Dave Caldwell came into this football season knowing several things about his Hopewell Valley Central High School squad, but one question remained unanswered: would this be the year that the team would finally make the state playoffs?
“I knew that we had some good athletes coming back, and I knew they had potential,” Caldwell said. “It all depended on how hard they worked, and I knew they would work hard.”
Caldwell said that while the team had never been to the playoffs — had never had more than six wins — this year the program would have the best squad in its history. Led by quarterback Austin Fellows, running back Andrew Yuska and receiver Mike Gies, the Bulldogs were able to fulfill their potential and meet their coach’s expectations.
Through its first nine games, Hopewell Valley went 8-1 and became the first team in the program’s history to qualify for the state sectional playoffs. The Bulldogs made the most of the postseason berth, beating Ewing 33-0 in the opening round to post the program’s first playoff victory.
“It’s a program-changer,” said Fellows, a senior, after the Ewing game. “We want to set the tone and have our legacy be left on this field and change the way Hopewell is thought of.”
Yuska ran for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the Central Jersey Group III playoff win over Ewing, while Gies had 80 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. The defense posted its third shutout of the season and gave up fewer than seven points for the sixth time this year.
“It’s a cool feeling to be the first Hopewell team to make the playoffs and win it,” Gies said. “We all knew it was history, but with all those nerves going on before the game, we just wanted to come out and play hard.”
The triumvirate of Fellows, Yuska and Gies provided the Bulldogs with a balanced and dangerous attack. Hopewell Valley averaged nearly 200 yards both rushing and passing through its first nine games and scored more than 40 points in five contests and topped 30 on two other occasions.
Fellows had thrown for more than 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns, Yuska had run for more than 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns and Gies had more than 900 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
“It definitely is fun knowing we can get by defenses and score a lot of points each game,” said Yuska, a senior.
“If they stop the pass, they’ve got to stop the run,” Gies said. “If they stop the run, they’ve got to stop the pass. It’s hard to stop both.”
Yuska rushed for more than 180 yards in four of Hopewell Valley’s first eight games, but didn’t top 200 until the playoff game against Ewing.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “I would never imagine that. I owe it all to my offensive line. They did a nice job. I love getting the ball and I love making big plays for my team and helping us win.”
Fellows and Gies developed a strong chemistry thanks to hours of work in the offseason and in the film room.
“I brought him out in the summer and we practiced routes,” Fellows said. “We stay after practice and watch film of what we need to do better. Mike is just a great player, and one of the best receivers in the county. You’ve got to get him the ball and let him make plays.
Fellows said he has “above-the-roof confidence” in Gies.
“No matter where I throw the ball, I know he’s going to go get it. That helps me. I know that if I’m struggling I can get the ball to Mike and he’ll help me out. He’s got my back. That’s the same with all my receivers,” the quarterback said.
Gies, a junior, had five games with at least 100 receiving yards and five games with two touchdown catches.
“Mike Gies is really dynamic,” Coach Caldwell said. “I’d say he’s one of the best athletes, if not the best athlete, in the county. He’s got unbelievable balance and ball skills and quickness and speed.”
For all their individual accomplishments, Fellows, Yuska and Gies remain “team-first players,” Caldwell said.
“They’re three very committed athletes that are great kids,” Caldwell said. “It doesn’t matter what it takes to get the win, they’ll do it. When you have three guys like that, it makes us coaches look pretty good.
“Our offense this year has been very dynamic and scoring a lot of points. This year we have the athletes and the offensive line and the commitment from the kids that they want to get that done.”
A paid crowd of more than 1,400 people was in attendance to watch Hopewell Valley get it done in the playoffs for the first time. As Caldwell prepared to leave the field, he savored the moment.
“This is what football is meant to be,” he said. “To have community support, have kids playing hard and learning life lessons.”
The Bulldogs next game, scheduled for Nov. 22 against Ocean Township, was to take place after the Hopewell Express went to press.
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