Woodbridge quarterback Troy Haynes scrambles during a 2018 game. Haynes died Sunday after fighting kidney cancer. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

DOVER — Recent Woodbridge High graduate and football star Troy Haynes died Sunday after battling kidney cancer. He had turned 19 on Sept. 22.

Haynes was a four-year starter for the Woodbridge High football team and helped it to the playoffs each year of his career. His reputation as a tremendous leader yet humble person was known through the high school sports community and it grew since his diagnosis and treatment became widely publicized this spring.

The Delaware high school sports community rallied around the former Blue Raider quarterback and two-time Division II football state champion.

Tributes Sunday night poured in across social media for Haynes and many referenced the “Fight Like 4” hashtag, coined for the number Haynes wore during football season.

The Facebook for Milford High School Football posted: “Thoughts and prayers to the Haynes family and the Woodbridge Football Family! We are here for you should you need us! We will continue to #FightLike4 each and every day!”

Haynes was in Texas undergoing treatment so he missed out on the Blue-Gold senior all-star game in June. The contest turned into a tribute to Haynes with four different Woodbridge players wearing his No. 4 jersey during each quarter.

Haynes had a 38-8 record as a starting quarterback at Woodbridge. He led the Blue Raiders to a state title in 2016 as a sophomore before finishing his career with another in 2018 in his senior year.

““If you had a son, you’d want him to be like Troy,” said Woodbridge coach Jed Bell during Blue-Gold week. “Always respectful, does things the right way and works really hard. He embodies everything you want a kid to be.”

Haynes was thrust into action during the third game of his freshman season after the starter was injured and he started every game at quarterback for Woodbridge since then.

“He means everything,” said Woodbridge wide receiver Gabe Wescott last year. “When things don’t go right, we look to Troy for the inspiration on the field. He does a great job of keeping his composure and executing whenever his number is called. That’s why he’s such a great asset to our team and such a great quarterback.”

Though undergoing treatment, Haynes was able to walk across the stage on his own to receive his diploma at Woodbridge’s graduation ceremony in June.