Hopewell Seniors Shine in 2-0 Win Over Central Valley

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It was senior night at Tony Dorsett Stadium as the Hopewell Boys soccer team defeated Central Valley 2-0.

It was a fitting redemption for the Vikings, who had fallen 1-0 in their previous matchup with CV earlier this season.

Hopewell’s experienced senior class set the tone with strong possession and relentless pressure on offense. The Vikings nearly struck early when John Sakson found RJ Bushnell for a shot, only to see the CV goalkeeper make the stop. Minutes later, another chance came when Sakson made a run down the sideline and connected with Quincy Sannan, who quickly played it across to Rocco Marcantonio. Another opportunity came when Armour took a corner kick and found Bryce Ray for a chance for a goal.

While Hopewell pressed on offense, goalie Tallon Coleman was equally busy on the other end, keeping CV off the scoreboard with a string of impressive saves.

Hopewell’s breakthrough finally came in the last ten minutes of the first half, when senior Tommy Armour delivered a perfectly placed pass to Jaidyn Shoemaker, who buried his first big varsity goal to give Hopewell the 1-0 lead.

CV threatened to respond quickly, but Coleman came up with another key save to preserve the advantage. Just before halftime, senior Jake Kovell added another dangerous chance off a pass from Nykyeron Leonora, but the CV keeper once again kept the margin to one.

In the second half, Hopewell continued to press for a two-goal cushion. That moment arrived when Bushnell unleashed a rocket past the CV defense and goalkeeper to extend the lead to 2-0.

From there, the Vikings defense took over. Middle defenders Alex Alvarado and Aaden Gonzalez along with Kovell and Bushnell worked seamlessly on the back line to deny CV any serious scoring chances, locking down the shutout.

Coleman’s clean sheet and the defensive effort highlighted a complete team performance—one fitting for Senior Night. With the 2-0 victory, Hopewell not only celebrated its seniors but also proved its ability to finish strong against one of the section’s toughest opponents.