Confer throws four TDs to lead Hopewell to big rout of Ewing
HOPEWELL TWP. >> The logical assumption from the undefeated Hopewell Valley High School football’s team 45-13 destruction of winless Ewing on Friday night would be standout junior tailback Henry Lewis must have gone wild running the ball.
Well, Lewis did his do his part with two touchdowns and 123 yards on 13 carries, but it was actually Hopewell’s previously-dormant passing game that blew this wide open on Homecoming Night..
How effective were the Bulldogs throwing the ball?
Consider senior quarterback Brett Confer absolutely lit up the joint with four touchdown passes as Hopewell raced out to a 42-0 halftime lead. Confer did not throw a single pass in the second half as Hopewell quickly inserted the subs, but still managed to throw for 153 yards while completing an accurate eight of 11 passes.
So what gives? After all, this was a Hopewell team that had virtually no success throwing the ball in its first two wins on the limited occasions in which it chose not to put the ball in the hands of Lewis.
“We actually did try to throw last week (against Steinert in a 12-7 win),” said Hopewell Valley coach Dave Caldwell when asked if the decision going in was to open the offense. “We tried, but I don’t know. It just didn’t work out. Tonight we executed much better.”
The massacre started right away when Lewis ripped off a 71-yard touchdown run on Hopewell Valley’s first play. Lewis also completed in the scoring in the second quarter with a 12yard run to raise his TD total to six on the season and his yardage total to 488.
Ewing did force Hopewell to punt on its next possession, only to turn it right back on a fumble. It was here where Confer went to work as he completed a 6-yard TD pass to Terrance Peterson.
Ewing’s next possession also resulted in a turnover when Dylan Eng intercepted a pass at his team’s own 34 yard line. Five plays later Confer threw a 54-yard TD pass to a wide-open Tommy Belsky on a seam pass to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter.
While Ewing continued to turn the ball over — Hopewell also got an interception from Jarrett Sharp — the Bulldogs continued to pile up the points.
Confer’s third TD completion was on a beautifully-led 39-yard pass to Devin Higgins and his fourth was on a 16-yarder to Trevor Radice. The last TD was preceded by a 23-yard pass to Higgins on a wheel route.
Lewis’ second touchdown and his team’s last of the first half came after Ewing fumbled the ball away on its own 23 yard line.
“We played well tonight,” said Caldwell. “We need to be multi-faceted on offense. And Brett can throw the ball.”
Anyone who saw this game would agree with that last statement.
Ewing (0-4) Hopewell (3-0) 0 0 6 7 — 13 14 28 3 0 — 45
HV-Lewis 71 run (Pinto kick) HV-Peterson 6 pass from Confer (Pinto kick)
HV-Belsky 54 pass from Confer (Pinto kick)
HV-Higgins 3 pass from Confer (Pinto kick)
HV-Radice 13 pass from Confer (Pinto kick)
HV-Lewis 12 run (Pinto kick) HV-Pinto 19 field goal E-Gibson 3 run (kick failed) E-Gibson 23 runs (Hedrick kick)