- The Hawthorne vs. Miami Northwestern football game was moved from Sept. 12 to Sept. 10 and relocated to Hawthorne due to Rosh Hashanah.
- Miami Northwestern, ranked 26th nationally and 2024 Class 3A state runner-up, will play at Hawthorne, which has won three state titles recently.
The Hawthorne vs. Miami Northwestern football game, originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at The Villages Charter School, has been moved.
And with good reason.
“The game was moved because Sept. 12 falls on Rosh Hashanah, and Miami NW needed to play on a Thursday,” said Hawthorne Athletics Director and defensive coordinator Greg Bowie. “Because of that, we moved the game to Sept. 10 and changed the location from The Villages to Hawthorne.”
Kickoff between the visiting Bulls and the host Hornets in this clash of the titans is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10. The game will be broadcast online (audio only) at Mainstreet Daily News beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Miami Northwestern is a South Florida powerhouse whose alumni include NFL players Teddy Bridgewater and Amari Cooper.
The Bulls, who won their eighth state title in program history in 2024, finished 13-1 last year. They lost by one point, 23-22, to Raines (Jacksonville) in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship game.
“I’m very appreciative of Miami NW for being willing to travel to Hawthorne,” Bowie said. “Bringing a team of their caliber to our community is huge for Hawthorne and North Central Florida. With the game being played on Thursday and most area teams playing on Friday, we are expecting a nice crowd and believe it will provide a great football atmosphere for everyone involved.”
Despite the loss of quarterback Neimann Lawrence, who transferred to American Heritage, and wide receiver Nick Lennear (Miami Carol City), the state runner-up Bulls should be a threat to make another run.
The Bulls, who move up to Class 4A, are ranked 26th nationally in the High School Football America 300 national preseason rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
Bowie and head coach Cornelius Ingram wanted to beef up their schedule this season.
“C.I. and I met with several of our returning players after last season and told them we wanted to play a few ‘bangers,’” Bowie said. “We asked them to give us a list of programs they’d love the opportunity to compete against, and Northwestern was one of the schools that came up. There were a few other schools that expressed interest in playing us, but our open weeks didn’t line up. Fortunately, everything worked out with Northwestern, and we’re excited to have the opportunity.”
The Class 1A Hornets, who have won three state titles in the last four seasons, are the defending FHSAA Rural state champions.
The FHSAA eliminated the Rural classification, so Hawthorne, which finished 11-1 in 2025, eyes another championship run in a different classification.
Junior quarterback Richard Roundtree Jr. returns after throwing for 2,581 yards and 30 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also ran for another five scores. Plus, running back Derryek Gillins is back after rushing for 1,016 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Ingram, who enters his 12th season, had high praise for his team at last month’s high school football media day.
“The way our guys show up and compete every single day, I feel really good about this team,” he said. “This is the most depth I’ve ever had in my coaching career.”
Following the season opener at Bishop Moore (Orlando) this Friday, the Hornets will now play three straight games at home. The Hornets will host Newberry on August 28, followed by Hernando (Brooksville) on Sept. 4, and Miami Northwestern.
Hawthorne, which has made six straight state championship game appearances, has not lost a home game since 2019.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to host Miami NW,” Bowie said. “It’s a great opportunity for our players and our community to be part of a special football event.”