Page 12 Fall Football Preview • Thursday , August 29 , 2024 sailor . mnsun . com
HOPKINS ROYALS
New crispness is in the air this season
By JOHN SHERMAN john . sherman @ apgecm . com
It was an 8 o ’ clock practice under the lights at Hopkins High Stadium , and the Royal football team was running a series of offensive plays - one after another .
Quick passes were caught and carried to the end zone by fast receivers . On rushing plays , Hopkins backs made sharp cuts and were on their way to the promised land .
Granted , it was only the preseason and there was no defense on the field , but the crispness of the play calling , as well as the execution , was undeniable .
The influence of new head coach Chauncy Williams-Barefield and his staff is apparent to the Royals ’ new-found enthusiasm .
Just ask captains Mark Gonzales and Nathan Dobbs about that .
With Williams-Barefield ’ s arrival , there are no longer any mentions of Hopkins ’ 27-game losing streak the last three seasons . The talk now is of winning , not losing .
“ We know that the coaches care and bring effort to the field every day ,” said Dobbs , one of the best college prospects on the team as a 6-5 , 285-pound offensive tackle .
In regard to the quest for success , Dobbs said , “ I don ’ t care how we win , I just want to win . I love the guys on the team . We have so many amazing athletes and no big egos .”
Gonzales , who plays inside
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN )
Hopkins High ’ s football captains for the 2024 season are inside linebacker Mark Gonzales ( left ) and offensive tackle Nathan Dobbs .
linebacker , said , “ It ’ s pretty impressive this year , compared to the last couple of years . I have gone through my entire high school career without a win , so far , and I would like to change that .”
Coach Williams-Barefield was one of more than 50 applicants for the head coaching position at Hopkins after crafting a successful program at a smaller metro high school in Brooklyn Center .
“ Coaching at a 6A school has always been a coach of
mine ,” Williams-Barefield said . “ I wasn ’ t necessarily looking for a new job , but I wanted to see what God had in store for me .”
What is coach Williams-Barefield ’ s impression of the Hopkins program so far ?
“ The kids are hungry and
anxious to improve ,” he said . “ When they have the desire to be successful , I can work with that . Our slogan for the team is : Go hard . Transparency and honesty will help us to build relationships . They hired me to turn things around . I ’ m a believer in putting the best 11 on the field . Nothing is given , everything must be earned .”
Williams-Barefield described his coaching style as that of a CEO . He has trusted coordinators for offense and defense with Bryan Cupito and M ’ Angelo Harris and a creative special teams coach , Jay Lor .
Talking about team practices early in his tenure , Williams-Barefield said , “ We do everything at game speed .”
The perception of Hopkins football the last three years is
that the Royals are not capable of winning .
Williams-Barefield was hired to change that . “ Right now , the only ones who expect anything of our team are between these walls . We ’ re going to work together to build a great program .”
A state power , Shakopee , is the challenge the first week of the season . The Royals travel to Shakopee West Middle School to play the Sabers at 7 p . m . Friday , Aug . 30 .
The home opener for the Royals is a game against Buffalo at 7 p . m . Friday , Sept . 6 , at Hopkins High Stadium . The two programs are close in terms of school enrollment and squad size , so the Royals are optimistic .
See Hopkins , Page 26
QUICK HITS
Head Coach
Chauncy Williams-Barefield First Season
Last Year ’ s Record : 0-9
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 202�
Key Returning Players
The biggest man on campus for Hopkins is Nathan Dobbs , a 6-5 , 285-pound returning starter in the offensive line . Dobbs has scholarship offers to play NCAA Division II football and might be able to upgrade to Division I with another solid season . Inside linebacker and captain Mark Gonzales returns to anchor the Royals ’ defense at inside linebacker . One of the challenges for Hopkins going into the 2024 season is trying to find a go-to running back to replaced threeyear starter Jaxson Evans-Curry , who graduated last spring . Hopkins had a small senior class last season , so the team has a lot of players gained varsity experience last season . Junior Dylan Caspers started at quarterback in 2023 and is being challenged by Tre Moore , Brandon Nyakundi and Madden Brown . Junior Desmond Mooney leads the running backs .
Schedule
Aug . 30 : at Shakopee 7 p . m . Sept . 6 : vs . Buffalo 7 p . m . Sept . 13 : vs . Eastview 7 p . m . Sept . 20 : at Burnsville 5 p . m . Sept . 27 : vs . Park of Cottage Grove
7 p . m . Oct . 4 : at Roseville 7 p . m . Oct . 10 : at Wayzata , 7 p . m . Oct . 16 : vs . Edina , 7 p . m .