It’s no secret that the Hopkins Football team has a potent offense that can score at will. This past Saturday, the Gettysburg College Bullets found this out the hard way. The Blue Jays tallied up 574 total yards of offense and won their seventh game of the season by a final score of 34-16. The Jays set a school record with five straight games of 500 or more yards of offense. “I honestly didn't know we accumulated that many yards in the last five games, but it certainly boosts our confidence as an offense and strengthens our trust for the game plan,” Senior lineman Bonaddio. “We've been able to build a strong relationship with the coaching staff while also giving extra carries to various young backs, specifically sophomore Brandon Cherry and freshman Stuart Walters, who have been playing great. We've had great support from the receivers along with solid, consistent play from Robbie (Matey). Truthfully, we don't dwell on stats but focus on our next game and prepare to be the best we can be, locking in specifically for practice on Tuesday. On a side note, one of the biggest reasons we have had success this year is the hard work put in by our look team, coming out to practice day in and day out willing to do whatever it takes.”
Hopkins’ two stud running backs, Cherry and Walters, combined for 296 yards and two scores.
Hopkins found themselves down early when Gettysburg drove 69 yards and settled for a field goal to take a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter. However, the Jays responded immediately, going 77 yards in four and a half minutes when senior quarterback Robbie Matey capped it off with a two-yard run to take the lead 7-3.
Gettysburg started the ensuing drive from their own 25-yard line. The Bullets drove down the field to the Hopkins’ three-yard line and attempted a field goal. This spot in the game proved to be the ultimate momentum swing of the game. Junior cornerback Jimmy Holder got around the end and blocked the 20-yard field goal attempt by kicker Matt Perkins. The Blue Jays took over on their own five-yard line with just over five minutes remaining in the half. As expected, they drove the ball 95 yards on 12 plays capped off by a nine-yard touchdown run by Brandon Cherry with only 47 seconds remaining. Cherry ran for 47 yards on the drive, only touching the ball five times, averaging over nine yards per carry. Hopkins took the 14-3 into halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, Walters decided it was his time to take over the game. After two Matey completions to senior wide receiver Dan Wodicka and a rushing play by Cherry, the Jays had the ball on their own 46-yard line. Walters then took the ball and raced around the outside for 54 yards to the house to push the lead to 21-3.
Gettysburg responded on the ensuing possession, marching 70 yards down the field to bring the score back into reach at 21-10. Junior running back Eddie Hutchins capped it off when he hit pay dirt from eight yards out. Gettysburg forced a Hopkins punt on the ensuing possession, but senior defensive back John Arena intercepted a pass from Gettysburg junior quarterback Zach Miller. Freshman kicker Nick Campbell then hit a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-10.
The Jays would score on their next two drives as well. Campbell would hit his second field goal of the game from 28 yards. Then, with just over two minutes left in the game to put the game out of reach at 34-10, senior running back JD Abbott bulled into the end zone from one yard out.
Miller quickly drove the Bullets 69 yards in just over a minute to put the score at 34-16 hitting junior wide receiver Alec Pacelli from 10 yards out. After a failed two-point conversion, sophomore Ryan Finkel recovered the onsides kick to close out the game.
The Jays rushed for 362 yards on the day, the ninth highest single-game total in school history. Robbie Matey was 23-of-30 on the day for a total of 206 yards. Matey is completing an impressive, conference high 75.5 percent of his passing attempts this season. Senior wide receiver Jared Beekman had a career high nine receptions for 82 yards and Wodicka added eight catches of his own. Defensively, junior linebacker Hani Annabi had a team leading and career high 11 tackles, while senior John Arena added six tackles, one sack and an interception. Arena commented on the success that the Jays experienced this weekend. “In the Centennial Conference, every week is a big game," he said. "We're approaching this game the same way we do every other week, with diligent film study and great effort at practice. Luckily we have a lot of guys with experience that know the high level of preparation required to be successful.”
Senior punter Richie Carbone punted the ball four times for a total of 109 yards, three of which pinned the Bullets inside their own 20.
The Blue Jays will return to action this Saturday for a 1 p.m. start at Homewood Field, as they face off against Ursinus College, whom is second in the conference rankings just behind the Jays.
