Hopewell Football
Freshman Tre Cameron’s Breakout Performance Headlines 56-24 Win Over McGuffey
It wasn’t perfect and there’s things that need cleaned up but the bottom line is that a win is a win!
The Hopewell Vikings went on the road and picked up their second conference and fourth overall win as they defeated McGuffey, 56-24.
Hopewell improved their record to 4-3, which is their most wins in a season since 2017. Also, the 56 points scored equaled their most since 2006, when they beat Carrick, 58-0.
The headlines of the evening were the breakout performance by freshman wide receiver Tre Cameron and the balance of scoring by Hopewell as six different players scored touchdowns.
Cameron is a player with big time skills and D-1 potential and last night he showed that off. Tre is just one of the young playmakers that will be fun to watch develop over the next four years.
Freshman quarterback James Armstrong had another solid performance as he completed 14 of 22 passes for 191 yards and a TD. Week by week, Armstrong is getting more comfortable competing at the varsity level and when given time, he’s been very effective.
Following a Hopewell turnover, McGuffey got on the scoreboard first on a 18-yard TD run by Dan Furmanek McGuffey 7-0.
Early in the 2nd quarter, Hopewell evened the game at 7 on a 1-yard TD run by Armstrong. The key play on the drive was a 3rd down completion to Cameron .
Following a 3 and out from the defense, Hopewell took the lead and it was set up by a nice punt return by Cameron.
A few plays later, offensive coordinator Zach Rosa dialed up a trick play and it worked as Armstrong threw a lateral pass to Logan Triscila who then threw it 15 yards to Julian Baldwin for the touchdown. Remember that Triscila was the backup quarterback last season to Kingston Krotec.
Along with that TD pass, Triscila was a weapon in the passing game as he collected 5 receptions for 74 yards.
A minute later, Hopewell increased their lead to 21-7 as the defense recovered a fumble. A few plays later, freshman running back Brody Rock took it in from 4 yards.
Hopewell wasn’t done in the second quarter as on the ensuing drive, Nick Thomas blocked the McGuffey punt to give Hopewell the ball deep in McGuffey territory. A couple plays later, Rock ran it in from 1 yard and Hopewell went to the half with a 28-10 lead.
Hopewell coach Matt Mottes has shown during his first year that he’s not afraid to take chances and we saw another example of that. To start the second half, Mottes called for an on-side kick and Rocco Marcantonio delivered.
After taking over at the McGuffey 45 yard line, Hopewell’s offense eventually found the endzone on a 5-yard TD run by Thomas Pipkins Jr. Hopewell now led 35-10.
McGuffey scored the next two TD’s on runs of 45 and 25-yards to make the score, 35-24.
Any momentum McGuffey had was taken away in the next drive as Hopewell responded with a TD. On 3rd and 15, Armstrong completed a 30-yard pass to Cameron. That duo clicked again as Armstrong found Cameron for a 20-yard TD. Hopewell now led 42-24.
For the game, Cameron had 7 catches for 106 yards, his first career high school 100-yard game.
The final two Hopewell touchdowns were scored on a 24-yard punt return by Baldwin, his second touchdown of the game. Then Josh Brunton scored his second TD of the season on a 1-yard run.
Hopewell was able to score 56 points despite getting nothing in their run game. As a team, McGuffey limited the Vikings to 75 yards on 37 carries.
The Vikings run defense is also going to need to get cleaned up as McGuffey was able to run for 237 yards.
The Hopewell coaching staff, which has done a tremendous job this season, will no doubt do that but right now, they’re going to enjoy another win!
Next up for the Vikings is their final home game of the 2024 season as they host Freeport in a non-conference game.