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Williams Is Raiders' Answer Man
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Since junior high, Williams always felt as if he had a lot to prove. He said his early success in high school only spurred unfounded criticism and jealousy from others in Prince William County.
"A lot of people on the outside made me feel like it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Williams said. "They just made it seem that it was just because of the team that I had. It was hard. It was a good feeling [to do so well], but a lot of people in the county like to talk trash about you."
Critics of Williams, he said, went so far as to claim he had done steroids.
"Coming in, in eighth grade, I was bigger than most 14-year-olds, and a lot of people said I took steroids and that I wasn't really 14, that I was a senior," said Williams, 16. "People made it seem like it wasn't natural what I was doing on the field, that I had enhancements to help me out. When people say that, I just tell them, get like me, get in the weight room and work as hard as I do and you'll find out."
Williams came back early from his torn meniscus last season, though his doctor advised him to wait another week or two because he had lost a lot of strength in his right knee. Williams played the last four games of last season and averaged better than 100 yards per game.
"I realized when I tried to cut off my right leg I didn't have a lot of support, so I didn't cut that much, and I'm usually a finesse football player," Williams said. "I was just using my vision and hitting my holes."
It's numbers like those that have many wondering what a healthy and more mature Williams will mean for Stonewall Jackson this season. Hylton Coach Lou Sorrentino has an answer.
"That Williams kid is just a junior, but he is super talented and explosive," he said. "They have our attention with the talent and the coaching job they are doing over there. Last year, some breaks went against them, some injuries hurt them, but we saw them two years ago in the regional final, and they will be a tough opener, no doubt."
