PRINCETON: Hawes set for football return in Sunshine game

By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Matt Hawes had his senior football season at Princeton High cut two weeks short by a knee injury.
But Hawes will get a chance to suit up and represent the Little Tigers on the football field one last time when he participates in the 21st Annual Sunshine Classic, which is scheduled for Thursday night at The College of New Jersey. The games raises money for the Sunshine Foundation as well as scholarship money for the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.
While some of the players in the game know they will be continuing their football careers at the college level, players like Hawes are unsure as he rehabs from knee surgery. And while he is unsure at the present time about continuing his football career in college, Hawes is happy to have an opportunity to suit up and represent Princeton one last time.
“My football season ended about two weeks early because of a fourth knee surgery,” said Hawes, who played defensive line and fullback for the Little Tigers. “I was happy to be selected. After my fourth knee surgery, with the physical therapy and post-op I wasn’t sure I’d be able to play. I was honored to be picked to play.
“I have been training and working out and lifting to stay in shape to play. I had not played football in a while when I went to my first practice. I missed the first day because of our graduation and then when I went on Thursday it was a little rough. I was a little out of shape because I had not played in a long time. But it was fun getting back out on the field.”
Hawes will be joined by two other Princeton High graduates in the game, Ethan Guerra and Alex Solopenkov. Princeton coach Charlie Gallagher is the offensive coordinator for the West team that the PHS players will be a part of in the game.
Hawes, who will attend Harvard University, is unsure if he will attempt to continue his football career. He’s working his way back from knee issues and the Sunshine game will be a good test to see just how far along he has come with his rehabilitation.
“I have had a couple bumps and bruises, which is normal football stuff,” Hawes said on Monday after having gone through his second practice with his team. “It has been fun getting out there and catching the ball and running and hitting people. It is a good reminder of how much fun it was to play high school football.”
A two-way player at Princeton, Hawes will play fullback for the West team in the Sunshine game. With Gallagher serving as the offensive coordinator, there will be a certain familiarity with the offense for Hawes when he lines up as a fullback.
“It is nice because some of the plays overlap,” Hawes said. “I still have to learn things and we don’t get a lot of time to practice. There are six total practices and they require you to make four. I missed one due to graduation and some of the other players miss here and there.”
For Hawes and all of the other players, the Sunshine game offers an opportunity to bond with and become teammates with players they lined up across from during the regular season.
“It is funny talking to them off the field,” Hawes said. “We go against each other on field and we have all been working hard. The past few practices I have been talking to the other players off the field and it is a different kind of feeling working together and getting to know these guys off the field.”
For Hawes, the opportunity to play one more time representing Princeton High is one he will enjoy. In addition to football, he was a three-year performer for the lacrosse team before switching to track and field as a senior due to his knee issues.
“It will be good to go out and play one more time,” Hawes said. “I played lacrosse freshman, sophomore and junior years but this year I couldn’t play. I switched to track and did shot, discus and javelin. It was a more control environment with no running or cutting. It was probably the best option for me since I wasn’t sure about my knee being ready so close to surgery.”
But now his knee is ready and Hawes will have a chance for one last football game as a Little Tiger.