June 17, 2025
A generational athletic talent winning generational athletic awards — that sums up Will Hawthorne’s senior year at Gilbert High School.
And even though he’s now graduated, the honors continue to pour in.
Hawthorne, a member of the GHS Class of 2025, recently collected two more prestigious awards during the Des Moines Register’s annual Iowa High School Sports Awards show, held June 12 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. First, he was named the Iowa Football Player of the Year, and then he capped the evening by taking home one of the biggest awards, the title of Boys Athlete of the Year.
It should come as a surprise to no one.
“It was an absolute joy to watch Will compete, and he elevated our athletic programs across the board,” GHS Activities Director Ian Smith said. “Will obviously has natural gifts, but he maximized those gifts through hard work.”
A three-sport athlete for Gilbert, Hawthorne put together a senior campaign loaded with individual and team accomplishments.
On the gridiron, he led the Tigers to a 9-2 record, the Class 4A District 4 title, and a trip to the 4A state quarterfinals. He was the 4A leader in rushing yards (2,263), all-purpose yards (2,311), and rushing touchdowns (28). With a tremendous combination of speed and power, he rushed for more than 200 yards on six occasions and had at least 149 yards rushing in 10 of the Tigers’ 11 contests. His only game where he was held below 100 yards was against Des Moines Hoover, a night in which he carried the ball only one time for a 65-yard touchdown.
“It was an absolute joy to watch Will compete, and he elevated our athletic programs across the board.”
-Ian Smith, Gilbert High School Activities Director
Defensively, Hawthorne accrued 44 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and two sacks, from his middle linebacker position.
The eye-popping numbers and his noticeable dominance on the football field were rewarded with a slew of accolades, including:
- Elite-team all-state
- Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year
- MaxPreps Iowa High School Football Player of the Year
- Navy Bowl All-American
In December, Hawthorne traveled to San Antonio to take part in the Navy All-American Bowl. During his stay, he was named a finalist for the organization’s National Player of the Year award.
In the winter, Hawthorne was the anchor in the middle for a Gilbert boys basketball team that put together a 15-9 record and reached the 3A substate final round. He averaged 7.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
And that brings us to this spring. On the track, Hawthorne anchored the Tigers’ 4×100-meter relay to a 3A state title, and the 4×200 relay to a state silver medal. He was also a state finalist in the 100-meter dash for the second time.
Less than a month removed from his final few days of walking the GHS halls, Hawthorne has already begun the next chapter of his life as an Iowa State University student and football player. A linebacker recruit, he’s currently taking part in summer drills with the Cyclones in preparation for the 2025 season.
Congratulations to Will and the entire Hawthorne family. Thank you for taking all of us on this amazing journey with you. It was one none of us will ever forget.
“We wish Will nothing but the best at Iowa State, and he always knows he’ll have a home right here at Gilbert,” Smith said.
