Class 1R Championship Game
Northview (13-0) vs. Hawthorne (11-0)
When, where: 7 p.m., Saturday, Gene Cox Stadium (Tallahassee)
Northview
Averages: Scoring 42.5 points per game, allowing 14 points per game
Statistical leaders: QB Kaden Odom (Sr., 75-105, 1,367 yards, 15 TDs), RB Jamarkus Jefferson (Sr., 2,345 yards, 43 TDs), WR Wyatt Scruggs (Jr., 17 catches, 316 yards, 6 TDs), DB Luke Bridges (Sr., 108 tackles, 7 TFL)
Postseason: Beat Holmes County 34-26 (regional semifinal), beat Chipley 42-6 (regional final), beat Union County 21-11 (state semifinal)
Signature wins: Blountstown 49-0 (Oct. 7), Bay 41-6 (Nov. 4)
Recruit to watch: OL John Ward. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound guard/defensive tackle is an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Chiefs. Ward is a high motor lineman who is a strong pull blocker in the run game and does a nice job of getting in the backfield on defense. Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Colorado State and East Carolina are among his offers.
Hawthorne
Averages: Scoring 28.7 points per game, allowing 10 points per game
Statistical leaders: QB CJ ingram (So., 63-118, 887 yards, 7 TDs), RB Brian James (Sr., 509 yards, 2 TDs), WR Ga-mon Randall (Sr., 19 catches, 236 yards, 1 TD), LB Tyrique Robinson (Sr., 95 tackles, 11 TFL)
Postseason: Beat Wildwood 33-15 (regional semifinal), beat Pahokee 21-20 (regional final), beat Blountstown 28-0 (state semifinal)
Signature win: Union County 28-21 (Oct. 14)
Recruit to watch: LB/EDGE Jailen Ruth. The senior, who recently decommitted from Washington State, is long at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and does a great job of getting in the backfield. In the past three seasons, Ruth has 314 tackles, 82 tackles for loss and 48 sacks.
Inside the matchup
Hawthorne, which was the state runner-up in 2020 and 2021, ended the season No. 1 in the FHSAA power rankings in Class 1R while Northview, the 2012 state champion, was No. 3. Hawthorne’s defense has pitched three shutouts in its past five games and only Union County (Class 1R regional champion) and Pahokee (1R regional finalist) scored at least 20 points against the Hornets. Northview has been dominant offensively this season, scoring at least 34 points in each of its first 12 games and has only one game that has been decided by less than nine points.