State of the Program: Hopatcong football experiencing growth in Ivy Division
When Sean Norton visited Hopatcong High School as a player or a coach, he was always impressed with the intimate feeling of Friday night lights at the small school.
As one the smallest schools with a football team in New Jersey, with an enrollment just above 300 students, fans would pack the stands to cheer on the Chiefs.
"I knew that if that head coaching job ever opened up, I wanted to be able to experience it," Norton said.
Norton got his wish last season, getting his first head coaching gig at the helm of Hopatcong, which was shifting into the Ivy Division for programs struggling with participation. He was hired late in the offseason, and the Chiefs won one game in his first year.
"No matter what conference you are in, there are good coaches and there are good players all over the place," Norton said.
Now with a full offseason in the books, Norton is able to make a stronger impact heading into this fall. He estimates there are 10 more players in the program now than there were at this point last year, a significant percentage increase for a program that had about 30 players on the roster last year.
"It just goes to show what this program means to this area," Norton said. "We are thrilled to see people want to support us in any way and seeing our numbers grow is a testament to the kids in the room making this a place people want to join."
The tradition
With two sectional titles to their name, the Chiefs are one of only two teams current Ivy Division teams with multiple sectional titles in their history.
Both of those titles came in the early 2000s as Hopatcong won North 1, Group 2 in 2001 and 2005. The Chiefs now play in Group 1.
Hopatcong entered the Super Football Conference Ivy Division prior to the 2022 season, and are currently the only Sussex County program in the division.
The challenge
A second year in the Ivy comes with its own set of challenges, but the largest obstacle for the Chiefs is the sheer size difference compared to opponents. All teams in the league are trying to build up their participation numbers, but Hopatcong pulls from a smaller pool of students.
Hopatcong is the lone Group 1 school in the Ivy Red division, joining Group 2 schools Indian Hills and Pascack Hills, Group 4 schools Fair Lawn and Teaneck, and Group 5 Bergen Tech.
"Our (division) averages over 1,100 students and we are barely a quarter of that," Norton said. "It was a challenge last year and it'll be a challenge this year. But we embrace that challenge."
Expectations
The Chiefs take the field this season with a lot of seniors that were relied on heavily during their junior seasons.
Running back Ryan White is among the offensive leaders, rushing for more than 600 yards last season. That includes a 135-yard, four touchdown performance in the team's only win of the 2022 season, a shutout victory over Ferris.
"I think we are more prepared physically and mentally for football this year," Norton said. "Our kids are bigger, faster and stronger. We had more days to develop together and we are hoping that translates to more touchdowns on the field."
2023 schedule
Aug. 25: vs. Elmwood Park
Sept. 1: vs. Montclair Kimberley
Sept. 8: at Fort Lee
Sept. 15: vs. Dover
Sept. 21: at Bergen Tech
Sept. 30: vs. Teaneck
Oct. 6: vs. Fair Lawn
Oct. 13: at Indian Hills
Oct. 20: vs. Pascack Hills
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hopatcong NJ football experiencing growth in SFC Ivy Division
