Athletics
The Hopewell Valley Central High School Bulldogs compete in the Colonial Valley Conference, which consists of public and private high schools located in Mercer County, Monmouth County and Middlesex County, New Jersey, under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). With 896 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2011-12 school year for most sports as Central Jersey Group III, a category that included schools with enrollment of 802 to 1,104. Hopewell's athletic program offers 22 sports. Over half of the students at HVCHS compete in sports or clubs.
In 2003-04 Hopewell Valley Central High School teams won six Patriot Division Championships, two Mercer County Championships, and the Group II Winter Track Relay State Championship. Championship teams included Boys Cross Country, Girls Soccer, Girls Tennis, Girls Basketball and Girls Track and Field. In addition, the CHS 4X4 relay team won the championship at the 2003 Penn Relays. The 2006 Girls' softball team won the Mercer County Tournament.
The 2005 varsity soccer team went were co-champions of Mercer County, went undefeated in the CVC, won their division, won the Group III Sectional Title with a 2-1 win over Monroe Township High School and lost 3-2 in overtime to Ocean City High School in the State Semi-Finals. They were ranked 13th in the state at the end of the year. Matt Lanouette and Andrew Juiliano received Second Team All-State recognition.
The 2001 varsity soccer team was the state runner-up team, with a record of 21-2-1.
The men's cross country team went undefeated in Mercer County, won the Mercer County Championship, won the Central Jersey state championship, and placed second at the Group III State Meet. The women's cross country team also went undefeated in the county, placed second in the Mercer County Championship, and was first at the Central Jersey state championship.
The 2007 girls lacrosse team won the South, Group II state sectional championship with a 15-7 victory over Camden Catholic High School.
In 1997 the golf team won the Group II state title, and defeated rival West Windsor in a one hole playoff for the Tournament of Champions over all State Championship. Along with the team honors, senior David Schmutz won the individual State Title by three shots. David Schmutz received First Team All-County, First Team All-State Group II, First Team, All-State, and State Player of the Year honors.
The recently re-established football program's first victory, since 1932, came on October 17, 2005, against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North. The final score was 28-6. For over 70 years Hopewell had no football team, however the Bulldogs were able to successfully start their first season in 2004. later, the 2006 season had the Bulldogs going 3-6, and tying for the Colonial Valley Conference Patriot Division title with Ewing High School and West Windsor Plainsboro North. The 2007 season was even more successful for the Hopewell Varsity football team, going 5-4, and again tying for the Patriot Division title. in 2008, the bulldogs had another winning season, at 6-4. At Homecoming, the crowds number in the thousands. Plans are underway for a turf field stadium for the team in the upcoming years.
During the 2009 season, on November 21, 2009, the varsity girls soccer team played against Northern Highlands Regional High School in the state finals in The College of New Jersey. The game ended with a tie of 0-0 and it was the first time Hopewell girls varsity soccer team has claimed a state title since 1983.
In 2010, the winter track team set a state record by winning the state relays for its ninth consecutive year, a streak that ended in 2011.
In 2011, the girls spring track team won the NJSIAA Group III state title for the seventh consecutive time.
There is a rivalry with the Pennington School.
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