Hopkins has had a storied past on the gridiron, but it hasn’t often picked up the reputation as being a “big play” ballclub.
But that’s what the Vikings showed Friday afternoon in the first-ever regular season high school football game at Davenport University’s new stadium, in a 36-12 victory over Newaygo.
The contest was tight at 6-6 at halftime, but Hopkins exploded for three touchdowns by senior back Brock Eller in the third quarter and the Vikings cruised afterward.
Newaygo took the opening kickoff at its own 21-yard line and marched 79 yards down the field to score the game’s first TD. The Lions consistently were stymied in the trenches, from tackle to tackle by bruising interior linemen Jake Cleypool, Nathan Roberts, Levi Miller and Terry Thomas.
But Newaygo always seemed to succeed on third and long, particularly a 40-yard scramble by quarterback Dalton Jones on third and seven. Jones hit end Braden Verburg with a flare pass for a 4-yard TD with the game seven minutes old.
Hopkins looked frankly anemic in its first offensive series and well into its second until sophomore quarterback Nolan Smith brought the team alive with a 27-yard pass to Bryce Smith that put the ball down on the Lions’ 36. Sophomore back Ryan Haveman then carried to the 17 and two players later took it into the end zone from seven yards out.
Newaygo made a serious threat to take a lead into halftime on a a couple of passes and a pass interference call to make it first and goal. But linebacker Mason Schaendorf came up with a big sack on Jones to put an end to the Lions’ bid.
The Vikings broke the deadlock in a hurry, on the third play of the second half, when Eller managed to get outside and race 68 yards down the left sidelines to pay dirt. Smith then hit Logan Blank with the two-point conversion pass.
The Lions answered with a 64-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown plunge by Cooper Heintzman, but Logan Blank stopped Jones in his own backfield on the conversion attempt.
Eller, in his second of a trio of big plays in the third period, then took the ensuing kickoff 83 yards to the end zone to widen Hopkins’ lead to 20-12.
Defensive back Jason Battjes then picked off a Jones pass at midfield and returned it to the Newaygo 30. Immediately after the Vikings were forced to back up to the 25 on a chop block penalty, Smith hooked up with Eller with a short pass over the middle and Eller raced to the end zone untouched. Haveman added the two-point conversion and it was 28-12 to start the fourth quarter.
Schaendorf came up with another big defensive play on the Lions’ next drive, stopping their running back a yard shy of a first down on fourth and four at the Hopkins 25.
Haveman then put the frosting on the victory cake by breaking loose for a 76-yard touchdown scamper and Smith hooked up with Blank for another conversion.
The Vikings were featuring somewhat of a “new look” offense with sophomores Smith and Haveman in the backfield. Bryce Smith also is a sophomore.
Their stepping up came in handy because senior back Caleb Ryan was injured in the second quarter and senior Cyrus Miner did not play because he’s serving a two-game suspension for violating team rules.
Leading rusher Haveman gained 102 yards on 8 carries and he scored two TDs.
Smith was 3/3 for 57 yards and a TD in the passing department. Brock Eller had two catches for 29 yards and a TD. Leading tackler was Schaendorf with nine.
PHOTOS: Brock Eller (12) manages to get outside on his way to a 64-yard touchdown run for Hopkins. At left is Mason Schaendorf (33).
Bryce Smith (21) comes up with a big catch for the Vikings’ first first down of the afternoon.
If there was a downer Friday afternoon for the Vikings, it was pass defense again, as Cooper Heintzman (21) catches an aerial from Dalton Jones while Brock Eller (12) defends.
