BELLE GLADE – Odieu Hilare loves to win.
Whether it’s on the football field, in the classroom, or in anything else, the Glades Central 2019 wide receiver will do whatever it takes to emerge as a success. Consequently the winning mentality has been beneficial to his development in more ways than one.
At this particular time Hilaire has one mission in mind. He wants to help his team win the T.E.A.M. Elam 7-on-7 Tournament, which will be held on Friday (July 13) at Wells Recreational Center in Riviera Beach.
Glades Central will go in as the defending champion – which the team won last summer – and try to fend off competing programs such as Dwyer, Benjamin, Palm Beach Lakes, Palm Beach Gardens, Pahokee, Spanish River, and King’s Academy, among others.
“I am looking forward to a team championship and nothing short of that,” Hilaire said. “The plan to get that done is for all us to play together as a team. My own individual goal is for me to dominate wherever my team needs me and be the best receiver there.”
It’s not hard to envision that happening, as Glades Central will probably have the best stable of receivers in the 7-on-7 tournament, which include the likes of 2019 standouts Jymetre Hester (No. 12; New Era Prep Top 100) and Ja’Vontae Williams (No. 23; NEP 100) and Hilaire himself (No. 52; NEP 100).
With that said, Hilaire’s recruiting process is starting to take off. This tournament can help it further.
The 6-0, 160-pound wide receiver has one offer from Alabama A & M, a historically black institution (HBCU) based in Normal, Ala. He found out about it just before Glades Central’s spring game against Deerfield Beach, which occurred on May 19 at Palm Beach Lakes High School in West Palm Beach.
“It felt great,” Hilaire said.
In the spring game – a 35-21 loss to Deerfield Beach – Hilaire caught two passes, one of which was for a touchdown. His performance may have played a role into what’s going on right now, as he has garnered some interest from the likes of USF, Southern Miss, and Delaware State.
Hilaire, who runs the 40 in 4.46 seconds, did not shy away from how he honestly feels about his own recruiting process.
“My recruiting is going slow right now because I didn’t play as much last year and only made a few big plays,” he said. “It’s also because of my size. But now people know my speed and lengthy body will make up for that.”
Colleges definitely do know it, namely USF and Miami. He played a pivotal role in Glades Central’s team win in both 7-on-7 tournaments last month. Particularly in the Mark Richt 7-on-7 tourney, Hilaire caught 12 passes (six for touchdowns), one of which was a nifty one-handed catch while running a dig.
“A defender was all on me when I made that play,” Hilaire said of the eye-opening moment.
With all that said, there will be plenty of opportunities for Hilaire to have a memorable senior season at Glades Central. His goal is to catch at least 40
passes for at least 650 yards, but he’s more concerned about his team’s overall success.
Glades Central, a perennial playoff team in Class 4A, has not reached the FHSAA state final round since 2010. It was the final year of head coach Jessie Hester’s first stint at the helm.
“I want to help my team wherever I’m needed,” Hilaire said. “Our main goal obviously is to get to the state championship game. I feel we have the talent and team to get it done this year.”
