[Vitals]

• COACH — TIM PHIPPS (6th year, 17-18)

• CONFERENCE — MIFL Freedom Division

• PLAYOFF CLASS — NEPSAC C

• HOME — Parr Field, Westville, New Haven

• 2018 RECORD — 5-5 (lost to in MIFL championship)

• 2019 OPENER — Sept. 7 vs. Amistad, 1 p.m.

• TEAM WEBSITES — Maxpreps | hopkins.edu; @HopScores

[Top Players]

• MICHAEL LAU Sr., WR/DB/K, (6-3, 195)

• GUNNAR DESANTIS, Sr., RB/LB, (5-8, 165)

• PHIL DELISE, Sr., QB/DB, (6-1,185)

• BRANDON SMITH, Sr., C/G, (5-9, 175)

• JOHN STANLEY, Jr., WR/DB, (6-0, 165)

• SPENCER CIPRIANO, Jr., OL/DL, (6-1, 175)

• DAVID VERDU, Jr., OL/DL, (6-0, 225)

• CHARLIE WICH, So., OL/DL/LB, (6-1, 195)

[Key Losses]

Owen Sherman, RB/ILB (All-League Defense and All-New England); Doug Guilford, RB/DB (All-League Defense and 2nd Team All-New England); Jordan Shand, RB/DB (2nd Team All-League Defense); Tyler Cipriano, OL/DL; Aaron Kleeman, OL/DL; Rob Jaques, TE/OLB; Jamie Donovan, OL/OLB;

[Outlook]

In Hopkins’ first season in the Metropolitan Independent Football League, the team finished 5-5, which was good enough for 4th place in the league.

Hopkins competes in the Freedom Division of the MIFL, which includes 2018 Conference Champion Poly Prep and the MIFL 2018 Bowl Game Champion, Hackley, which defeated the Hillhoppers 28-7 for the title.

Phil DeLise returns for his second year as the starting quarterback. In Hopkins’ Spread Wing-T, he threw for 828 yards and 10 touchdowns. A three-year starter at defensive back, DeLise made 36 tackles. Coach Tim Phipps said DeLise has good size and a strong arm. He was a member of Hopkins’ FAA championship baseball team last year.

Hopkins will be featuring a new corps of running backs, including senior Gunnar Desantis, who saw time the last two years and is now ready for a starring role, Phipps said. He’ll be joined by freshman Pearson Hill and Lucas Riccitelli.

Hopkins’ leading receiver Michael Lau returns for his senior year. He’s also the team’s kicker and is being recruited by Hamilton, Colby and Bowdoin as a receiver. John Stanley, a junior, will man the other side. Hopkins returns three starting offensive linemen to make it all work.

“We will have a lot more players playing both ways and more younger players being asked to play bigger roles this year,” Phipps said. “The heart is definitely there. We need to make sure that our strength and conditioning matches our heart.”

The Hilltoppers have seven regular-season games (leaving room for the league playoffs). They kicked off the season vs. Amistad of New Haven (an unofficial game for Amistad), winning 47-24. They dive into their MIFL schedule on Sept. 20 vs. Poly Prep.

Phipps sees Poly Prep as the favorite to capture the Freedom Division and says Rye Country Day, is the overall favorite for the league.

[2019 Schedule]

• Sept. 7 — vs AMISTAD, W, 47-24

• Sept. 20 — at Poly Prep**, 7 p.m.

• Sept. 28 — at Morristown Beard, 2 p.m.

• Oct. 5 — vs FIELDSTON**, 3:30 p.m.

• Oct. 12 — vs RIVERDALE COUNTRY**, 2 p.m.

• Oct. 19 — at Hackley**, 2:30 p.m.

• Oct. 26 — MIFL Playoffs, TBD

• Nov. 2 — MIFL Final, TBD 

Home games in CAPS
**Division game