DOWNINGTOWN -- With about 90 seconds left in his first-ever postseason start, Downingtown West quarterback Cole Bricker called his own shot.
Moments after suggesting a play call to offensive coordinator Kris Olsen, Bricker let a pass fly to the right pylon, where his big target, JD Weller, leapt and snatched the ball, pinning it to his helmet to secure a 16-yard touchdown.
Tommy Miller's interception stopped No. 15 Coatesville's comeback attempt and Weller's game-winner gave the No. 2 Whippets a 28-21 victory in the first round of the District 1-6A playoffs, Friday.
West (10-1) will host No. 7 Owen J. Roberts (9-2) next Friday in the quarterfinals.
"Cole came over and told us in between plays," West coach Tom Kline said. "He goes, 'that's the route we want. That's the play we want to run.' He wanted to get the ball to JD."
Two weeks ago, in a 14-7 regular-season win over Coatesville, Weller's fourth-quarter TD catch ended up being the difference. He was ready for his encore.
Weller caught a 33-yard go-ahead TD in West's first drive of the fourth, but after Coatesville (5-5) tied the game with four minutes, eight seconds remaining, it was back to work.
Bricker hit Weller for a 22-yard gain on second-and-19 and then Brendon Goode-Kimble for 31 the next play. Three plays later, on a third-and-five, the junior duo made the biggest play of their young careers.
"It means everything," Weller said. "I had faith in myself, my coaches, my quarterback to just make every play and it happened."
The second half was nothing like the first. The first 24 minutes were a defensive slugfest, with Coatesville out-gaining West 171-55 on 27 more offensive plays, only to trail 7-0 due to a 77-yard punt return touchdown by Whippet senior Spencer Dunn.
The final 24 minutes saw six combined touchdowns and enough drama to add to the lore of this crosstown rivalry.
"I told these guys before the game, this isn't a 15 seed," Kline said. "They're Coatesville. Matt (Ortega, Sr.) is an awesome coach. He does an amazing job. They're a great team. This was going to be a war and it was."
West's average starting field position in the first half was the 15, and after a penalty on the second-half kick return, the Whippets started on their own 10. On the second play, Bricker's pass flew high and Coatesville's Anthony Kelly picked it off and returned it to the one.
Quarterback Matt Ortega, Jr., snuck it in to tie it for the Red Raiders, but any momentum gained was immediately lost after Dunn returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards. The next play, Bricker hit Dunn on a swing pass to the right and he went 20 yards for the second touchdown in 18 seconds of gameplay.
"We heard we were going to play (Coatesville) again and we were like, 'OK, bring on the challenge,'" Dunn said. "And we brought the challenge to them and it feels amazing to beat them twice."
Late in the third, Dunn misplayed a punt and Coatesville recovered at the West 17. Four plays later, Nasir Jordan cashed in from the two to tie it at 14.
Weller hadn't had a catch at that point, but he ended with three for 71 yards. Bricker only completed seven of 20 passes, but for 146 yards and three touchdowns.
Coatesville ran 80 plays to West's 46 for 293-240 yard advantage. It was the most against West all season, but the Raiders couldn't put enough together despite reaching Whippet territory on 11 of 14 possessions.
Coatesville lost its last three games of this season, all by seven, and finishing .500 marks the first time since 2009 it didn't post a winning record. The Raiders have now lost three straight first-round playoff games.
"We never lost the locker room," Coatesville coach Matt Ortega, Sr. said. "We never lost each other. We never fell apart or fragmented. We stayed together and I really felt like we were going to be able to turn the corner (Friday). Things happen for a reason and God has his hand on this team. We're going to live and grow from it."