Mike Vukovcan As expected, the WPIAL released the 2026 high school football schedule, including the non-section games.
To say that the Hopewell Vikings will have a challenging schedule would be an understatement. While there’s no exact way of determining this, it no doubt has to be one of the most difficult schedules in the entire WPIAL.
Coach Matt Mottes has a talented group of players returning for the upcoming season so their opponents, especially the non-section ones, will no doubt challenge them and give them a sense of where they are as a program.
As Vikings Sports Now reported earlier this week, Hopewell will open the season with a Week 0 game against defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A champion Avonworth. At this time, it’s not been determined where that game will be played.
After Avonworth, the Vikings will go on the road for 2 games taking on Chartiers Valley (4A) followed by a contest against Imani Christian, which will be a rematch of last season’s WPIAL playoff quarterfinal matchup.
After those 2 road games, Hopewell will return home for back-back games at Tony Dorsett Stadium against Central Valley on September 18th and then Western Beaver on September 25th.
Both Central Valley and Western Beaver advanced to the WPIAL semifinals last season, which means that 4 of Hopewell’s first 5 games will be against programs that made it either to the semifinals or championship game of the 2025 playoffs.
Following the Western Beaver game, Hopewell starts up section play with a game at Beaver on October 2nd. That game will then be followed by a home game against Ellwood City, a road game at OLSH and then another home game against Ambridge.
The 2026 regular season will then conclude with Hopewell traveling to Aliquippa on October 30th. Considering the talent on both programs, that game will likely have major playoff implications.
HOPEWELL VIKINGS 2026 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Avonworth (not determined whether it’s home or away)
at Chartiers Valley
at Imani Christian
vs. Central Valley
vs. Western Beaver
at Beaver
vs. Ellwood City
at OLSH
vs. Ambridge
at Aliquippa
