Mike Vukovcan The time for talk and hype is over as the 2025 WPIAL high school football season will kickoff tonight across Western Pennsylvania.
Head coach Matt Mottes begins his second season with Hopewell and his team will be looking to not only improve upon their record last season of 4-6 but more importantly, are looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
The first test for Hopewell will be the Riverside Panthers.
Here are our 3 Keys to Victory for Hopewell:
1) Block Out the Noise: As we’ve chronicled, this team is getting plenty of preseason hype and attention despite not really earning it as Coach Mottes often points out.
This team will be energized by playing at home and need to remain focused on the game plan along with executing what they’ve been taught and not what people and the media are saying about them.
If they do that, tonight will be a fun night.
2) Dominate the Lines: Hopewell should have a much improved offensive and defensive line this season. Tonight is their first chance to prove that.
Hopewell Offensive Line
The Vikings offense will be loaded with skill position players and if quarterback James Armstrong has time to throw and the running backs have holes, this offense will put up a lot of points.
Defensively, this team has the players to pressure and sack the quarterback, something they didn’t didn’t do a ton of in 2024.
With this high explosive offense, a big key all season will be for Hopewell to make some stops defensively and will need sacks and turnovers to make that happen.
3) Limit Turnovers: One of the only things that can stop Hopewell tonight is turning the ball over.  If this doesn’t happen, Hopewell will win.
Prediction: Hopewell 41 Riverside 7
