Mike Vukovcan Hopewell Township– The Hopewell Junior High Football team picked up their first victory of the season with a dominant performance over Carlynton, powered by a balanced offensive attack and a lockdown defense.
The crowd at Tony Dorsett Stadium had plenty to cheer about as the Vikings set the tone early and never looked back, walking away with a 27-6 win.
Hopewell wasted no time getting on the board. Running back Obie McNutt and quarterback Nico Amadio quickly showcased the running game, with McNutt gaining a quick first down before Amadio broke loose to the 15-yard line. After McNutt picked up another 7 yards, Amadio finished the drive with a touchdown run. The 2-point conversation wasn’t successful, but Hopewell had the early 6-0 lead.
Carlynton would respond with a long pass however a costly penalty pushed them back and Hopewell’s defense stepped up to stop any further yardage.
The momentum shifted further in Hopewell’s favor when Kruz Krotec came up with a big interception. After that, with steady runs and short passes from Amadio and McNutt, the Vikings would add to their lead. Amadio punched in his second touchdown of the night, then connected with McNutt for the two-point conversion to make it 14-0 at halftime.
Hopewell continued to dominate in the second half. Amadio showed off his arm by finding Kaleb Gonzalez in the corner of the endzone, where Gonzalez made an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 play, by pulling in a one-handed catch. Gonzalez then was able to convert the extra point to extend the lead to 21-0.
Hopewell’s defense wasn’t done making plays. Grey Mcilvain recovered a fumble in the end zone to add another touchdown. The PAT was wide, but the Vikings cushion grew to 27-0.
Carlynton managed to break through for a 4th quarter touchdown but that’s all the Hopewell defense would allow the rest of the game.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 27 CARLYNTON 6Â
After the game, VSN was able to get postgame thoughts from Hopewell HC Josh Anderson.
“Defensively, our boys were flawless and executed the game plan and played within their capabilities and not in their fears. Paul Moskes, Josia Persi-Jones, Grey Mcilvain and Christian Kleckner played the defensive line perfectly. I told them the whole game can be won with them up front and they showed that. Our linebackers and defensive backs responded to all challenges that were presented to them. Overall, we played great and are ready to move on to next week. I am extremely proud of these boys,” said Anderson.
The Hopewell Junior High football teams next game will be on September 18th at Keystone Oaks.
