Hopewell surges past Notre Dame in fourth quarter

LAWRENCE >> Nick DeGennaro knows how to make an entrance.

After missing the season’s first two games due to injury, the senior running back scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:26 remaining, to give Hopewell Valley High’s football team a 24-20 victory at Notre Dame Friday night.

Elijah-Blu Wilmott rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown for Hopewell (1-2), which gained its first victory by scoring 21 fourth-quarter points.

Winless Notre Dame (0-3) still had plenty to take out of the loss. The Irish may have found a quarterback as sophomore Rob Buecker made his first start memorable and nearly pulled out a victory.

Buecker finished 11for-13 for 145 yards and a touchdown. With just over 30 seconds remaining, his 31 pass into the end zone went off a receiver’s numbers for what would have likely been a game-winning heave. On second down from the 31, Robbie Wiley ended it by sacking Buecker.

HoVal took an early lead on Rob Cacciabaudo’s first-quarter field goal, but the Bulldogs spent nearly the entire night trying to come back after that.

With Hopewell driving again, Joe Gallagher’s interception at the 23 set up a 77-yard scoring drive by the Irish, capped by freshman Cortaz Williams’ 5-yard run. Gallagher kept the drive alive with an 18-yard reception on a third-and-17 pass.

The Bulldogs moved the ball consistently on the ground, but kept killing themselves with penalties. In the third quarter, helped by a personal foul penalty, Williams scored on a 6-yard run to make it, 13-3. The toughrunning freshman had 64 yards on 13 carries before being helped off in the fourth quarter favoring his right leg. He did not return.

Hopewell got back in it with 9:51 remaining on DeGennaro’s 1-yard run to make it, 13-10.

On Notre Dame’s next possession, Buecker showed savvy well beyond a sophomore when he found Gallagher with a 62-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 20-10 with 6:03 left.

Hopewell then went on a 60-yard drive, capped by Wilmott’s 1-yard run. DeGennaro came up with the key play of the march, going 28 yards on a third down screen pass.

The Bulldogs’ defense then forced a three-andout and quarterback Jack Demareski led the offense out with 3:03 left. With the ball on the 31, Demareski engineered a seven-play drive capped by DeGennaro’s 2-yard TD run. Demareski was 3-for-4 on the march for 54 yards, including a big 34-yarder to Andrew D’Avanzo.

Notre Dame started its final drive at its own 39 with 1:26 left, and Buecker drove his team to the 18 before a penalty took the Irish back, and the dropped pass ruined the Irish’s dreams.

DeGennaro rushed for 38 yards on seven carries and had four catches for 46 yards, while Gallagher had five catches for 115 yards. Demareski was 13for-24 for 174 yards with an interception. kick)

Gallagher 62 pass from Buecker (Burns kick) Blue 1 run (Cacciabaudo kick) DeGennaro 2 run (Cacciabaudo kick)