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Hillers Back On Winning Track, With Impressive 42-22 Win Over Bellingham!
Above, Shaun Palmer gives a Bellingham defender the slip. By: Lou Ottaviani October 29, 2011 — After suffering their first season loss to Holliston last week, Hopkinton’s football motto all week in preparation for this week’s match up against Bellingham has been “Starting New!” And last night the Hillers got to stand by what they preach.
Coach Jim Gerard
couldn’t have summed it up better by saying
that his team played and scored on all three
phases of the game: offense, “I thought that our team played a terrific first half,” said Girard in speaking to his team after the game. “Congrats on a great win. We now have to prepare and get ready for our next week’s game at Medfield. I thought our team came out fast and that was key for our players”. Heck, what Alex Hulme accomplished in the first 7:03 minutes of the first quarter could be considered a career season for some high school players, alone! The talented senior wide receiver not only scored the team’s first three touchdowns, he scored his first touchdown offensively by catching a 17-yard pass from Hank Rudden just 2:44 into the game. Then just over two minutes later Hulme made an incredible play blocking an Austin Nunn pass (Bellingham’s quarterback) and still having the presence of mind to stay with the play (ala, Vince Wilfork), he picked off the pass and scampered 35-yards untouched for the Hillers second score of the game. And lastly, things started to get better! On Hopkinton’s ensuing kick-off, the Hillers defensive special teams stepped up and wanted to be heard when James Goncalves recovered a forced fumble on the kick-off return to give Hopkinton great field position near midfield, setting up the Hillers next score. Junior quarterback, Hank Rudden (filling in for starting quarterback Mike Decina who is out for the next couple of weeks with mono) orchestrated a 6-play, 47-yard drive, behind two key pass completions (29-yards to Hulme and 21-yards to Hanlon), set up Hulme’s final score of the night, a one-yard plunge just 2:19 later. To put the frosting on the cake and cap off the brilliant first half heroics, Bellingham’s Nunn stepped back to pass on their first play of their next drive. Waiting like a thief in the night was Hulme, quickly grasping it away from a Blackhawk receiver for his second interception of the first half. The pick gave Hopkinton possession at their own 45, which set up the Hillers next score. What Hulme accomplished in that 7-minute plus timeframe, was a special feat of beauty. For the average high school football fans who had the opportunity to witness these series of plays, one should cherish these moments of accomplishment, as this type of athleticism doesn’t happen too often in such a short time span in a particular game. Congrats for an awesome performance! Another standout in the first half was senior Barrett Hanlon. This talented wide receiver caught another Rudden touchdown pass, this time for 39-yards to give Hopkinton their fourth score of the quarter. Hanlon also kicked six PAT extra points on the night, leaving him just three PAT kicks away from setting a new school record for the most PAT kicks in a single season (and there are still three more games left to play). More on this, as the season continues. With the score 28-0, and under a minute left to the first quarter, the excitement still wasn’t quite over. Bellingham’s John Imparato was standing back to punt on the next fourth down play and at the receiving end was Hopkinton’s Jack Ryan. Ryan caught and proceeded to returned Imparato’s punt by rushing and moving his way along the left side line for a 35-yard punt return scoring the Hillers fifth score of the quarter with 30-seconds left, to give Hopkinton a 35-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Bellingham scored on their next drive to start the second quarter off by driving 7 plays for 64-yards behind the running of Matt Kupiec, whose 6 rushes for 61-yards set up their first score with Austin Nunn hitting his favorite receiver John Imparato for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 7:52 left to the half. Nunn plunged in from 3-yards out for the PAT rush to make the score 35-8. The Hillers quickly answered back on their next drive (65-yards on 3-plays); thanks to a 12-yard pick-up by sophomore running back, Nolan Cornu and a 13-yard pass completion from Rudden to Hulme to set up the next play from the 31-yard line. Cornu blasted through the hole and scampered 31-yards for Hopkinton’s final score on the night and giving the Hillers a very comfortable 42-8 halftime lead. Going into the half, one needs to appreciate the efforts put forth by backup quarterback, Hank Rudden, who did a superb job leading his offense last night. Rudden showed composure by calmly staying back in the pocket connecting on 10 of his 14 halftime passes, which totaled 192-yards (2-TDs). Rudden spread out the passing work load to four different receivers: Hanlon with 4 catches for 75-yards, Hulme with 4 catches for 74-yards, Sean Palmer 1 catch for 32-yards and Jason Dlugolecki 1 catch for 15-yards. Coming out into the second half, Coach Girard played his first squad for one series and then played his backups for the remainder of the game to give them some valuable playing time. One last Hiller highlight for the second half was a Jack Ryan interception during Bellingham’s second drive of the third quarter. The action was scoreless for both teams in the third quarter, with Bellingham picking up two final tallies in the fourth quarter. The Blackhawks second score of the evening came with 4:08 left in the game. Eating up almost 7 minutes on the clock, Nunn marched Bellingham 85-yards on 13-plays, thanks to four pass completions of 17, 14, 25 and 6 yards. Matt Kupiec was Bellingham’s workhorse on the night capping off an 8-yard rush for the TD score and extra point rush, making the score 42- 16. Hopkinton fumbled on their next possession with Bellingham’s Mike Kupiec recovering the ball on the Hopkinton 28. Nunn picked up 19-yards on three pass completions, which was finalized by John Imparato as time ran out in the game to give Bellingham their final score. Hiller quarterback, Hank Rudden led all passers throwing for a total of 196-yards (10 for 14, 2-TDs). Leading rusher for Hopkinton was Nolan Cornu with 88-yards (TD) on 15-carries. Bellingham, Matt Kupiec led all rushers with 92-yards (TD) with 14-carries. Blackhawk quarterback, Austin Nunn completed 14 passes on 24 attempts (2-TDs, 2-INT) for a total of 126-yards. Hopkinton will travel to Medfield next Friday evening to take on the Mustangs.
STATS:
SCHOOL PLAYER PASS-RUN-FG-INT’D-PAT YDG. TIME QTR H Alex Hulme Pass from Hank Rudden 17 yds. 8:16 1 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good H Alex Hulme Interception Return 35 yds. 6:12 1 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good H Alex Hulme Run 1 yd. 3:53 1 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good H Barrett Hanlon Pass from Hank Rudden 39 yds. 6:12 1 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good H Jack Ryan Punt Return 35 yds. :30 1 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good B John Imparato Pass from Austin Nunn 3 yds. 7:52 2 Austin Nunn PAT Rush Good 3 yds. H Nolan Cornu Run 31 yds. 6:20 2 Barrett Hanlon PAT Kick Good B Matt Kupiec Run 8 yds. 4:08 4 Matt Kupiec PAT Rush Good 3 yds. B John Imparato Pass from Austin Nunn 3 yds. 0:00 4
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STATS Passing Leader: Hopkinton – Hank Rudden 10 for 14 for 196 Total Yards (2-TD passes) Bellingham – Austin Nunn 14 for 24 for 126 Total Yards (2-TD passes) Receivers: Hopkinton – Barrett Hanlon 4 catches for 75 yards (TD, 6 PAT Kicks) Hopkinton – Alex Hulme 4 catches for 74 yards (TD receiving, TD rushing, TD interception)
Receivers (continued): Hopkinton - Shaun Palmer 1 catch for 32 yards Hopkinton – Jason Dlugolecki 1 catch for 15 yards
Rushing Leader: Hopkinton – Nolan Cornu 15 carries for 88 yards (TD rushing) Bellingham – Matt Kupiec 14 carries for 92 yards (TD rushing)
Hopkinton Record: 7-1 Bellingham Record: 2-6
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