Football team made huge strides
By: Jim Green
The final record reads 1-9, but that doesn’t even come close to telling the story of the 2005 Hopewell Valley Central High School football team.
This was a team that always will be remembered in the halls of CHS, if for nothing more than its Oct. 17 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North the school’s first win in two seasons with a varsity program and the school district’s first victory since then-Pennington Central High School beat Bordentown in 1932.
But this was a memorable year for many other reasons, particularly the fact that this was a team that never seemed overmatched on the field. Unlike last season, in which the Bulldogs showed growing pains early and often as they struggled to compete against the more experienced teams on their schedule, this year’s version always looked like it belonged. In the end, they only won one, and there were a few that they never had a real chance to win, but they were never outworked or outsmarted. Some weeks, the other team simply was more talented between the lines, and there’s nothing a team can do about that.
But those games were few and far between, as the Bulldogs suffered three losses by less than 10 points to Allentown, Ewing and Hightstown. Additionally, they held a 10-0 lead on Abraham Clark of Roselle in their state consolation game, trailed Group IV Trenton 8-0 at halftime and scored 20 points on Colonial Valley Conference Colonial Division champ Lawrence. Most of those games would not even have been competitive last season, which is a sign of how much growth this team has made in the last year.
And the growth will continue, as the Hopewell roster becomes populated by more and more experienced players. Graduating senior Jim Felix, one of the unquestioned leaders of the team, believes his class will be the last one made up mostly of players who did not grow up in the fledgling Hopewell Valley Pop Warner system.
While the seniors of the last two years did not have the experience the up-and-coming players have, they did have the most important job, paving the way for the younger players by establishing football as a fixture in the town a town featuring a contingent of residents vehemently opposed to the sport’s introduction to the school district in the first place.
The upperclassmen last year, foremost quarterback Angelo Pagano, provided great leadership as the Bulldogs battled through all the obstacles they faced on and off the field to have a respectable first-year showing. That effort set the stage for this year’s breakthrough season, in which junior tailback Steve Giovacchini rushed for 833 yards and 11 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the better backs in the CVC and helping Hopewell put a real scare into several teams.
It became evident this would be a different year with Hopewell’s season opener at Allentown. Although Hopewell lost the game 7-6, it clearly was the better team. Giovacchini rushed for 160 yards on the day and single-handedly brought the Bulldogs down the field on a last-minute drive that came up just short.
Although the loss was a huge disappointment, it also provided Hopewell with an injection of confidence. The Bulldog defense was the story the next week, as HoVal shut down powerful Trenton for most of the day, trailing just 8-0 at halftime before wearing down late. Two games later, Giovacchini returned a kick for an 80-yard touchdown, and junior quarterback Drew Barnabei had one of his best games, throwing for 139 yards and two scores, but the Bulldogs couldn’t quite get over the hump against Ewing, dropping a 31-24 decision.
It wasn’t until that memorable October afternoon against West Windsor-Plainsboro North in a game delayed two days by rainy weather that the Bulldogs finally got the win they so desired. Again, Giovacchini was a monster, rushing for 145 yards and four scores, while an inspired defensive effort led by seniors Felix, Alex Pepperman and Pete Teachen never let the Knights get going offensively. Before an ecstatic home crowd, Hopewell pulled away for a historic 28-7 victory.
Three straight tough losses followed, although there were highlights mixed in. Hopewell had perhaps its biggest crowd in the last two years come out for its homecoming game against Hamilton on Nov. 5. And the next week, the Bulldogs took an early 10-0 lead on Abraham Clark of Roselle before succumbing to the rested home team.
The season then came to a close with perhaps the most encouraging result of the year, a 21-14 loss to Hightstown. Hopewell held a 14-7 lead as late as the fourth quarter before suffering the defeat. Giovacchini (who else?) had 102 yards and a touchdown, and Barnabei showed the poise of a veteran, leading his team on several impressive drives. Although the win was not to be, the fact that the Bulldogs had the Rams on the ropes one year after losing to them 41-13 in the 2004 season opener was indicative of how far they had come in the course of 15 months.
From here, things only should continue to get better for the Hopewell football program.
The district, under athletic director Kiki Enderle’s leadership, features strong programs in practically every other sport, from soccer to track to basketball to golf. You name, and the Bulldogs can play it at a high level. It’s only a matter of time before football is that way.
With the energetic and bright Dave Caldwell calling the shots, and Giovacchini and Barnabei coming back next year, there’s no reason that time can’t be 2006.

