TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Hawthorne knew what the mission was that they had failed to complete the last two years in state championship games in Class 1A against Baker in 2020 and Madison County in 2021.
Northview (Century) (13-1) on the other side was looking to test the Hornets’ defense with one of the leading rushers in the state Jamarkus Jefferson who had over 2,300 yards rushing coming into the game.
In the end, the Hornets erased two years of pain and suffering and bookmarked it a moment of a lifetime giving the eastern side of Alachua County a state champion in football for the first time ever, giving some mojo to a part of Alachua County that has seen some uncertain times.
It also gives Hawthorne (12-0) hometown hero Cornelius Ingram something that he never got as a high school football player – a state championship – that will pair with the two national championship rings he won as a part of the University of Florida’s 2006 and 2008 national championship-winning teams as Division I FBS athlete.
THE FIRST DRIVE SETS THE TONE FOR HAWTHORNE
The Hornets received the opening kickoff after the Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred to the second half and proceeded to orchestrate a nine-play 64-yard drive that would see Brian James’s services be used to test out the Hawthorne defense as CJ Ingram was settling under center after his availability was in question up until almost game time after suffering an injury against Blountstown last week during the state semifinals.
Huge run here for @HHS_Football352 early in the 1st #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/UOV1IOpjUl
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
James would cap off that drive with a five-yard touchdown run to put the Hornets up 6-0 with 8:05 left in the first quarter after the point-after try failed.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 1R STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Brian James in from 5 yards out for the Hornets on their first drive of the game… PAT is no good@HHS_Football352 6, @nhschiefs 0 – 8:05 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @ThePrepZone @Ridaught https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/OEcyhZz9pt
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
Northview’s first drive quickly ended in a three-and-out after two Jefferson runs got shut down fast and Kaden Odom could not get enough yards on third and long.
The defense for @HHS_Football352 is on fire… will force Northview to punt here on their first drive #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/sb6NxOTSSv
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
Hawthorne and Northview would go on to exchange punts on the next two drives combined and when the Hornets finally got the ball back a bad snap sailed over Darian Smith-Williams in the wildcat formation that landed in the end zone, giving the Chiefs a safety to make the score 6-2 with 17 seconds left in the first quarter.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 1R STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Bad snap for Hawthorne results in a safety for Northview! @HHS_Football352 6, @nhschiefs 2 – 0:17 1st Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @ThePrepZone @Ridaught https://t.co/jCe8jED5l1 pic.twitter.com/qpo86rx8dZ
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
After that, it became a defensive chess match as Hawthorne did everything to make sure that the Chiefs would not see the endzone during the game as the Chiefs got all the way down to the Hornets’ six-yard line. That is when Stanley Cooks and Darian Owens denied Jefferson the yards need to get a first down giving the Hornets the ball back.
Hawthorne stops Northview at the 6 and they force a turnover on downs. Hornets with the ball now and have roughly 95 yards to drive the field if they want a touchdown. #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/5a4KxwrlcA
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
The defensive chess match continued for the rest of the first half with the Hornets taking a 13-2 lead into the locker room at the half but it was not before Wyatt Scruggs snagged an interception late, but the Chiefs could not capitalize on the turnover as there was only 23 seconds left before half.
Wyatt Scruggs with the INT for @nhschiefs here late in the 2nd Q. 23 seconds left before half! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/Tcc2VfLYgz
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 1R STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
We are through one half in the State Capitol and it is a tight defensive battle!@HHS_Football352 6, @nhschiefs 2 – HALF #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @ThePrepZone @Ridaught https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
HAWTHORNE STIFFLES NORTHVIEW IN THE SECOND HALF
The Hornets knew that a 6-2 lead was not going to be enough to win the game against the Chiefs, but with the ball going to the Chiefs to start the second half the defense knew they would need to stand tall and they started forcing Northview into the passing game as the Hornets had keyed in on Jefferson in the first half.
Sure enough that was enough to fluster Odom who was sacked once between Ruth and Demetri Perry allowing only one big play to happen when Odom got a gain of 17 but ended up be negated due to a big holding penalty that would end up costing the Chiefs the drive and having to punt it away.
Hawthorne would not do much with the ball and would punt it back to Northview. That is when the Chiefs proceeded to give it right back to the Hornets when Zion Johnson intercepted Odom’s pass at the Northview 45 yard line and returned it back all the way to the one yard line.
Interception for @HHS_Football352 puts them at the 1 pic.twitter.com/8WnFwzA8Ec
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
And it only took one play from CJ Ingram to go right up the gut with the keeper to give Hawthorne a 13-2 lead with 5:26 left in the third quarter, the score that would hold steady through the rest of the game.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 1R STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOUCHDOWN HAWTHORNE! CJ Ingram in from 1 yard out! PAT is good!@HHS_Football352 13, @nhschiefs 2 – 5:26 3rd Q #flhsfb @HSFBamerica @ThePrepZone @Ridaught https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/9CogL9nNOA
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
The Chiefs would cross midfield only once more the entire game as the Hornets locked down on defense while the offense did everything it could to run the clock out on the Chiefs having any chances of trying to make a come bakc in the game.
In th end, Hawthorne held Jefferson to just 35 yards all night, shutting down the top rusher in Class 1R while seeing their own offense collectively rush for 218 yards and two touchdowns, ending the suffering that has long dogged the Hornets over the past two years, making them state champions for the first time in program history.
2022 @FHSAA CLASS 1R STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
HAWTHORNE WINS IT ON THIRD TRY! HORNETS ARE STATE CHAMPIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME! First team from Alachua County since 1994 to win a title! @HHS_Football352 13, @nhschiefs 2 – FINAL #flhsfb @HSFBamerica https://t.co/jCe8jEm2j1 pic.twitter.com/yjvjxH8AUM
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
That ICE WATER BATH for @CIngram_85 as @HHS_Football352 was getting ready to win the Class 1R State Championship! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/kJQYYetG2F
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
HAWTHORNE HEAD COACH CORNELIUS INGRAM TALKS ABOUT THE WIN
WHAT WIN FOR HAWTHORNE LEGEND @CIngram_85! Played at Hawthorne, played college football for @GatorsFB and won a national title with them in 2006 and 2008 and now has won a state title for Hawthorne! AMAZING what CI has done for his hometown and Alachua County! #flhsfb pic.twitter.com/Y9l7lGEID3
— FloridaHSFootball.com (@FlaHSFootball) December 11, 2022
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