Ingram, Hawthorne Soars To 1A Title Game
You always love when “one of your own” come back and make a difference. That is what Cornelius Ingram represents to this city and surrounding communities.
He’s a Hornet for life – has been around – and knows exactly how success is built. He watched at the University of Florida where he entered one of the most heralded and athletic quarterbacks in the nation – and left the school as a tight end who was big, strong, quick and smart.
After high school, Ingram moved on to play basketball and football at the University of Florida in 2004. Ingram red-shirted one season of basketball for the Gators before switching full-time to football.
He was equally as good on the basketball court. Big East or ACC good? In time – if he didn’t play part time.
What Ingram has done is give his community something that was given to him. His gift back is molding young and men as head football coach and girls’ basketball coach.
At the age of seven, Ingram’s father became the head coach of his youth team, putting him at starting quarterback. He was a quarterback from the age of seven, playing Pop Warner Football. Going through middle school he was still able to play Pop Warner Football, but then he was good enough to play Junior Varsity football as a seventh-grader. The same year, he earned his first Varsity letter as an athlete on the basketball team, earning a starting position by eighth grade.
THE ROAD TO TALLAHASSEE
This was not the team that many had thought about when looking at the 1A state champions, and the Hornets and Ingram have quietly worked their way to this position that this school and community have never been in – and it will all unfold on Thursday night (7:00) against unbeaten (14-0) Baker.
HOW THEY GOT TO 10-2
With losses coming to Zephyrhills (26-0) and Starke Bradford County (28-25), this was a team that did what it took.
In regular season wins over Newberry (20-14), Jacksonville Zarephath Academy (54-0), Gainesville PK Yonge (14-13), Palatka (32-0), Lake Butler Union County (30-20), Tavares (39-0) and Chiefland (40-0), this program showed it could win the close ones as well as open some breathing room.
The playoffs have watched the Hornets beat Fort Meade (12-7), Wildwood (14-8) and the game that got them here – an 18-14 decision against three-time defending state champion Madison County.
THE HORNETS FILE
SCHOOL: Hawthorne
HEAD COACH: Cornelius Ingram
2020 RECORD: 10-2
CLASSIFICATION: 1A
HORNETS TO WATCH
2022 – Kristopher Brumfield, OL
2021 – Kylyn Bryant, OL
2021 – Samuel Driver, DB
2024 – Jordan Fluellen, DB
2022 – Mackey Graham, WR
2021 – Jarrett Hughes, WR
2023 – Terrell James, WR
2021 – Johnquavis Jones, WR
2021 – Dre Lawrence, WR
2022 –
Chaz Mackey
Chaz
Mackey
QB
North Marion | 2022
FL
, QB
2021 – Jaden Mavin, LB
2021 – Chauncey McFadden, OLB
2021 – Thurman Mills, DT
2022 – Anthony Morgan, WR
2022 – Jamal Nealy, WR
2021 – Tony Pitt, OL
2021 – Rolaundus Watson, LB
2022 – JayQuan Williams, LB
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Foridakids1@aol.com. We are also on Social Media on @PrepRedzonefl.
After high school, Ingram moved on to play basketball and football at the University of Florida in 2004. Ingram red-shirted one season of basketball for the Gators before switching full-time to football.
He was equally as good on the basketball court. Big East or ACC good? In time – if he didn’t play part time.
What Ingram has done is give his community something that was given to him. His gift back is molding young and men as head football coach and girls’ basketball coach.
At the age of seven, Ingram’s father became the head coach of his youth team, putting him at starting quarterback. He was a quarterback from the age of seven, playing Pop Warner Football. Going through middle school he was still able to play Pop Warner Football, but then he was good enough to play Junior Varsity football as a seventh-grader. The same year, he earned his first Varsity letter as an athlete on the basketball team, earning a starting position by eighth grade.
THE ROAD TO TALLAHASSEE
This was not the team that many had thought about when looking at the 1A state champions, and the Hornets and Ingram have quietly worked their way to this position that this school and community have never been in – and it will all unfold on Thursday night (7:00) against unbeaten (14-0) Baker.
HOW THEY GOT TO 10-2
With losses coming to Zephyrhills (26-0) and Starke Bradford County (28-25), this was a team that did what it took.
In regular season wins over Newberry (20-14), Jacksonville Zarephath Academy (54-0), Gainesville PK Yonge (14-13), Palatka (32-0), Lake Butler Union County (30-20), Tavares (39-0) and Chiefland (40-0), this program showed it could win the close ones as well as open some breathing room.
The playoffs have watched the Hornets beat Fort Meade (12-7), Wildwood (14-8) and the game that got them here – an 18-14 decision against three-time defending state champion Madison County.
THE HORNETS FILE
SCHOOL: Hawthorne
HEAD COACH: Cornelius Ingram
2020 RECORD: 10-2
CLASSIFICATION: 1A
HORNETS TO WATCH
2022 – Kristopher Brumfield, OL
2021 – Kylyn Bryant, OL
2021 – Samuel Driver, DB
2024 – Jordan Fluellen, DB
2022 – Mackey Graham, WR
2021 – Jarrett Hughes, WR
2023 – Terrell James, WR
2021 – Johnquavis Jones, WR
2021 – Dre Lawrence, WR
2022 –
Chaz Mackey
Chaz
Mackey
QB
North Marion | 2022
FL
, QB
2021 – Jaden Mavin, LB
2021 – Chauncey McFadden, OLB
2021 – Thurman Mills, DT
2022 – Anthony Morgan, WR
2022 – Jamal Nealy, WR
2021 – Tony Pitt, OL
2021 – Rolaundus Watson, LB
2022 – JayQuan Williams, LB
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Foridakids1@aol.com. We are also on Social Media on @PrepRedzonefl.
