Part of the fun of being a student-athlete at Hopewell Valley is how many friends you get to play with across different sports. Milan Desai estimates that 90 percent of the football team is multi-sport athletes. That feeds into a year-round culture where kids are bonding on different playing fields while also getting stronger in the weight room.
Desai, Hopewell’s starting quarterback, is primed for a big senior season along with the rest of the Bulldogs. “Not just me, but the whole team has a lot more experience this year,” said Desai, who also plays basketball and lacrosse. “I feel like I’ve built a lot more chemistry on the field with all my teammates, so a lot more trust with the receivers, more comfortable with the o-line and the pocket.
All those things obviously just make me feel a lot more comfortable on the field.” Coming off an 8-2 season where Hopewell narrowly missed the state playoffs because of its Opponent Strength Index, the goal is to dominate at an even higher level in 2024. That goal feels more attainable when you return eight starters on offense including your quarterback, running back, two wide receivers and three offensive linemen, plus five starters across every level of the defense.
Desai, who recently committed to Johns Hopkins, stands 6-foot-2 and has bulked up 20 pounds to weigh 190 this season. It’s also his mental growth after starting on varsity for the first time as a junior that could make him a special player this season. “I thi.