The Hopewell defense wasn't playing around last Friday -- it meant business from the get-go.

For four quarters, the unit looked more like a bunch of masons fitted with hard hats, earnestly constructing a brick wall to stop their opponent's forward motion.

The Vikings made Andrew Bly, the hottest rusher in the WPIAL, and the Hampton running game look pedestrian, swarming to the ball and making sure-handed tackles time after time.

If the Vikings can duplicate that effort once more two days from now, they'll likely be WPIAL champions.

No. 2-seeded Hopewell (12-0) meets No. 4-seeded West Allegheny (10-2) in the WPIAL Class AAA championship at Heinz Field at 5 p.m. Friday, and the key to victory for each team is simple -- stop (or at least slow down) the run.

When the Parkway Conference foes met earlier this season, Hopewell's Rushel Shell and West Allegheny's Mike Caputo, the top two rushers in the WPIAL during the regular season, put on a show.

Shell, the all-everything sophomore, ran for a career-high 349 yards and three touchdowns, while Caputo, a gritty junior, rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings won, 34-26.

If Hopewell's most recent effort defending the run is of any indication, the Vikings might have the upper hand in the rematch, as well.

Hampton came into the semifinal matchup bolstered by a rushing attack that had run roughshod on opponents their four previous games, including two playoff wins. Bly alone had rushed for 857 yards in the previous four contests, propelling the Talbots to the semifinals for the first time in school history.

But against Hopewell, that sizzle fizzled. Bly was limited to 78 yards -- his fewest amount since Week Three -- and the Talbots mustered only 63 yards on 37 carries overall. The Vikings allowed just one run of more than 10 yards, while holding the Talbots to runs of 1 yard or fewer 18 times.

"They were terrific," Hopewell coach Dave Vestal said afterward. "They made big stops and they found a way to get our offense back on the field."

The Vikings have used an all-around effort from the entire defense to put the clamps on the run during a four-game streak in which they have surrendered just 23 points.

Defensive ends Brandon Fedorka and Tyler Hightower anchor the starting line. Fedorka, in particular, was involved in making quite a few plays against Hampton. Joining them are senior defensive tackles Jeremy Martini and Justin Downs, and junior defensive tackle Rich Smallwood.

An athletic linebacking corps includes an appropriately named Vikings player, senior Toby Thuer (pronounced Thor). He's flanked by fellow seniors Dayne Smith, Brendan Taylor and Malcolm Lay.

If there's one thing the secondary does to excel in containing the run, it's hit hard. That ability is best represented by free safety Matt Hundenski, also the team's quarterback and a WPIAL wrestling champion, who hits as hard as any signal-caller around.

His whacks drew several oohs and aahs from the stands in the semifinal win. Seeing the most time at cornerback are Shell, senior Ryan Costanza and junior Eddie Domitrovich.

If there is one thing Vestal hopes his unit improves upon, it's lowering the amount of penalties it commits. The defense was flagged for five penalties that led to Hampton first downs.

"We took some dumb penalties; that can't happen and will end up costing us," Vestal said. "We need to make sure those things don't happen."

Likewise with prohibiting Caputo from making Heinz Field his personal playground. Caputo has been electric in the postseason, producing dazzling efforts against Knoch (212 yards), New Castle (174 yards) and then last week against three-time defending champion Thomas Jefferson (259 yards).

Causing a significant plunge in those numbers could be paramount to completing what the Vikings set out to do back in August.

"Getting here is a big accomplishment," Shell said. "It was one of the goals we set at the beginning of the year. We took it one game at a time, and now we just have to finish the season."

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