Coleman and Defense Propel Hopewell Boys Soccer to Crucial Win over Top-Seeded Central Valley

In what was a must-win for the Hopewell boys soccer team, the Vikings delivered a stunning performance, shutting out top-seeded Central Valley with a decisive 2-0 victory.

The win was anchored by a rock-solid defensive unit and a standout goalie performance from Tallon Coleman.

From the beginning, both teams fought hard for the first goal of the game. Central Valley, known for its strong offense, had multiple corner and free kicks early in the game but the Vikings back line provided relentless pressure, shutting down the Warriors scoring threats.

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Hopewell’s first scoring opportunity came when Tommy Armour found Bryce Ray with a pass and despite tight coverage, Ray was able to create space with a back step before firing a shot that the CV goalie skillfully saved.

Later in the half, Rocco Marcantonio had a free kick from the 20-yard line but was unable to connect with.

The breakthrough goal came midway through the first half when Armour delivered a perfectly placed pass across the box, where RJ Bushnell was able to connect with a header past the goalie giving Hopewell a 1-0 lead.

As the first half drew to a close, Central Valley intensified their offensive pressure for nearly ten minutes as Hopewell’s defense and goalie Coleman faced numerous CV scoring opportunities. Despite the relentless attack, the Vikings held strong preserving their 1-0 lead at halftime.

Coach Richter knew going into the second half with just a one goal lead, it wasn’t going to be enough and and an insurance goal would be nice. The Vikings would do just that but it wouldn’t be till halfway through the second half.

Courtesy Erwin Photography

The second half began with CV continuing their offensive push, with Hopewell’s defense remaining unbreakable, deflecting multiple scoring opportunities that could have easily tied the game.

With the defense keeping CV scoreless, the Vikings seized an opportunity to extend their lead. Marcantonio sent a pass towards Ray in the middle. Initially, the ball was out of his reach, however , Ray’s speed and relentless determination allowed him to recover the deflection, beat his defender on a sprint, and launch a shot into the back of the net.

That shot gave Hopewell a much needed 2-0 lead.

Courtesy Erwin Photography

The game plan from the coaching staff was executed flawlessly. The midfield anchored by Armour, Nykyeron Leonora, Bushnell, Marcantonio, Aaden Gonzalez and Quincy Sannan effectively neutralized CV’s key players, disrupting their rhythm and preventing them from building any momentum.

Behind them, defenders Jake Kovell, Alex Alvarado, Mike Dinardo, Sam Wrzesniewski, Paul Thompson and Sammy Milligan along with Coleman’s heroics in goal shut down any remaining threats. Coleman’s performance was particularly noteworthy as he recorded his third shutout of the season.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s effort,” said Richter. “It was a complete team win. Every player was disciplined in their shape and played their role phenomenally. That’s a great team that Central Valley has, and it was going to take everything we had to get that result.”

”We stuck together and found a way. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into our next match against Beaver.”

Hopewell will continue to try and battle for a playoff spot on Tuesday as they travel to Beaver for a critical match. The JV team gets things started at 6 PM followed by the varsity at 7:30 PM.

The Hopewell team wanted to give a special thanks to
Erwin Photography who was able to capture some amazing shots yesterday at the match and also throughout the season.