Despite having nearly a month off in between games, the Hawthorne Hornets opened the postseason in traditional fashion with a blowout win at home.

Behind five combined touchdowns from quarterback Richard Roundtree Jr., who had two passing and one rushing, and running back Derryek Gillins, who had a pair of scores on the ground, Hawthorne opened the postseason with a 42-0 thrashing of Branford in the Rural Regional Semifinals.

“Super proud,” head coach Cornelius Ingram said. “We try to simulate certain things in practice, certain drills, where we try to have live game reps, but nothing can fulfill a real game setting.”

The Hornets took a 36-0 lead at halftime to seal a running clock.

Roundtree Jr. hit Raheem Moore for a 47-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring before converting the ensuing 2-point try to put the Hornets up 8-0 with 6:38 left in the first quarter. Four minutes later, Gillins scored from a yard out to make it 14-0.

Roundtree Jr. added his second touchdown pass, a 49-yarder to Dominick Harvey, to open the second quarter before Gillis converted the 2-point try to make it 22-0.

“He’s probably one of the best quarterbacks in the state, regardless of class,” Ingram said of Roundtree Jr. “(He) can make every throw. He has this aura about himself. He’s a confident kid, and the guys love playing with him.”

Hawthorne’s defense, meanwhile, forced three punts before recording its first of three interceptions after Roundtree Jr.’s touchdown pass to Harvey. A pick by Nathan Jennings set up a 12-play, 64-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard score on the ground from Roundtree Jr. and a two-point conversion from Harvey to make it 30-0.

Another Hawthorne interception on the ensuing drive, this time by Messiah Gent, set up another touchdown rush by Gills to make it 36-0 with 10 seconds left in the half, thus sealing the running clock.

“Feels really good, man,” Gillis said. “We executed very well. Came out and played hard and physical.”

While the second half was brief, highlighted by a pick-six from Hawthorne’s Jordan Asante, the Hornets got a massive injury scare. Roundtree Jr., caught in a pile while falling on a bad snap, went down in the third quarter with a leg injury.

He exited the game and did not put any weight on his left leg.

Ingram said Roundtree Jr. had a bone bruise but should be available for next week’s game against Williston, which beat Lafayette 42-14 to set up a rematch of last year’s state semifinal, which Hawthorne won, 28-7.

“Just (Robby) Pruitt says it all, man,” Ingram said of the matchup. “… Kind of shot a quick message to my guys before we broke it down. Next week, man, it’s some real football.”

Football scores

FHSAA Regional Semifinals

Friday, Nov. 14

Class Rural-Region 2

4 Taylor County (Perry) 28, 13 Trenton 7

Class Rural-Region 3

3 Chiefland 44, 14 Sneads (7-3) 6

Class Rural-Region 4

7 Williston 42, 10 Lafayette (Mayo) 14 

2 Hawthorne 42, 15 Branford (7-3) 0

FHSAA Regional Quarterfinals

Thursday, Nov. 13

Class 6A-Region 1

1 Buchholz 49,8 Oviedo 41

Friday, Nov. 21

Class 2A-Region 2

1 Bradford (Starke) 55, 8 Avon Park 0 

2 Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 34, 7 Santa Fe (Alachua) 30

3 Cocoa 42, 6 Newberry 13

Class 3A-Region 2

4 Eastside 42, 5 South Sumter (Bushnell) 14 

Class 4A-Region 1

3 Columbia (Lake City) 35, 6 Rickards (Tallahassee) 0 

SSAA  Regional Semifinals

Friday, Nov. 14

11-man 3A

Oak Hall 51, The Masters Academy (Oviedo) 34

8-man 1A

Saint Francis Catholic Academy 73, The Classical Academy of Sarasota (Sarasota) 60