November 25, 2024
Make no mistake about it, Gilbert senior Will Hawthorne was one of the premier football players in the state of Iowa during the 2024 season. Regardless of the class, regardless of position, regardless of anything — No. 43 was part of a small fraternity of players that could make a legitimate case for being the best of the best.
Don’t take our word for it. Listen to the state’s largest newspaper instead.
The Des Moines Register unveiled its All-Iowa high school football teams Monday morning and Hawthorne was among the players named to the Elite Team, which is comprised of student-athletes from all classes.
But Gilbert wasn’t done.
Junior offensive lineman Mason Griffin also corralled all-state honors, as he was named to the first team in Class 4A. Hawthorne joined Griffin on the top 4A team.
Very well done, boys.
Even placed in the realm of video games, Hawthorne’s rushing numbers in 2024 were gaudy. He finished the campaign with 2,263 yards on 328 carries (6.9 yards per carry average) and 28 touchdowns. He led Class 4A in rushing yards, all-purpose yards (2,311) and rushing touchdowns.
And his game-by-game breakdown is maybe even more impressive.
During Gilbert’s 9-2 season, Hawthorne rushed for more than 200 yards six times, led by a 285-yard performance against Mason City during Week 3 of the regular season. He rushed for at least 149 yards in 10 of the 11 outings.
The only game in which Hawthorne didn’t go over 100 yards rushing was in a Week 5 thumping of Des Moines Hoover. He carried the ball just one time — the very first play of the game — and went 65 yards around the right end for a touchdown.
An Iowa State University recruit as a linebacker, Hawthorne also had a standout season defensively for the Tigers with 44 tackles, including 33 solo stops. He collected 10 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Griffin, a multiple-year starter up front, was one of the catalysts behind the No. 1 rushing offense in 4A. He pushed, pulled, and flattened opponents to help the Tigers accumulate 3,719 yards on the ground. Gilbert was No. 7 in 4A in all-purpose yards with 4,547.
Both players were named to the Class 4A District 4 first team. Hawthorne was the district’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Gilbert put together a memorable 2024 season that included a 9-2 record and district championship. The Tigers ended the regular season with a road win over 4A state finalist Pella and reached the state quarterfinals for only the third time in program history.
Congratulations to both players on these deserving honors, as well as to the entire team of players and coaches on a season that none of us will soon forget.
| Opponent | Carries | Yards | YPC | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Center-Grimes (35-28 win) | 40 | 272 | 6.8 | 4 |
| Carroll (36-18 win) | 27 | 201 | 7.4 | 4 |
| Mason City (42-22 win) | 19 | 285 | 15.0 | 4 |
| Boone (35-21 win) | 25 | 198 | 7.9 | 3 |
| Des Moines Hoover (56-0 win) | 1 | 65 | 65.0 | 1 |
| Carlisle (41-10 win) | 31 | 246 | 7.9 | 3 |
| Bondurant-Farrar (31-28 loss) | 29 | 189 | 6.5 | 2 |
| Newton (30-7 win) | 48 | 248 | 5.2 | 3 |
| Pella (14-7 win) | 37 | 156 | 4.2 | 0 |
| Waverly-Shell Rock (21-14 win) | 37 | 254 | 6.9 | 3 |
| Pella (19-14 loss) | 34 | 149 | 4.4 | 1 |
| SEASON TOTALS | 328 | 2,263 | 6.9 | 28 |
