To the End Zone: Meet the 2023 All-Gainesville Area Small School Football Offensive Team

Just because you are royalty doesn’t mean growing pains don’t exist.

CJ Ingram was born from Hawthorne royalty, the son of Cornelius Ingram: Hornet and UF legend.

With his father as coach, CJ took over the starting job behind center as a sophomore in 2022. CJ won a state title last season but primarily served as game manager. He relied on a phenomenal run game and defense and threw for just 13 TDs.

As Hawthorne prepared to mount its title defense, CJ knew he needed to take on a bigger load with a new RB, offensive line and many defensive pieces.

By mid-December in Tallahassee, any sort of growing pain proved long gone as the Hornets lifted the Class 1R state championship trophy again, this time primarily on the back of Ingram.

He threw for over 2,600 yards, rushed for another 333 and scored 44 total TDs. CJ helped maneuver an arduous schedule and extended the Hornets win streak to 25.

CJ Ingram is now the 2023 Gainesville Sun’s All-Gainesville Area Small School Football Offensive Player of the Year.

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More spoils have already begun to arrive for the victor. Ingram was named the Class 1R Player of the Year by sportswriters across the state and received multiple offers, including from Florida to play QB.

CJ, though, also excels in basketball, where he’s currently leading Hawthorne to a 13-4 record after a final four appearance last season. It remains unclear if CJ will pursue a future in football or basketball, a sport he has said he prefers.

Below is the full All-Gainesville Area Small School Football Offensive Team. The group of 13 comes from six schools in Class 1R. Don’t forget that the big schools (Classes 2S-4S) received their own team, which was released last Thursday.

Congrats to all the players!

All-Gainesville Area Small School Football Offensive Team

Alvon Isaac (Hawthorne WR): USF commit; 47 catches for 974 yards, ranked 45^th in Florida and 1^st in Class 1R; 17 receiving TDs and 21 total TDs, 45^th in Florida and 4^th in 1R; 197 return yards, 26^th in 1R

Caleb Rollerson (Hawthorne WR): 40 catches for 805 yards, ranked 96^th in Florida and 5^th in Class 1R; 10 receiving TDs, 40^th in 1R in total TDs

CJ Ingram (Hawthorne QB): 2,618 passing yards on 64 completion percentage, ranked 33^rd in Florida and 2^nd in Class 1R; 20.5 yards per throw and 201.4 yards per game; 38 TDs and 7 INTs; 333 rush yards on 62 carries, 61^st in 1R; 6 rushing TDs; 44 total TDs; 2,951 total yards, 34^th in Florida and 2^nd in 1R

Dakota Fisher (Fort White RB): 143 carries for 1,235 yards, ranked 73^rd in Florida and 9^th in Class 1R; 19 rushing TDs and 23 total, ranked 23^rd in Florida and 3^rd in 1R; 664 return yards, 5^th in Florida and 1^st in 1R; 36.69 average kickoff return yards, 14^th in Florida and 2^nd in 1R; 26.71 average punt return yards, 4^th in 1R; 138 total points, 32^nd in Florida and 4^th in 1R

Gavin Jenkins (Union County WR/CB): 27 catches for 490 yards, ranked 18^th in Class 1R; 6 receiving TDs; 4 interceptions, 188^th in Florida and 17^th in 1R

Hayden Moore (Newberry WR): 44 catches for 940 yards, ranked 49^th in Florida and 2^nd in Class 1R; 12 receiving TDs, 22^nd in 1R in total TDs

Jace McDonald (Williston RB): 64 carries for 663 yards, ranked 25^th in Class 1R; 16 rushing TDs; 11 catches for 222 yards, 49^th in 1R; 18 total TDs, 74^th in Florida and 9^th in 1R

Jamari Williams (Williston RB): 89 carries for 843 yards, ranked 18^th in Class 1R; 12 rushing TDs, 24^th in 1R in total TDs; 72 total points, 29^th in 1R

Jayden Jackson (Fort White QB): 1,623 passing yards on 58 completion percentage, ranked 148^th in Florida and 6^th in Class 1R; 22 passing TDs and 5 INTs; 65 carries on 294 rush yards, 67^th in 1R; 28 total TDs; 1,917 total yards, 8^th in 1R

Kaleb Woods (Newberry RB): 168 carries for 1,279 yards, ranked 64^th in Florida and 8^th in Class 1R; 16 rushing TDs; 11 catches for 271 yards, 41^st in 1R; 20 total TDs, 56^th in Florida and 5^th in 1R; 120 total points, 64^th in Florida and 7^th in 1R; 221 kickoff yards, 15^th in 1R

Keenon Johnson (Hawthorne RB): 212 carries for 1,594 yards, ranked 23^rd in Florida and 3^rd in 1R; 122.6 rush yards per game; 16 rushing TDs, 16^th in 1R in total TDs; 96 total points, 18^th in 1R; 1,627 total yards, 14^th in 1R

Keil McGriff (Newberry QB): 2,386 passing yards on 58 completion percentage, ranked 43^rd in Florida and 3^rd in Class 1R; 20.9 yards per throw and 198.8 yards per game; 26 passing TDs and 9 INTs; 45 carries for 365 yards, 53^rd in 1R; 2,751 total yards, 44^th in Florida and 3^rd in 1R; one interception

Osten Jones (Chiefland RB): 175 carries for 1,333 yards, ranked 57^th in Florida and 6^th in 1R; 14 rushing TDs; 14 catches for 293 yards, 36^th in 1R; 4 receiving TDs; 350 total return yards, 8^th in 1R; 116 total points, 66^th in Florida and 9^th in 1R; 18 total TDs, 71^st in Florida and 8^th in 1R; 1,626 total yards, 15^th in 1R

Coach of the Year: Cornelius Ingram, Hawthorne

With a target on their back all season, Ingram led the Hornets to back-to-back state titles, a first in Alachua County. Hawthorne completed a perfect 13-0 season and extended their win streak to 25. HHS navigated a grueling regular season schedule and defeated Newberry, Williston and Madison County in the Class 1R postseason, the other three top-ranked teams in the class.

Combined between the offensive and defensive teams, Hawthorne had six of 26 players named to the All-Area teams.

Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Hawthorne QB CJ Ingram headlines the All-Gainesville Area Small School Offensive Team