Hopewell clung to a 27-21 victory over North Catholic to reach the WPIAL 3A semifinals on Friday, Nov. 13, but the No. 3 seed barely held on despite a strong start.
The Vikings opened the game with a 14-point lead at halftime, boosted by Brody Rock’s two four-yard touchdown runs before the break. Hopewell looked set to cruise after Rock’s second touchdown late in the second quarter, especially since they would receive the second-half kickoff. Instead, turnovers shifted momentum sharply.
Hopewell’s offense faltered after halftime. Quarterback James Armstrong threw a backward pass that running back Nasir Wade couldn’t recover, allowing North Catholic to capitalize. The Vikings’ defense was breached when North Catholic quarterback Teagan Thomas connected with Jack Croft for a 14-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap.
The game tightened further in the fourth quarter when Armstrong fumbled a snap in the red zone, handing North Catholic another chance. The visitors pushed back hard, tying the score and putting Hopewell’s lead in jeopardy.
“We made some mistakes tonight that let them gain some momentum, but hats off to North Catholic; they capitalized on our mistakes and that is what good teams do,” Hopewell head coach Matt Mottes said. “It’s a culture thing. These kids are conditioned differently than Hopewell teams of the past, have a winner’s mindset and when things don’t go our way, we still fight and pull out games.”
Despite the setbacks, Hopewell’s offense responded quickly. After forcing a turnover on downs in their own territory, Armstrong took control. The Penn State commit led a fast-paced drive, using quarterback draws to move the ball downfield before scoring on a four-yard run. That touchdown gave Hopewell a six-point lead with just under four minutes left.
“In my mind, I knew that if I had another opportunity to get the ball in my hand, I was going to take it to the crib,” Armstrong said. “That turnover was my mistake and I wanted to fight for my guys. I needed to take ownership of that mistake and make up for it on the next drive.”
The defense held firm in the closing moments. They forced three interceptions, with Wade securing two and Avery Bokor sealing the win with a late interception. Mottes praised the defensive effort and the team’s resilience despite injuries.
“At the end of the day, it’s players making plays,” Mottes said. “These kids didn’t want to be denied. We were down two linemen who were out with injury, but these kids didn’t quit.”
Hopewell improved to 11-1 with the win and will face No. 2 Propel Braddock Hills in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 20. The Vikings are aiming to reach their first championship game since 2009. The location and kickoff time for the upcoming matchup have yet to be announced.
According to Yahoo Sports.
