COUGARS AERIAL ASSAULT & SPLENDI

Paul Sarpen Report

COUGARS AERIAL ASSAULT & SPLENDID SPECIAL TEAMS DOWN COATESVILLE 30-21.

Let me begin my article by stating this: The Downingtown East Cougars and Coatesville Red Raiders have met three times since the split of Downingtown High School into 2 high schools. Two of those three games (2003, 2005) have taken place at Coatesville Area Multi-Purpose Stadium. Downingtown East has won both meetings on the Red Raiders home turf. Coatesville won the only meeting taken place on Downingtown East's home field (2004). Meaning that the road team has won every game in this series so far.

The players are somewhat different (no Pat Devlin wearing Cougar Blue and Gold, no CJ Gray wearing Red Raider Black and Red), but the result of the 2006 Cougar-Raider rivalry was not. The game was played at Coatesville's Multi-Purpose Stadium, meaning Downingtown East downed Coatesville- this time by a 30-21 score.

Pat Devlin might have graduated and moved on to Nittany Lion country, but the Red Raider defense made junior Cougar quarterback Pete O'Connor look like Pat Devlin. Pete O'Connor threw for 340 yards on 21 of 29 passing, also tacking on 2 touchdowns as well. O'Connor made one critical mistake that hurt the Cougars, and made another mistake, that did not hurt them a bit.

Coatesville's special teams miscues helped the Cougars stake a 7-0 lead. Coatesville's defense forced a Downingtown East punt. Derek McKinley (46 yard average on 4 punts), sent a booming punt inside the Red Raider 5 yard line. Cougar linebacker Matt Kaplan stripped Khalil Brewer of the ball, and returned it 5 yards for a touchdown. Derek McKinley's extra point was good, and Dtown East had a 7-0 lead.

The Red Raiders struck paydirt to tie the game at 7, on a 66 yard touchdown run by Kieron Hutcherson. On the ensuing drive by the Cougars, Pete O'Connor make his critical mistake. He threw an interception which Adam Johnson returned 53 yards for a second Raider touchdown, and a 14-7 advantage.

Pete O'Connor atoned for his mistake, with a long touchdown drive to knot the score at 14 going into the half. The drive was capped off by a 24 yard catch and run by Richie Walls. The Cougars struck again early in the third quarter, on a 19 yard touchdown reception by Todd Eagles.

Coatesville tied it up again, this time on a short run by highly recruited fullback Derrick Morgan. Speaking of Derrick Morgan, this was the first time he did not gain 100 yards in a game. After Morgan's score, it unraveled for the Red Raiders- again on special teams. Derek McKinley sent another long punt into the Coatesville night of 60 yards, and the Raider return man retreated and tried to pick it up, and flubbed it back into the end zone, and got tackled for a 23-21 Cougar advantage. Pete O'Connor scored on a 1 yard quarterback sneak.

Downingtown East improved to 3-1 overall (1-0 Ches-Mont), and play a home game against Avon Grove on Friday night. Coatesville fell to 3-1 (0-1 Ches-Mont), and play at Glen Mills Friday.

My impressions are that Coatesville got exposed last night against Downingtown East, and they are in trouble. It is possible for them to lose 2 more league games against Downingtown West and West Chester East. Both the Vikings (Bob Brice), and Whippets (Nolan Kearney) have quarterbacks who can throw the ball with precision.

Coatesville head coach Tom Nichols- "Downingtown East has a great passing game, we had problems getting lined up due to their use of the no-huddle offense." "This game should be a wake-up call for us" On the safety "The muffed punt added a second force, hence the safety"

Downingtown East coach Mike Matta- "Our actions speak for ourselves." "We are a 90 man team." "Beating Coatesville is huge, they are well coached."

Cougar QB Pete O'Connor- "They ran a lot of 4-3 and cover 2, so we knew we can get them deep a couple times." "Blitzed a lot on 3rd down" On being Devlin's successor "It is a lot of pressure to live up to Pat."

Cougar WR Todd Eagles- "Derrick Morgan is aggressive, and we used his aggressiveness in pursuit against him. We had some success, but he is a terrific player."

Q1- DE- Matt Kaplan 5 yard fumble return (McKinley kick) DE 7-0
Q2- CV- Kieron Hutcherson 66 yard run (Massaro kick) TIE 7-7