Mike Vukovcan It’s soccer season all across Hopewell! Not only are the Hopewell HS programs in action but so too are the boys and girls junior high team.
⚽️ Hopewell Junior High Soccer Update ⚽️
Hopewell Junior High Boys and Girls hosted Winchester Thurston in back-to-back matches. The boys battled hard in a tough 3-2 loss, while the girls fought to a well-earned draw.
Boys Game Recap
The boys faced an early deficit after Winchester scored first to go up 1-0. Hopewell had more scoring opportunities than their opponent but just had trouble getting their shots past their goalie who had several key saves.
Hopewell tied the game when Ben Gibson drew a foul. Gibson was called on to take the free kick where the goalie was able to deflect the shot forcing a corner kick. Gibson again took the kick from the corner where he delivered a perfect ball to Dylan Ankrom, who buried a header for Hopewell’s first goal. The momentum was short-lived as Winchester quickly responded, giving Hopewell a 2-1 halftime deficit.
After another early second-half goal from Winchester, the Vikings trailed 3-1. Hopewell kept threatening and saw their second goal come when Enzo Crisci broke away and dribbled to the net for the second goal. The last five minutes of the game saw several attempted shots from Hopewell but could not convert their third goal.
Hopewell Boys Junior High Soccer
Defensively goalie Josh Sutton had multiple saves while Julian Swenson, Kaiden Bradford and Kaleb Gonzalez provided a strong physical presence throughout the game.
Girls Game Recap
The girls showed tremendous grit, with strong defensive efforts led by goalie Cora Quinn and Ellie McCoy to keep the game close. Winchester struck first in the opening half, but the Vikings responded after halftime. Afton Budris found the back of the net, finishing a setup from Rihanna Arthur to tie the game. The Hopewell’s defense held strong the rest of the way, securing a 1-1 draw.
Great effort by both squads today — the Vikings keep getting stronger each match!
