Bulldogs feel back at home in WJFL Valley Division
The Hopewell Valley Central High football team is hoping the black and blue marks it suffered in 2017 can turn into gold this season.
Due to some ridiculous conference placement, the Group III Bulldogs played eight Group IV and Group V teams last year and the result was a predictable 1-9 season.
“We played a couple teams that were top 10 in the state last year,” coach Dave Caldwell said. “I had 38 kids, they had 32 seniors.”
But senior safety/running back Steven Doldy feels what didn’t kill the Bulldogs will only make them stronger.
“I’m excited,” said Doldy, who is planning on a future at one of the military academies. “Obviously last year we faced a lot of really tough teams. But I hope all that work and experience facing some of the best teams in the state will pay off and we can perform much better against an easier schedule this year.”
Hopewell has been dropped to the WJFL Valley Division after going 4-16 playing the past two seasons in the big-school Capitol Division. The switch should automatically make the ‘Dogs better.
“Like all teams, if we can stay relatively healthy, I think we can compete in games,” Caldwell said. “I think it will be an exciting year. We looked at every single game on our schedule and I think every single game will be competitive. It can go either way, but at least this year we have a schedule where we feel like we can go out and give great effort and work our hardest and come fourth quarter we’ll be in the game. Win or lose it will be a fun, competitive high school football game.”
Hopewell’s offensive line will feature senior Pat Allex at left tackle, junior Nick Melillo at left guard, senior Brandon Bowman at center, junior Hudson Hartman at right guard, senior Chika Obidike at left tackle and junior Mike Randazzo at tight end. Rotating in will be junior Cooper Silver.
The backfield has the versatile Doldy at tailback, with sophomore Terrance Peterson at fullback. Also getting carries will be senior Mike Vanover and sophomore Henry Lewis.
Seniors Will Beck and Russell Ingling will be at split end and flanker, respectively, while senior Hunter Oshman and sophomore Devin Higgins (whose father is head coach at Piscataway High) provide depth at receiver. It remains to be seen who will be throwing to them, as senior Brennan Rouse and junior Brett Confer were battling for the quarterback position in pre-season.
“We’ll make a decision on one,” Caldwell said prior to the scrimmages. “Our line is our strong point, we return most of our guys. But both these quarterbacks are really serviceable. They definitely make each other better, and it’s about their leadership and their ability to finish drives. Both have great arms and great leadership skills. Both take command of the huddle and know the offense. They both have pretty good accuracy.”
Senior Rob Cacciabaudo is back for his third season as place-kicker/ punter after going 16-for-18 in PATs and 2-for-3 in field goals last year.
Defensively, Doldy will be at safety while Higgins and Beck are at the corners. The outside linebackers are senior David Mezynski and Randazzo, while senior J.T. Saul and Vanover are on the inside. The line features Obidike, Hartman, Melillo and senior Justin Venezia.
“I think our defense will be OK,” Caldwell said. “Again, our strength is our defensive line. We return a lot there. Defensively it’s more about our team and being able to pursue and tackle. I hope we’ll be able to play sound, fundamental defense. As of right now everybody knows where they fit in, what their role is. I think we’ll have some team speed, fly to the football, be able to finish on the ball and get offenses off the field and get the ball back to our offense.”
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