The biggest rap against Hopkins’ hugely successful football program for the last four decades has been the accusation that it hasn’t discovered the forward pass. That claim didn’t hold water Friday night in the first round of the post-season playoffs, as the Vikings trounced Berrien Springs 46-6.
Quarterback Nolan Smith came up with perhaps his best game in his three-year career on the varsity, nailing 12 of 19 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns. He passed for 143 yards in the first half alone, completing many tosses in obvious third down situations.
Perhaps Berrien Springs just wasn’t expecting such an aerial assault from a program long known for passing only when it fooled the opponent. There was an inkling, however, in Hopkins’ first scoring drive of 56 yards, 50 of them chewed up by two passes, one to Drew Weber for 31 yards and the TD strike to Colin Weber for 19.
Carsen Delao then came up with a big fumble recovery that stopped the Shamrocks’ only sustained offensive drive of the evening. Third down passes to Colin Weber and one to Bryce Smith kept the ensuing drive alive and Colin Weber finally scored from four yards out and it was Smith to Smith for the two-point conversion.
Hunter Lewellyn, who like Nolan Smith and Colin Weber had a big night, then came up with the first of his two interceptions. A pass to Trey Collins and then runs by Ryan Haveman and the QB quickly brought the ball down to the 6, from where Haveman took it in on a sweep.
The clock was winding down on the second quarter at 3:19 when the Vikings pulled off a successful onside kick, taking possession just past midfield. Smith wasted no time, hitting Lewellyn with a 21-yard aerial, and after a pass intereference call, hooked up with Colin Weber again for six points. Josh Glascott’s kick made it 27-0 as the two teams went to the intermission lockerroom.
After taking the second half kickoff, the Vikings marched the ball down the field via the ground game and offensive coordinator Jerry Funk then told head coach Cody Francis on first down and 10 at the 31, “Let’s see if we’ve lulled them to sleep here.” Smith then lofted a 31-yard TD strike to Colin Weber, which pretty much iced the ballgame.
The Shamrocks finally got on the scoreboard when Timmy Eising broke loose on a 54-yard scamper, but Lewellyn responded immediately on the ensuing kickoff with an electric 80-yard TD return to make Berrien Springs’ joy short lived.
After Lewellyn came up with his second pass interception, the Vikings took their sweet time moving down the field, keeping it on the ground and Colin Weber tallied his fifth touchdown of the night on a 12-yard run. That started the running clock to bring the contest to a quick and merciful end.
The Shamrocks were hampered by the loss of their starting QB, Lane Martinek, to injuries, and star running back Danny Vinson suited up, but was horribly ineffective because he also was hobbled by an injury.
Hopkins rolled up 392 yards in total offense and the defensive unit symied Berrien Springs except for the 54-yard TD run and a few consecutive running plays in the second quarter.
DeLao came up with nine tackles and Bryce Smith and Ethan Gilder both had eight. Nathan Tew and Drew VanDenBerg both had fumble recoveries.
The Vikings next weekend will meet a 10-0 Kalamazoo United squad made up of Kalamazoo Hackett and Kalamazoo Christian team, which defeated Berrien Springs 47-6 in the season opener. But remember the Shamrocks beat Olivet, the only team to get the best of Hopkins this season, 43-35.
COVER PHOTO: Hopkins team members posed for a team photo after winning the opening round of the post-season playoffs, 46-6 over Berrien Springs.