Mike Vukovcan For the first time in 13 years, the Hopewell HS football team will compete in the WPIAL playoffs.
HC Matt Mottes and his squad will get on the bus and take the long ride to Russ Grimm Field to take on the Southmoreland Scotties. Hopewell enters as the No. 10 seed, while Southmoreland enters as No. 7.
Southmoreland finished the regular season with a record of 9-1, which was good for second place in the Interstate Conference.
The Scotties lone loss was to 1st place Elizabeth Forward (42-0) with their wins coming against Valley (42-0), East Allegheny (49-7), Laurel Highlands (54-7), Blackhawk (24-17), Ringgold (28-7), Derry (23-11), Yough (41-0), Mt. Pleasant (14-0) and Greensburg Salem (38-0).
Southmoreland has a first-year head coach 24-year-old head coach Dustin Shoaf and started the season 8-0, which was their best start to a season since 1964.
Southmoreland’s offense centers around junior quarterback Dawson Wolfe and junior running back Jackson Mickens. Wolfe has passed for nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also rushing for 280 yards and 7 touchdowns. Mickens has rushed for close to 500 yards and a team-high 10 TDs.
With all that being said, aside from Elizabeth Forward, Southmoreland hasn’t faced a team with the talent and playmakers that they’ll face tomorrow night.
Is sophomore quarterback James Armstrong 100% healthy? No, but he’s better than he was two weeks ago and I truly believe this offense will have one of those games where they won’t have a problem moving the ball.
This Hopewell team is hungry, especially these seniors, who have been working to play in a game like this for 4+ years.
Tomorrow night is the night and they’ll be ready.
PREDICTION- HOPEWELL 45 SOUTHMORELAND 20
