For a player that didn’t even know if he was ever going to get on the field as a freshman, Richard Rountree Jr. certainly didn’t act like a guy who’s never started a varsity football game before. With the clock winding down in a tie football game, Roundtree delivered a strike to the corner of the endzone as the clock expired leading the Hawthorne Hornets to a victory last Friday night over previously undefeated and ranked Oakleaf High School.
"He prepared like he was the starter all week. Always came by my office during lunch, watched film, talked about schemes, and I was extremely confident he was ready to make his first high school start and be successful" said 2 time state championship coach Cornelius Ingram.
After an injury to the starting quarterback in last weeks game, Roundtree took his opportunity and ran with it. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 179 yards and 2 scores against an Oakleaf team that has 7 guys committed to play D1 football.
"For a freshman to command the huddle the way he did and his ability to make big plays throughout the game was really fun to watch. Richard played with a confidence and poise that you rarely see out of freshman and his ability to handle pressure and stay calm speaks volumes for his development over the next few years" Ingram added.
Hawthorne’s victory improved them to 3-1 on the year and they will now travel to South Sumter next week, where Roundtree will make his second consecutive start at Quarterback. Congratulations to Richard Roundtree Jr of Hawthorne High School, this week UF Health High School Athlete of the week.