swimmer at the University of Cincinnati, and Ava, Gilbert’s all-time scoring leader on the hardwood, is a current member of the Drake University women’s basketball team. And the best of them all may be the youngest of them all. “100 percent, he’s better than I was,” Greg said about his youngest son. “He’s faster, stronger, smarter, tougher, loves it more, and brings others with him better than I ever did. So he’s past me.” Genetics notwithstanding, Will learned about hard work and dedication at an early age, and competition has always been park of his family’s make-up. If Drew and Ava excelled at something, Will wanted to as well. He harnessed an inner- drive early on, which is why he feels no outside pressure to live up to the accolades of his siblings. He expects more out of himself than any family member ever will. “I wouldn’t say there’s too much pressure because I’ve al- ways believed in myself,” he said. “I always tried to do what Drew and Ava did, and they taught me you have to be ob- sessed with your sport. And my parents have always been my biggest supporters. “In the end, it all worked out pretty well for us.”
Will has and continues to play a multitude of sports — in ad- dition to being a football pro- digy, he’s also been a key contributor to Gilbert’s basket- ball program, and he’s a multi- ple-time state track and field qualifier — but his passion has always resided on the gridiron. It’s where he feels at home, and it’s why he works so hard on his craft every single day. “A phrase that Will used in our family was win in the dark,” Greg said. “He’s willing to do things behind the scenes that will allow him the opportunity to give him a chance, and he’s not afraid to fail. I think his ability to swing big and his ability to work hard will allow him the opportu- nity to do well in college.” ••• Will rubs his chin for a mo- ment as he ponders the ques- tion, but his answer comes quickly. And the answer is pretty much perfect. Can you describe yourself as a football player? “I would call myself an old- style linebacker with the athleti- cism to play in today’s game,” Will said. “I think I’m pretty ver- satile.” Nailed it. Will’s style on defense screams old-school when rugged linebackers wore gigan-
tic shoulder pads and even bigger neck collars. He’s just tough, unafraid, and fundamen- tally dominant when compared to the majority of players across the state. If Will Hawthorne gets his hands on you, good luck break- ing free. “You get to fly around and hit people and make plays,” Will said. “It’s like a chess game, but you’re the queen. You get to make the plays and it’s up to you to make them.” The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder got his first taste of varsity football as a freshman — a feat not many first-year players attain. But he admits it was an eye- opening experience. The game was fast, at times too fast for him, and he was going up against players who were
bigger, faster, and stronger. The game began to slow down — at last some — during his sophomore campaign in 2022, a season in which he ac- cumulated 56 tackles, the sec- ond-most on the team. Even as an underclassmen, he was looked at as a leader, both on and off the field. “Even in the beginning of my sophomore year, I still couldn’t really figure it out because ev- erything moves so fast,” Will said. Eventually, it all clicked into place. Which brings us to last season — a 6-3 journey for the Tigers that marked their first winning season in a non-COVID year since 2016. Teams had to feel like there were multiple No. 43s on the
46 GAME ON | FALL 2024
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