Downingtown: On the road for game two of the 2014 season, Langhorne takes on the Downingtown West Whippets of the Ches-Mont League. Fielding a strong team that is highly ranked this season, West opened with an impressive 31-2 win over Haverford in its opener last Friday. Meanwhile the Frederickmen come into tonights contest at 0-1 following a loss to Gonzaga College in their inaugural game of the 14 campaign. So there's no doubt Neshaminy is looking to right the ship while the Whippets would like to continue a strong start and gain a measure of revenge in light of their loss to the Skins in 2013. We think you get the story so instead of more hyperbole, well just take it down to the grid.

West won the coin toss but deferred possession to the second half. The short kick was then taken by Matt 'Hollywood' Magdelinskas at the 25 and his five yard return gave the 'Skins a first at the 30. Two runs by D'Andre Pollard earned 20 yards and gave Neshaminy a fresh set of downs at mid-field. Going to a fourth and short at the enemy 41, a Mason Jones pass was batted down as the ball went over to the home team. A pass and option were good enough to move West to the 35. Going to a fourth and nine, the Whippets went for it and earned a big first down at the nine-yard stripe on an aerial. With D-Town then going backwards, it went to fourth and goal-to-go from the 34 as West then punted the ball out of bounds at the 20.

Neshaminy came out throwing on first as Mason Jones just missed J.R. Stevens on a deep throw. No problem, though, as Pollard then took the handoff on second down and gained 21 yards to the 41. A short run play followed by a Jones to Stevens pass put the ball at D-Towns 45. But stalling out there, it was Kevin Goetz punting the ball to the Whippets 20 where it was fair caught. A couple of quick-hitters saw the home team move the ball to the 39 just as the clock signaled the end of the first-quarter.

After flipping sides, D-Town earned a first to their 46. Looking good on the ground, the Whippets were soon down to Neshaminy's 35. On a sneak the enemy QB went up the middle to the ten for a first and goal. In short order West then punched it in and it went to 7-0 after the PAT.

Booting it to Neshaminy, it was Denzel Hughes and Will Dogba back to receive. Hughes picked up a deep kick and made it to the 17 before he was dropped. Jones and company then came back out on the field as Pollard quickly earned a first at the 28. Two straight to Pollard then had it at the 39 as the chains were moved once again. Going to a third and long, Jones nailed Zach Tredway across mid-field for a first at the West 45. Pollard then added eight to the 37 and then a few more for another 'Skins first down. Continuing to drive, and mixing it up with ground efforts and short passes, it was soon in close from where 'Hollywood' Magdelinskas finished off the long drive on a four yard burst. Dylan McDonald nailed the PAT and the game went to a 7-7 tie with just over two minutes remaining in the half.

McDonald's kickoff was deep and after a short return, D-Town started at its 20. Going to a third-and-long the Whippets then connected on three nice passes to take the ball across the mid-field stripe. A few more had it at the 30 before a screen pass worked perfectly to give the Whippets another TD. The PAT was good and it then went to 14-7.

Dogba grabbed the West kick that followed at the 12 and returned it to the 30 before being brought down. With 47 ticks on the first-half clock, Jones then set up his offense. Pollard took the first try and crossed the 42 for a first. But getting bunched up it went to fourth-and-long and Neshaminy punted the ball deep where the West deep man was drilled by Kyle Smith at the 20. With 16 seconds left the Whippets took a knee and the clock burned down to zero.

Back out for the second-half, the Downingtown returner took the McDonald kick at the goal line with a short return getting out to just the 15. Staying in their No Huddle, D-Town posted two quick ten yard bursts to put them at the 35. Then in the first break of the game, it was Hughes snagging an errant Whippets pass to put the ball back to Neshaminy at mid-field. But unable to convert on three runs, the 'Skins then set up to punt. The snap was high and after Goetz fell on it, the ball went back to West at Langhornes 28. And although making it look hard with some snafus and broken plays, the Whippets made it 21-7 following a short run and PAT.

The D-Town kick that ensued was in the endzone and after some confusion, the Zebras gave Neshaminy a first at the 20. And although losing five on a penalty, Pollard busted one out to the 35 for a first. Jones then hit Hughes for nine to set up second and one and Dan Dogba then earned four and a first at mid-field. Jones then nailed big Billy Ritchey for a first at the 36. Pollard then followed with five more to the 31 before Jones almost pitched a pick. With another Jones pass missing, it then rolled to fourth and five.

Going for it, Jones then found Ritchey at the 23 for the first but on the handoff to Pollard a holding call then put the 'Skins back at the 33 with a first and 20. Two shots at Stevens deep just missed as it went to a third down with five minutes still on the third-quarter clock.

Following a D-Town timeout, Neshaminy went back up top as Jones hit Stevens at the 15 for a fourth and two. The pass that followed missed, though, as the ball then went back to the Whippets inside their redzone. Moving it out to the mid-field spot, D-Town stalled and going for it on fourth, they fumbled and Neshaminy took over; however, it was not for long as a deep Jones pass was immediately picked. Staying on the ground, the first play gained nothing and the teams flipped sides.

Quickly getting out of trouble as the fourth-quarter got underway, a D-Town back busted it loose and had it out to the West 46 for a first. Another couple of runs then took it across mid-field into Neshaminy territory at the 34. Going to a third-down, the Whippet's QB made a nice run to the 20 to keep the drive moving. A run and pass that followed put the ball into the back ten and with the PAT true, the scoreboard read 28-7 for West.

As the Downingtown kickoff found the endzone, Neshaminy then took over at their 20 with the fourth-quarter clock running. Going to the airlanes, it was Ritchey making a third-down catch for the first. As the clock went under six minutes in the game it was Pollard then ripping off a long gain to the Whippets 33. Another Pollard carry then earned eight to the 25 as Jones next found Tredway at the 20 for the first. Dogbas burst that followed for nine put it at the 11 but Pollard was next nailed for a loss and two quick passes came up short as West took over on downs.

With Downingtown staying on the ground, they moved out smartly for a few plays before some tough Neshaminy tackling stalled their efforts as the clock simultaneously ticked off the time to zero and the final gun.

Congratulations to the Whippets as they earned their second win of the season tonight. Best of luck to them this season. As to the Skins, although the start has been a bit rocky, next week sees them back home in the cozy confines of Heartbreak Ridge as they entertain Council Rock South. And as each week of this new era of Redskins football continues well be watching for solid improvement in the team's results on the gridiron. Plus with Neshaminy's fans behind their boys 110%, and the players and coaches putting in the time and making the effort, you can expect that the S'kins will be on track in no time at all.

See you at the Game!

Videos by Matt Bartolacci

Video link for all Neshaminy games

Interview by WBCB

Trentonian - Neshaminy facing early must-win game against Downingtown West

Suburban One Sports: Intelligencer/Courier Times: 'Let's Talk Football' (9-5-14)

Suburban One Sports: SOL Football Wrap (9-5-14)

Suburban One Sports: SOL Football Notebook (9-8-14)