Hopkins boys soccer team rises as a Lake contender

With most of the key players back from last season, the Hopkins High boys soccer team is in good position to make a run for the Lake Conference championship.

Coach Robby Hill’s team stands 5-2-2 through the first nine games and the Royals have only one Lake loss so far.

Two goals each from Bridger Nelson and captain Owen Hutto sparked the Royals in a 5-2 conference victory over St. Michael-Albertville. Maclain Rutledge added a goal for Hopkins. Assists were by Sean Yaskey, Samuel Benz and Marley Vaye. Nick Messerli was the winning goalie.

In a nonconference match Sept. 12, the Royals played a 2-2 tie against Bloomington Kennedy. Zach Rosenblum was in goal for the full 80 minutes. Hutto and defender Calvin Pettygrove scored Hopkins’ goals while Sawyer Shelton had the lone assist. Marlon Seahorn Jr. and Josser Bustos scored for the Eagles.

Looking at the Lake standings going into this week’s action, Edina is on top with a 2-0-2 record. Wayzata and Minnetonka are both 2-1-1. Buffalo is 2-1-0 and Hopkins stands 1-1-0.

St. Michael-Albertville (0-2-1) and Eden Prairie (0-3-0) are off to slow starts.

Balance has been the key to Hopkins’ success this year. “Fourteen players have scored at least one goal,” coach Hill noted. “That is definitely a plus. We have had a lot of good moments playing soccer. One thing we need to work on is closing out games.”

Central defenders Pettygrove and Isaac Sanders have taken care of Hopkins’ half of the field. “The have played a majority of the minutes. We rotate our outside defenders - Ian Forbort, Samuel Benz, Maclain Rutledge and James McGarvey.”

Hutto is the key to the midfield, just as graduated All-State player Griffin Price was last season. “Owen is among the best players in the Lake Conference,” coach Hill said. “He is consistently in that conversation. Owen is one of our leaders in goals and assists and he is a good leader. We like the way he goes about his business.”

The Royals were scheduled to play conference matches against Minnetonka Monday, Sept. 16, and Eden Prairie Wednesday, Sept. 18. St. Louis Park is Hopkins’ nonconference opponent for a 7 p.m. game Tuesday, Sept. 24, at St. Louis Park Stadium. Then Hopkins hosts Edina at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Hopkins High Stadium.

“In a long season, some adversity is inevitable,” coach Hill said. “We have to learn from adversity and continue to understand the journey.”