Seniors Lead the way on Senior Night for Hawthorne

By Nick Gonzalez-Abreu and Matthew Rothmann

It was a very emotional senior night for all of the senior football players for the Hornets. There are 12 seniors on this football team and they have all become a major part of the foundation for the Hornets. Coach Cornelius Ingram expressed the leadership and work ethic that his senior players have possessed throughout their time with the program. Ingram went on to say,

“I watched a lot of these kids grow up, and to see them at this point in their lives. [They are] mature, not only as football players but as productive young men. It is an awesome thing to watch as a coach, so it was a proud coaching moment for me.”

Domination from the Start

The seniors made a statement on both sides of the ball. On offense, five of the six touchdowns in the first half were scored by senior players, beginning with a 9-yard touchdown run by RB Isaiah Donaldson. Big play touchdowns including a 33-yard receiving touchdown by WR Ga’mon Randall, a 62-yard score by Tyrique Robinson, and a 51-yard punt return by Terrell James all the way to the end zone extended the lead for Hawthorne as they never looked back. 

Touchdown #Hornets! #22 Tyrique Robinson with a phenomenal 55+ yard touchdown run! PAT is no good. | Score: Astronaut 0-33 @HHS_Football352

— Bryan Bromfield (@BromfieldBryan) November 4, 2022

The Hornets were just as dominant on defense when they forced a fumble on the first drive for the War Eagles. The senior members on defense also made their mark on the game. Jailen Ruth recorded a sack and put pressure on the QB for the whole first half. Tyelor Waters then made an incredible interception at the end of the first half to cap off the night for the seniors.

One of the senior members of the team who did not feature in today’s contest, DT Stanley Cooks was sidelined while dealing with an ankle injury. Coach Ingram did not want to risk him playing in today’s contest and also made sure to give the starters on both sides rest in the second half to get ready for the playoffs. Despite the injury he sustained, Coach Ingram noted the energy that Cooks brought to the sideline was a huge morale boost for the team. They would eventually win 52-0 over Astronaut.

Playoffs Around the Corner for the Hornets

As things stand with the win by the Hornets, they will be the number one seed in their region. A lot is at stake for the Hornets, who expect big things from themselves come playoff time. 

When asked about what the team needs to do come playoff time, senior RB Isaiah Donaldson said,

“We have to make sure we clean up on all the little things. The little things are what’s going to get us to the state championship.” 

Coach Ingram echoed Donaldson’s statement but added that he is confident about his team showing up and being locked in. He says that losing the state championship game the previous year would only help motivate his players to push forward and go after that title for this season. The Hornets will hope to cap off this season with some new silverware in their trophy cabinet.