Notre Dame beats Hopewell for first time
HOPEWELL TWP. » The fact that not even a barrage of self-inflicting penalties could stop the Notre Dame High football team on Friday night says something about the strength of the Irish’s running game.
Shaking off first-half miscues in the yellow flag department, Notre Dame’s sophomore twin running backs, Cortaz and Coleon Williams, led a secondhalf explosion as the Irish beat Hopewell in a shootout at Ackerson Field, 41-21.
The win marks Notre Dame’s first over Hopewell in six tries since 2012. The programs had not met before then, with Hopewell going decades without a team until fielding one again starting in 2004.
The Williams brothers totaled well over 300 yards on the ground and combined for six touchdowns — four during a dominant second half in which Notre Dame (2-1) outscored Hopewell (0-3), 28-0, to easily erase a 21-14 halftime deficit.
Starting the third quarter with possession of the ball, the Irish scored on each of their ensuing three drives to seize complete control of the game. Two of those series required more than 80 yards to reach the end zone. But Notre Dame’s running game was unstoppable.
Operating from Pistol sets with Cortaz Williams as the feature back and Coleon Williams as a slot back, the Irish used all sorts of smash-mouth and misdirection principles to dominate up front.
Cortaz Williams broke loose for big runs of 43 and 66 yards as second-half game-changers. Meanwhile, Coleon Williams finished with four touchdowns including a pick six while playing defensive back. Robbie Buecker sprinked in some timely quarterback keepers.
Notre Dame also had a big fourth-down stop on defense late in the third quarter up, 2821. Antonio Gutierrez added a sack after the Irish went up by 14 and continued to pile it on. Kicker Tom Burns finished with five made extra points.
The first half provided plenty of offensive fireworks for the raucous crowd on both sides of the field.
Stretching to the 10:10 mark of the second quarter, the teams traded touchdowns on the first four drives of the game.
Hopewell struck first when quarterback Jack Demareski connected with running back Elijah-Blu Wilmott on a screen pass which extended 40 yards into the end zone thanks to strong Bulldogs blocking at the second and third levels of the defense.
Notre Dame answered in little more than three minutes of action with a 60-yard drive, capped by Cortaz Williams bursting for a 17-yard touchdown.
The Bulldogs responded with an 81-yard drive that needed only seven plays because of two crucial Notre Dame penalties. Whistles for roughing the passer and pass interference moved Hopewell to Notre Dame’s 33-yard line. Then Demareski aired it out to Wilmott wide open on a busted coverage down the sideline for another touchdown and 14-7 lead.
But Hopewell continued to struggle defensively. On the Irish’s next drive, Cortaz Williams rushed for 46 yards on eight carries before giving way to his brother. Coleon Williams bursted 34 yards up the middle on a misdirection play to tie the game again at 14.
From there the foes traded stops, with Hopewell forcing a turnover on downs at Notre Dame’s 46-yard line when Mike Vanover stuffed Cortaz Williams on 4th-and-4.
Demareski proceeded to play like a man on a mission. Hopewell’s quarterback scampered all over the pocket to connect with Dan Gewecke, James Abey and Mike Gruner on out routes to move the Bulldogs to the 7-yard line.
Wilmott picked up 12 yards on two carries during the sequence, but then was halted by Notre Dame’s defense on third down.
No problem for Hopewell’s signal-caller. On 4th-and-4 from 10 yards out, Demareski surveyed the field from shotgun, rolled to his right and tucked it and ran into the end zone to give Hopewell the lead yet again at 21-14 with 2:15 left in the half.
A pair of blocks in the back negated a late first-half threat by Notre Dame’s running game, but the Irish overcame those penalties with a vengeance in the second half.
Notre Dame (2-1) 7 Hopewell (0-3) 14 First Quarter H—
Wilmott 40 pass from Demareski (Cacciabaudo kick)
Cortaz Williams 17 run (Burns kick) Wilmott 33 pass from Demareski (Cacciabaudo kick)
N— H— Second Quarter N— H— Third Quarter N— N— Fourth Quarter N— N— 7 7 14 0 13 — 0 — 41 21
Coleon Williams 34 run (Burns kick) Demareski 10 run (Cacciabaudo kick)
Coleon Williams 39 run (Burns kick) Cortaz Williams 10 run (Burns kick)
Coleon Williams 18 run (Burns kick) Coleon Williams 10 interception return (kick failed)