Hopewell Boys Soccer Drops Tight Non-Conference Battle to West Mifflin

By [Carl Santamaria]

HOPEWELL TWP. – It was a night of near-misses and hard-fought play as Hopewell boys soccer fell 1-0 to visiting West Mifflin in a non-conference matchup on Wednesday, August 27.

From the opening whistle, the Vikings controlled the pace of play, keeping possession deep in West Mifflin’s half. Using quick ball movement and working the wings, Hopewell repeatedly stretched the Titans’ defense in search of scoring opportunities.

One of the best chances came midway through the first half when Bryce Ray broke free on a through ball, splitting two defenders and finding himself in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. But an extra touch gave the West Mifflin keeper just enough time to charge and smother the shot. Seconds later, the Titans countered with their first look at net, forcing Hopewell goalkeeper Parker Hoth to make a solid stop to keep the game scoreless.

Hopewell continued to press, nearly striking again off a perfectly placed corner kick from Rocco Marcantonio. His service found Nykyeron Leonora, who rose above the defense and put a strong header on frame, only to see the West Mifflin goalie sprawl out for a highlight-reel save.

The lone breakthrough came with just 5:37 left in the opening half. West Mifflin capitalized on a quick pass through traffic, springing a runner past the defense. A ball played just wide of Hoth allowed the Titans to slip in the only goal of the night.

Despite several more pushes forward in the second half, Hopewell couldn’t find the equalizer. Still, head coach and players alike could point to plenty of positives in the season opener—possession control, winning battles to loose balls, and creating multiple quality chances.

“This was the first game of the year, and there was more good than bad,” one Hopewell supporter said after the match. “The boys had their legs under them and showed they can play with anyone.”

The Vikings will look to bounce back quickly when they travel to Ellwood City on Saturday, August 30, for an 11 a.m. kickoff.

In the JV contest earlier in the evening, neither side could break through as Hopewell and West Mifflin settled for a scoreless draw.