City of Basketball Love

Joseph Santoliquito (@JSantoliquito)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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The fire has long since been doused by now. The flames were suffocated by a year’s worth of experience and maturing.

A year ago, Downingtown East fourth-year head coach Darren Domsohn had no problem throwing a young group into the burning crucible of the Ches-Mont League. The baby Cougars would either navigate their way through or get scorched along the way.

East survived to finish 20-8 overall, 7-5 in the Ches-Mont League, and won a PIAA District 1 playoff game before losing to eventual state runner-up Spring-Ford (53-41) in the second round of districts. The Cougars’ season came to an end in a 41-34 first-round state playoff loss to District 11 champion Parkland.

The Cougars took a major step last year. They are poised to take an even larger leap this season.

In the previous three years, Domsohn’s teams have gone 18-7, 8-14 and 20-8 last year. This team has the talent and experience to contend for the Ches-Mont championship this season and take a few more steps in the district playoffs.

Jordyn Daniel, the Cougars’ 5-foot-3 senior point guard, tops the list of returning starters Domsohn has back, along with 6-foot junior forward Charlotte Aldridge, and 5-6 junior guards Chloe Hunold and Grace Hodges. Rising star Kendall Chiavelli, a 5-9 sophomore guard, is back after benefitting from being tossed into the deep end. Depth will come from 5-8 junior guard Mallory Kocher, 5-6 sophomore guard Catie Dewese, 5-7 junior guard Jazlyn Boyd, 5-7 freshman forward Sam Shildknecht and 5-6 freshman guard Mallory Martin. Junior guard Mya Johnson will play a vital role after coming back from an injury her freshman year.

Domsohn has the makings of a really good team. He is willing to be patient, wants to be off the radar, though that may not last too long.

This group is deep, talented, and ready.

The coach’s expectations are high. He has placed a standard on the program that revolves around a culture rooted in simply getting better. That’s it. The victories will come.

At the team’s foundation, Domsohn stresses defense and fundamentals.

And … “Our season will have everything do to with how we interact with one another off the court, how we support one another and how we act together on the court,” he said. “That’s what we spoke about this summer. If we don’t take a step forward from a maturity standpoint, we will take a step back from a wins-and-losses standpoint. Offensively, we need to move the ball. We got caught sometimes this summer with one pass, one shot. That does not go well with our group. The more we share the ball, the more success we will have.”

Domsohn likes his team’s versatility on offense. All his starters can score. Although it is Chiavelli who may be the Cougars’ go-to threat when a bucket is needed. She showed great flashes last season offensively and defensively. She can create her own shot and defends and rebounds well. In a summer affair against very talented Germantown Academy, Chiavelli was, at times, the best player on the court.

If Chiavelli does not play well, the Cougars will not play well. She spent the summer working on being stronger with the ball and finishing through contact. As a freshman last season, she proved she could adjust. East beat archrival Downingtown West twice last season, 50-40 during the regular season in which Chiavelli dropped 17, and 36-18 in the opening round of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A playoffs, where Chiavelli concentrated more on getting the ball to teammates cutting to the basket.

West knew better than to let her loose in the district playoffs, double-teaming her every chance the Whippets got (playing without star sophomore guard Hayden Blair, the younger sister of former West star Dylan Blair, now at West Point).

Chiavelli will probably see more double-teams this season.

Her focus, however, is on the greater good of the team.

“We should be better this year after a season playing with each other,” Chiavelli said. “We have the team that could go far in the Ches-Mont.”

Hunold feels the team’s chemistry is a huge bonus. Each player has an idea where the others are on the court and where they like the ball.

“Patience will also be a key to our success,” Hunold said. “Sometimes we had a problem with getting ahead of ourselves, forcing things.”

Although she represents East’s size inside and is expected to be the Cougars’ rim protector, Aldridge has taken her game further outside, able to make threes.

If there is a rudder on the Cougars, it could be Hodges. This summer, the junior showed leadership qualities, willing to do anything and play anywhere. In many ways, she is the heart and soul of the Cougars, through her will power and willingness to take a charge or go diving for a loose ball. Her grittiness speaks volumes in how contagious it could be.

“That’s the intention when I play defense, no one wants to let anyone down,” said Hodges, who had fresh bruises on her arms from a fall showcase game. “We learned a lot last year. When I see this team, I see a lot of potential.”

Potential Domsohn expects to see come to fruition. Considering what is returning, the Cougars know their time riding on the periphery of contention is over. Domsohn is guarded when it comes to a ceiling for this team. Right now, their biggest obstacle could be within.   

“We have to play for each other,” Domsohn emphasized. “It is really that simple. We need to play for one another. I have told this team they have to put in the work, and this team does work; it works hard. Our league will be tough. I could not tell you who the team to beat is in the Ches-Mont, but I can tell you West Chester East has a strong history of being in the league finals. Coatesville is fast, and they will be tough. West is going to be improved. Bishop Shanahan and (West Chester) Henderson are well-coached and always tough, and playing at Avon Grove is always a scrappy game.”

Walking the gauntlet of inexperience is over.

It looks like the Cougars are primed to start winning.

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Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter here.