58 • TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
Coach: Matt Weiss
2019 record: 2-8, 2-5 in
Class 3A Tri-County West
All-time record: 362-383-25
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
9.11 Central Valley* 7
9.18 at Montour 7
9.25 Chartiers Valley 7
10.2 at Ambridge* 7
10.9 Quaker Valley* 7
10.16 Avonworth* 7
10.23 at Keystone Oaks* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Jay’von Jeter*
92-202, 1,463 yards, 12 TDs
Receiving Alex Obeldobel*
28-473 yards, 7 TDs
Rushing Micah Kimbrough
99-629 yards, 7 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Hopewell returns six starters
on offense and seven on
defense this season.
• Weiss, a Rochester graduate,
was an offensive coordinator
and line coach at his alma
mater from 2009-18.
• Hopewell won its lone WPIAL
title in 2002 while playing
in Class AAA.
• The Vikings’ last WPIAL
playoff appearance was in
2012. After defeating Hampton
in the first round, Hopewell
fell to Central Valley in the
quarterfinals.
JAMAR JETER
MICAH KIMBROUGH
STRENGTH, ENDURANCE
TO BE KEY FOR HOPEWELL
Hopewell was a first-half football
team a year ago. The Vikings came
out strong each game with energy,
excitement and the competitive
juices flowing.
Too often, however, they ran out
of gas in the second half.
Second-year coach Matt Weiss
wants to make sure that trend
doesn’t continue this season.
“I’d like to see us finish in the
second half, keep that competitiveness
that we had in first half and
carry over to the second half,” said
Weiss, whose team went 2-8 overall
and 2-5 in the Class 3A Tri-County
West Conference.
“We need to be well-conditioned.
We need to be the best conditioned
team in Triple-A.”
To do that, Hopewell brought
in a strength and conditioning
coach. Athletic trainer Jason Daley
helped mold the Vikings in the
offseason, installing a program to
maximize their bodies.
Not even a pandemic quarantine
could slow their offseason effort,
Weiss said.
Helping to lead the charge is
junior Micah Kimbrough. The Vikings’
leading rusher last season,
Kimbrough will move under center
this year to replace graduate
Jay’von Jeter, who threw for 1,463
yards and 12 touchdowns.
“Micah was voted a team captain
as only a junior,” Weiss said. “It’s
his team to grab and take the reins
of. We’re looking for big things
from him. He’s put in the work in
the offseason.
“He’s just a pure athlete. His
vision as a runner is pretty incredible.
He did really well for us last
year running the football.”
Kimbrough has embraced the
change and the leadership role that
comes along with it.
“A lot of kids look up to me,”
Kimbrough said. “They’ve been
looking up to me since freshman
year because they know what I’m
capable of.”
Kimbrough ran for 629 yards
and seven scores last season. He
will continue to run but also has
developed as a passer to keep defenses
honest.
“I expect a lot from our offense,”
Kimbrough said. “We’ve been looking
real good.
“I’ve been working on my throwing
a lot, more than running, especially
quick routes.”
Senior Tanner Dobbins will join
Kimbrough in the backfield. He
saw limited time on offense last
season but will bring plenty of size
and power to the running game.
“Tanner primarily played defense
last year. We’re tying to get
him in the mix running the football,”
Weiss said. “He’s a hard,
downhill runner. His hard-nosed
toughness on defense will help on
offense to give us a change of pace.”
Dobbins also will anchor the defense
at middle linebacker, where
he had more than 100 tackles a
year ago.
“His motor doesn’t stop running,”
Weiss said. “He really takes
control of the defense. And those
guys feed off him.”
Kimbrough’s top target will be
junior Jamar Jeter, who caught
21 passes for 373 yards and three
touchdowns last season. Weiss
plans to use him in the slot but also
move him around to the outside
and in the backfield.
Senior tight end Connor Wayne
(6-foot-4, 190 pounds) also returns
and will be used in the backfield
and on the outside in some formations.
He caught 11 passes last
season.
A pair of anchors return to the
offense line in seniors Jacob Forrest
(6-6, 335) and Cole Carpenter
(5-10, 270).
“Jacob was pretty raw when we
got here last year, but he’s put in
the work in the offseason, put on
a lot of muscle,” Weiss said. “He’s
got the attention of some schools.
He’s really worked on his craft, like
run-blocking technique and pass
blocking. He’s come a long way.
“Cole was solid for us last year. He
lost some weight and got in better
shape. Those two will anchor our
offensive line and defensive line.”
Hopewell will compete in the
revamped Class 3A Northwestern
Six Conference this season with
familiar foes Central Valley, Keystone
Oaks and Quaker Valley.
Ambridge and Avonworth, last
year’s WPIAL Class 2A champion,
also join the fold.
“We have a good shot of making
the playoffs,” Weiss said. “With the
talent we have coming back and
the hard work and mindset these
guys had in the offseason, I like
our chances.”
Hopewell will be tested right off
the bat, hosting defending WPIAL
champion Central Valley on Sept.
11. After nonconference games at
Montour and against Chartiers
Valley, the Vikings finish off with
four straight conference contests.
“The top team in the conference
is Central Valley. That doesn’t
change,” Weiss said. “We get them
Week 1, so that gives us a heightened
sense of urgency.
“Our section is competitive but
is also setting us up that we can put
some wins together.”
by BILL HARTLEP
NORTHWESTERN 6 • HOPEWELL