Hopewell Cruises Past Southmoreland 42-6, First Playoff Win Since 2012

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Rich Donahue | November 1, 2025

Vikings Turnaround 13 Years in the Making

Hopewell Head Coach Matt Mottes Celebrates with team after first playoff win since 2012.

Coming into Friday night’s WPIAL 3A First Round Playoff between the #10 seed Hopewell Vikings and the #7 seed Southmoreland Scotties, something had to give. The Vikings had not won a playoff game since 2012 (their last postseason appearance) while the Scotties were one of two WPIAL football programs to never win a playoff game (Summit Academy being the other).

Despite having to travel over 90 minutes deep into Westmoreland County, Hopewell (7-4) cruised past host Southmoreland (9-2) 42-6 on Halloween night, earning their first playoff win since Barack Obama’s first term in office.

The win highlights the turnaround Viking Head Coach Matt Mottes has achieved at a program that was once one of the best in the Western Pennsylvania High Football. Prior to Mottes taking the job last year (he was elevated to head coach two months before the season began), the Vikings had fallen on hard times.From 2021-2023, the Vikings won only 3 combined games and seemed to be lost in the shuffle in 3A.

Now they are back from the bottom, and they should be here to stay.

One of the big reasons for the turnaround and the Vikings win Friday night is Sophomore QB James “Booboo” Armstrong. The young QB, who already holds offers from Pitt, Penn State and North Carolina, went 6/15 for 90 yards and a passing touchdown in the win while rushing for 48 yards and 2 scores.

While Hopewell struggled all night on third down, going 2/10 on third down, two of Armstrong’s three touchdowns came on 4th down. Armstrong converted on a long 4th down in Scottie territory for the first touchdown of the game as he found Sophomore Brody Rock for a 36 yard touchdown. The other came on a 4th and 1 that was supposed to be just a short QB sneak, but Armstrong went practically untouched for a 31 yard touchdown run. The Vikings went 4/4 on 4th down on the night, including Rock’s fake punt pass for 15 yards at the end of the first half that stole a possession from the Scotties.

Like Hopewell, Southmoreland struggled on third down, going 1 for 8 in the game. But unlike the Vikings, they were 0/2 on 4th down. Scotties QB Dawson Wolfe, who went 6/16 for 74 yards and touchdown, was haunted all night by the Hopewell pass rush. The Vikings recorded 5 sacks in the game including 3 from Junior Defensive Linemen Aris Haniotes.

The biggest defensive play in the game for the Vikings, however, came in the 2nd quarter by Nasir “Brusier” Wade. The Sophomore scored on a 21 yard scoop and score after Hopewell stripped Scottie Sophomore RB Averyon Darnell. Wade’s great game just wasn’t just reserved for the defensive side of the ball. He lived up to his nickname Bruiser as he rushed 19 times for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 41 yarder that put the icing on the cake for a win 13 years in the making.

Hopewell advances to face #2 seed Imani Christian Academy next week in the WPIAL 3A Quarterfinals.

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