Hopkins Teammates Have A 'Brotherly Love' Off The Field
MININETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) – With the semifinal round high school football playoffs getting set to kick off Friday night, WCCO-TV will be all over the Twin Cities covering the action.
The Hopkins Royals (4-4) host the Edina Hornets (2-6). The Royals lost their first conference game last week to Eden Prairie, which means Hopkins' defensive co-captains Zach Haley and Harry Momoh are looking to use the loss to the Eden Prairie as motivation.
Momoh and Haley, both seniors, knew of each other in middle school, but didn't get close until high school. Sharing is part of the deal with the two linebackers. They share jokes, film sessions and together share the load in the backfield.
"It's pretty helpful we are always watching film together or it transfers over onto the field," said Haley, a senior linebacker.
"I can just trust him, I look over and it's him (Zach) I know he'll make the tackle," Momoh said. "I don't even need to worry about it."
The two first met not through football, but Facebook and a disagreement over lyrics.
"We started arguing over music. He told me Tupac Shakur is a better rapper then Biggie Smalls and I strongly disagreed with him," Momoh said.
The two soon bonded over songs and then during football, but more importantly that friendship got even deeper off the field. Harry was hanging with the wrong crowd his sophomore year, and that's when Zach's parents told him to move in.
"They love me and consider me one of their sons and told me to come live them," said Momoh.
"He's basically like a brother, my grandparents are his grandparents, he comes to all the family events," said Haley.
Hopkins Head Football Coach John DenHartog noticed a change in Harry's priorities almost immediately after moving in with the Haley family.
"I think when Harry moved in with the family especially academically, he really improved and got a lot better about school," said DenHartog.
The friendship between the two captains has turned into a brotherhood.
"He's like a big brother and a little brother," said Momoh.
Like all siblings, they're bound to have a disagreement.
"Yes, of course I get mad at him," said Zach laughing.
The Royals face the Hornets Friday night, and a win puts Haley and Momoh one step closer to the state football playoffs.
