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20 Days Until the State Volleyball Announcement
Gatorade 2024 - 2025: Player of the Year

Football - Iowa

athletes playing Football
The POY Logo
FOOTBALL

Will Hawthorne

Running back/Linebacker
GILBERT HS
GILBERT, IOWA
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-3
Press Release

Peak Performance

2263

Rushing Yards

328

Carries

28

Rushing Touchdowns

6.9

Average Yards per Carry
“I don’t think that there was anyone more valuable to their team this year than Will Hawthorne. If there was a play to be made, Will would make the play. His team ran through him, but what was so impressive was how he pushed others to work and elevate their game as well. His efforts on the field were obvious, but his leadership on and off can’t be overlooked. A humble leader, he worked his tail off and in the process and had one of the best single-season efforts of any player in recent memory.”
Scott Heitland
Head Coach - Dallas Center-Grimes
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior running back and linebacker rushed for 2,263 yards on a grueling 328 carries this past season, averaging 6.9 yards per attempt and leading the Tigers (9-2) to the Class 4A postseason quarterfinals. Hawthorne scored 28 touchdowns, which led all classes at the time of his selection, and also caught four passes for 48 yards. On defense, he recorded 44.5 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and two sacks. A two-time All-State selection as well as the District 4 Offensive and Defensive MVP in successive years, he is ranked as the state’s No. 8 prospect by Prep RedZone.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Hawthorne has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. At the time of his selection, he had made a verbal commitment to receive athletic aid to play football at Iowa State University next fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

A member of the student council, Key Club and Concert Choir, Hawthorne has volunteered locally by mentoring at-risk younger students with Youth and Shelter Services in addition to serving as both a Miracle League buddy for special needs children and a Camp Invention youth STEM program counselor. He has also donated his time as a youth football coach and as part of an Iowa State University campus cleanup effort.