect due to the 39 point Redskin lead, the clock was rolling.

The Whippets weren't done, however, as even though a snap squibbed loose and put them at their 30, another West back then earned the yards back to the original line of scrimmage. And catching a break, a facemask call on the Redskins gave the visitors some life. A nice run then followed and West had a first at Neshaminy's 39 and then another at the 26. But the clock was just about up as a pass interference call gave West the ball at the ten with 8 seconds left. Still, the last ditch West pass for six missed and here it comes:

Game to Skins!

First a shout out for the Whippets, their coaches and fans who made the trek to The Ridge. A solid effort by the team as it was all left on the field. Thank you, Downingtown West.

Next looking to the home side of the field, it was a great game by the Schmidtmen, no doubt, as they made all of us fans proud. Playing alert and heads up ball from the start to the end, the boys can surely sleep tight tonight as they go to 2-0 on the young season. Still, Coach Schmidt will certainly have some comments about a mistake here and there that hed like to see corrected (and we are confident the team will be so advised in short order). In the meantime, let's all get some rest too as next week sees Neshaminy on the road as they travel to Souderton to take on a tough Indians squad. The Big Red always bring their A game and nothing less. So let's all show our support and get there early and in force as this will be a good one (plus don't forget its on Thursday night).

See you at the game.

Sterling Limosine Player of the Week

Alex Nicolas

The senior defensive lineman had a huge game in Neshaminy’s 39-0 win over Downingtown West that saw the Whippets manage just 130 yards of total offense. Nicolas had seven total tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. He also was credited with 1.5 sacks. Coach Mark Schmidt says: “In a big game against a very skilled and experienced offense, Alex rose to the occasion Friday night against Downingtown West. Lining up at multiple positions, he was able to disrupt the inside run game and get to the quarterback in crucial situations. We are hoping he can rise to the occasion again Thursday against a very good Souderton offensive line.”

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