BLOCK PARTY: Matt Hawes, right, delivers a block in the Sunshine Football Classic last Thursday evening at The College of New Jersey. Recently graduated Princeton High standout Hawes helped the West to a 24-7 win over the East in the 21st edition of the all-star game. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Matt Hawes will never forget the last play of his high school football career.

Playing for the West squad in the Sunshine Football Classic last Thursday evening at The College of New Jersey, recently graduated Princeton High star Hawes carried the ball in the waning seconds of the contest.

Having done the dirty work of blocking from his fullback position as the West team rolled to a 24-7 win, Hawes lobbied PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher, the West offensive coordinator, for the chance to get the ball in his hands.

“It was getting toward the end of the game and since I am a fullback, I was making a lot of blocks,” said Hawes.

“I went up to coach Gallagher and said I haven’t carried the ball once yet so he gave me the ball and I had a nice little run.”

With that, Hawes went off into the sunset. “It was kind of surreal,” recalled Hawes. “We shook hands and walked to the end zone. I knew this was the end of my high school career so it was different.”

Ending his football career by playing in the all-star contest was special for Hawes.

“I was really grateful to be able to play in this game,” said Hawes.

“I had two of my teammates [Ethan Guerra and Alex Solopenkov] here. I had coach Gallagher, who was my head coach and he was the offensive coordinator. I was working closely with him and also the running backs coach at PHS, coach [Dave] Filson, was the running back coach here.”

The West squad methodically wore down the East, marching 80 yards in 16 plays on its first possession of the game, taking a 7-0 lead on a four-yard run by Mitchell Finnegan of North Hunterdon. Adding a field goal in the second quarter, the West led 10-0 at halftime. In the third quarter the West outscored the East 14-7, with nether team scoring in the final period.

“The defense was set off pretty well from the beginning but the offense took a little while to get going,” said Hawes. “Once the offense got going, we put up some points.”

While Hawes did double duty during his career for PHS, playing both defensive end and running back, he enjoyed focusing on one side of the ball for the Sunshine game.

“I was very happy to play fullback, getting to make blocks, carry the ball, and play offense,” said Hawes.

Having injured both of his knees and enduring four surgeries over his high school years, Hawes savored the chance to end his football career with a bang.

“I wasn’t able to play sophomore year and then I came back and played junior and senior year,” said Hawes.

“It was nice being able to be captain my senior year and come back and do a lot.”

In a few months, Hawes will be heading into a very nice situation as he starts his studies at Harvard.

“It came down to the best fit for me,” said Hawes, who is looking into playing club sports in college and is considering taking up rugby.

“It was Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. Princeton is pretty much in my back yard and Stanford was the opposite. It was really far away. I like the feel at Harvard, they made me feel like I was at home.”